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Local Election Toolkit

Letters to the Next President 2.0 asked students to share their views on an issue that mattered to them during the 2016 election. But students don’t...

Resources to Gear Up for the Inauguration and First 100 Days

January 20 will mark the 58th inauguration in our nation’s history. President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign and subsequent election was inspired i...

Do Now

Do Now is a weekly activity hosted by KQED for students to engage and respond to current issues using social media tools like Twitter. Do Now aims to ...

How to Let Your Local Media Know about Letters to the Next President 2.0

Your local newspaper, radio or TV station may jump at the chance to do a story on what your students are doing for Letters to the Next President 2.0. ...

Is it Time for the America to Graduate From the Electoral College?

The founding fathers established the electoral college in the United States Constitution, believing that it would be both a buffer and provide fair po...

EXPLAINER: What’s the Deal with the Electoral College?

When voters head to the polls on Election Day to select the next president, we’re not actually voting for any one person. Instead, we’re throwing ...

Majority Rules: How Propositions Get on the Ballot in California (with Lesson Plan)

Think of it as a proposition extravaganza. Love ’em or hate ’em, ballot propositions are an ingrained part of California’s political system. Te...

15 Great Digital Media Projects for the Presidential Election Season

I’m a high school social science teacher with many years of teaching experience (World History, U.S. History, and U.S. Government), and I am certain...

Debate Bingo and Other Essentials for the Second Presidential Debate

NFL players won't be the only ones pummeling each other this Sunday night. Teach with the Lowdown Suggestions for nonfiction analysis, writing/discus...

What Would You Tell the Next President?

Letters to the Next President 2.0 asks students to take a stance on an election issue and share their experiences through written letters, videos, aud...

What Is the President’s Actual Job Description?

Presidential candidates make lots of campaign promises, but do they have the power to act on them once elected? This post and lesson plan ask students...

The Fight to Vote: A History of Voting Rights in America

The United States presents itself as a beacon of democracy on the world stage. But universal suffrage has been elusive throughout its history. Teach y...

What’s the Point of Political Party Platforms?

If you want to cut through some of the election spin and get an idea of what each political party “officially” stands for, party platforms are a g...

The Presidential Convention and Nomination Process: A Cartoon Guide

Comic journalist Andy Warner explain the race for the nomination in this cartoon guide for KQED's The Lowdown...

KQED Teach

KQED Teach is a fun and social online learning platform for educators to improve their media literacy skills....

Media Make #4: Spoken Word Letters

A spoken word letter can express a personal experience with an election issue in a way that a written letter cannot. Spoken word combines the power of...

10 Ways to Engage Summer Learners in the Election

Summer is upon us and the 2016 political conventions are not far behind. While we have one eye on the campaign trail, w...

Media Make: Make Your Own Political Art (How-to Hangout)

As part of a special series designed for the Letters to the Next President 2.0 project, this Media Make examined the elements of influential politi...

An Illustrated Guide to the Incredibly Confusing Presidential Nomination Process

No one ever said the presidential nominating process was simple. But it’s a whole lot more convoluted than you might think. In this illustrated gui...

Media Make #3: Argue with Images! Infographics (How-to Hangout)

As part of a special series designed for Letters to the Next President 2.0, this Media Make how-to hangout focused on the power of data visualizatio...