10 Great Resources for Teaching Civics and Government
Homeschool Civics Resources
With all the discussion surrounding the 2016 election, political platforms and debates, there are great opportunities for your family to learn more about our government and how it works, both for and against its citizens.
Here are some great resources and ideas to add excitement into your homeschool studies in the weeks leading up to the election, and beyond. Teach U.S. government with real life activities during this interesting time in American politics.
These resources are ones you can use in the classroom, co-op group or in an individual homeschool setting.
Tips & Links
- Watch the Debates: you and your kids can analyze the debates and determine who was the winner. CLICK HERE to watch the video recording of the first presidential candidate debate from September 26, 2016. You can view the VP candidates debate from October 4, by clicking HERE.
- Watch a video about how to become president: the video HERE includes information about the electoral process. Or go to Stossel in the Classroom to view streaming educational videos about the election- JUST CLICK – there are good discussion starters after each video.
- Ask the candidates your questions: go to the website (see link below) to search and vote for questions about issues that are important to you and add your own question. The “town hall” debate will feature questions from the Internet and the ABC and CNN moderators agreed to consider the Top 30 questions we vote for on this website. Watch the debate right here on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 9 p.m. EDT to find out if they chose yours! NOTE: Questions must not name or allude to a candidate and must be able to be posed to either candidate. CLICK HERE to add your question.
- Participate in a FREE National Mock Election through the Youth Leadership Initiative: teachers sign up & then students may begin voting from October 17-27. Results will be posted on October 28 ballot will include races on for president, governor, and both houses of the U.S. Congress. CLICK HERE to register. There is more good stuff there if you browse around the site.
- Get Information: info. on candidates in all the races in your district can be found at www.MyBallot.info. Research the platforms of the candidates, just put in your zip code to bring up all your state and local races.
- Check out the terrific links HERE from the Youth Leadership Initiative website: details about the Bill of Rights, our nations budget and more.
- VISIT the Kids Voting NC’s Website and see political cartoons, ideas for activities, links to various NC specific issues and candidates.
- Read the Constitution: Interactive Constitution is a website that has the text of each part to our Constitution as well as the Amendments.
- Get FREE Posters: VISIT KIDS.GOV and order your posters on the election process and the branches of government. They are free to order – your tax dollars already paid for them. I just got mine, I am a sucker for posters!
- Play a Game: Constitutional Compromise! DOWNLOAD a game board, question/discussion cards, and the game rules and be the first player to sign the constitution!
This is a wonderful resource! Thank you for compiling. I had no idea about the free posters 🙂
Wow – so glad you found it helpful. I love the posters- they are very informative.