Teaching Elections with Constitution 101

Preparing lesson plans on elections? Explore Unit 9: Elections and Voting Rights: From the Founding through the Civil Rights Movement in our new Constitution 101 with Khan Academy student course. The short videos in this unit will engage your students in constitutional debates over modern issues like campaign finance and redistricting.

Our Teacher Advisory Council Member, Megan Boimann-Hennies, used the videos with her students and shared:

“Students in my AP U.S. Government and Politics course are working in groups to understand and apply the concepts of elections and voting in the United States. All of my students have remarked that the videos and resources in Unit 9 are informative and helpful in their research. Not only do they present accurate and attention-grabbing information, but the inclusion of scholars and experts on those subjects also elevates the discussion for students. Many students are planning to integrate this information in their presentations and written responses.”

Virtual Museum Experiences for Students

The Story of We the People:

Election Connections

Tuesday, October 29 | Noon ET

Students can join us live as we highlight all of the Election Connections from our main exhibit, The Story of We the People. We’ll take a look at Article II of the Constitution, exploring how we select our presidents through the lens of some famous historic elections, the constitutional requirements for the job, and the duties of the president once they take office. We’ll also look at what the Constitution says about voting rights, how these rights have changed over time, and conclude with an insider look at the different ways in which people have cast their ballots over the centuries and current voting systems today.

Featured Professional Learning Session

Elections and Voting Rights

Wednesday, October 16 | 6:30 p.m. ET

In this session, participants will explore the right to vote throughout history and work to answer several key questions about voting rights in America. Join us as scholar Paula Monopoli addresses the following questions: Where does the Constitution protect the right to vote? What role did the amendment process play in shaping voting rights? What has the Supreme Court said about the right to vote over time?

We will also look at important ways to engage students in civil dialogue about current events and modern questions for classroom application.

Thank you for being part of our community of educators. If you have any questions we’d love to hear from you. Please email the education team at [email protected].

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