Hot Websites October 2004
By Linda Lindroth

For more Election Resources click here.

Issues and rhetoric are in the spotlight as the 2004 presidential election races toward the finish line on November 2. Here are some online resources to help your class make sense of it all.

One Vote 2004
www.channelone.com/election_2004
This is an excellent site for intermediate and middle school classrooms wanting to learn more about the presidential candidates and the issues. Students can find profiles of each of the candidates with links to their personal websites, details about the political conventions, and study the issues and where candidates stand on the issues.

Inside the Election offers resources about the election itself. The Big Issues Chart is an excellent graphic organizer for the candidates and their position on various issues both domestic and international. This group of resources can easily be divided among groups of students to analyze and present in a class discussion. Students could also add a column to the chart to record their own stand on the issues. Resources is an extensive Election Resource Guide with links to official sites for the candidates, election news and commentary, background on the government, political parties and organizations and election information. The Fact File provides details about primaries, caucusus, the electoral college, conventions, and delegates. The interactive quizzes make it fun to learn about the election!

My favorite from all the interactive games, quizzes and activities is "Dear Mr. President" where students can fill out a postcard to the new president, choose an issue, and write their comments about it to be sent to the new president in January, 2005. What a great way to do authentic writing with your class! Your students can follow-up with a discussion of the issues in February, 2005 for Presidents Day. Be sure and visit www.teachingk-8.com for additional Letters to the President activities.

Kids Voting USA
www.kidsvotingusa.org
Here is a website which combines an interactive election curriculum for all grades with an authentic voting opportunity in communities across the country. There's something for every classroom, even if your community is not involved in the Kids Voting USA project. Teachers will find a plethora of election resources - from downloadable lesson plans and activity pages to cool web resources - by clicking the Education link. A downloadable bilingual Family Guide to voting has 20 pages of activities your parents can do with their children.

Elections
http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/elections.htm
This compilation of election web links has some fantastic resources for your study of the election process. Just give your students this URL and a graphic organizer for researching an election topic and watch the excitement grow as the campaign trail moves closer to the national election on November 2nd. Whether you assign group or individual projects, this hotlist has resources for every topic.

Electing a President
www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson331.shtml
Although the primaries are long over and Election Day is now the focus, this is an excellent resource for civics lessons leading up to November 2nd. There are 5 lessons about primaries and learning about the candidates. A "More Election Resources" links to dozens more lessons and activities for studying the presidential election.

Election Lessons
www.cyberbee.com/election/election.html
Cyberbee has compiled a number of technology-based curriculum lessons on the election. There is a link to the candidates where students are guided in creating a media kit about one of the candidates. A link to campaign advertising asks them to be a campaign manager and compare and contrast a 2004 election ad to one from previous years. Click Issues to select a campaign issue to research for a mock debate - maybe even hold your own debate before the September 29th debate in Miami.

Iz and Auggie Go To the Polls
www.headbone.com/derby/polls/
Try all seven episodes as you research campaigning and the election process. A complete Teacher's Guide gives discussion ideas, offline activities, and background for lessons. The Headbone Derby lets students save their work and then submit it for the High Score list.

For more Election Resources click here.

Linda K. Lindroth is Technology Editor and Web Coordinator for Teaching K-8. She is also a Technology Resource Teacher in a K-5 computer lab in Lexington, KY.