Kids Voting has compiled an extensive list of websites of interest to teachers and students interested in civic engagement, government, politics and voting.
Click on the topic to view the selected links:
About the Presidency and Executive Branch…
About the US Congress
About the US Judicial Branch…
About Ohio and local government…
About What’s New(s)…
About Voting, Elections and Campaigns…
About Getting Involved…
Other Useful Sites…
About the Presidency and Executive Branch…
American President/An Online Reference Resource
http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident
A comprehensive collection of material about the Presidents of the United States and the history of the presidency. This web site features essays about the President's life before, during, and after each presidential term and provides information about the First Lady and cabinet officials of each administration.
Ben's Guide to US Government for Kids
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/
Ben's Guide (part of the U.S. Government Printing Office site) is designed to help
young people K-12 learn about the branches of the government through age appropriate materials.
Dave Leip's Atlas of US Presidential Elections
http://www.uselectionatlas.org/
The Atlas is a free Internet resource providing results of U.S. Presidential Elections to the world community. Data is collected from many official sources and presented here in one convenient location.
US Department of State Youth Pages/Future Diplomats
http://future.state.gov/
Information on the activities of the State Department and links and activities for students.
US Department of State Youth Pages/Parents and Educators
http://future.state.gov/educators/social/
A wide range of resources, lesson plans, maps, quizzes, and links for information about the world, diplomacy, the CIA, and opportunities for cultural understanding, community collaborations, exchange programs, and more.
US Environmental Protection Education Pages
http://www.epa.gov/students/
Extensive resources and activities for kids covering virtually every aspect of the environment, with special areas for teachers, young students and high school students.
GovSpot
http://www.govspot.com
GovSpot.com is a nonpartisan government information portal designed to simplify the search for the most relevant government information online. This resource offers a collection of top government and civic resources selected by GovSpot editors. It contains links for all three branches of the federal government, podcasts by key federal lawmakers, links to locate government documents and much more.
US Government Printing Office/Access
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/
The U.S. Government Printing Office disseminates official information from all three branches of the Federal Government. Provides links to current issues as well as links to core historical documents, such as the Articles of Confederation, the Bill of Rights, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Federalist Papers, the Gettysburg Address, Supreme Court decisions, and much more.
Kids.gov: The Official Kids Portal for the US Government
http://www.kids.gov/
This site has a wealth of age appropriate information, links and activities for students and teachers in grades K-5 and 6-8, including original documents, activities, and other resources.
US National Archives and Records Administration
http://www.archives.gov/education/
Student may view scanned original versions of important historical documents such as the Constitution and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Print versions and background information also provided. Teachers will find the “Our Documents” and the “Digital Vaults” sections a valuable resource for original documents and numerous lesson plans.
Newseum: Every Four Years Exhibit
http://www.newseum.org/cybernewseum/exhibits/everyfouryears/index.htm
Creative dramatization of reporters covering presidential candidates from 1900 until the present. First person voices tell the story of how media have changed the candidates and the election process.
Presidential Inaugural Addresses
http://www.bartleby.com/124/index.html
Read inaugural addresses from George Washington to Barack Obama and the text of the Executive Oath of Office.
USA.gov: Teen Resources
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Teens.shtml
The official U.S. government website provides links to issues and resources of special interest to teens, including driving, education, environmental consciousness, health and safety, jobs and Internet safety.
Vincent Voice Library: U.S. Presidents of the 20th Century
www.lib.msu.edu/vincent/presidents/index.htm
A great resource for voice recordings of the U.S. presidents, this site even includes a sound bite from President Benjamin Harrison that was originally recorded on an Edison wax cylinder.
The White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov/
President Obama’s official site, including policy initiatives and briefing materials, speeches, links to cabinet offices, and much more.
WHITEHOUSE 101
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/white_house_101/
This site contains everything you ever wanted to know about the White House, including a tour; comprehensive history; and information on all the presidents, first ladies, pets and lots of photos.
White House Internships
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/internships/selection/
This site has information and an application form for students interested in applying to become a White House Intern. Interns must be U.S. citizens at least 18 years of age committed to public service.
About the US Congress…
Ben's Guide to US Government for Kids
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/
Ben's Guide (part of the U.S. Government Printing Office site) is designed to help
young people K-12 learn about the branches of the government through age appropriate materials.
Kids in the House/Clerk of the US House of Representatives
http://clerkkids.house.gov/
This site is an interactive center to help kids and adults learn about the United States House of Representatives and its role in lawmaking. It contains educational resources, information about Congress, how laws are made, a virtual tour of the Capitol, and more.
US Postal Service/Zip Code Lookup
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/
Use this site to look up your postal ZIP + 4 code to determine your congressional district or state legislative district on other web sites (e.g. Project Vote Smart).
Roll Call: The Newspaper of Capitol Hill
http://www.congress.org
Roll Call provides news coverage and analysis on the people, politics, process and policy in the U.S. Capitol. It is a news source for many Washington insiders.
THOMAS/The Library of Congress
http://thomas.loc.gov/
THOMAS was launched by Congress in January of 1995 to make federal legislative information freely available to the public. THOMAS features and content include text and summaries of bills and resolutions, the Congressional Record, treaties, votes, resources for learning about the legislative process, and classroom activities and lessons for teachers.
About the US Judicial Branch…
US Courts
http://www.uscourts.gov/
http://www.uscourts.gov/outreach/index.html
A comprehensive link to the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeals, U.S. District Courts with news, educational outreach and links to lessons, courtroom simulations, materials and resources.
US Department of Justice
http://www.usdoj.gov/
The DOJ web site provides information on different aspects of justice - like Internet crimes, prevention of youth violence, drug prevention and laws that protect citizens’ rights.
About Ohio and local government…
City and Township Links
http://www.statelocalgov.net/state-oh.cfm#City%20Guides
Links to the homepages of Ohio cities, villages and townships.
County Commissioners Association of Ohio
http://www.ccao.org/AboutCounties/tabid/110/language/en-US/Default.aspx
Links to all 88 Ohio counties and information about county government.
Ohio Secretary of State
http://www.sos.state.oh.us/
Select the “Voter Services” tab for information about voting and voter registration, or the “Elections and Ballot Issues” tab for information on Ohio Election laws, campaign finance, election calendars and results.
Ohio State Government
http://ohio.gov/government/
This site has links for each branch of state government as well as links for cities, counties and townships. It also has Ohio history and links for sites for other Ohio government related sites for kids.
The Ohio Statehouse
http://www.ohiochannel.org/your_state/ohio_statehouse/education/capitol_square/
Take a virtual tour of the Statehouse, its special rooms, art exhibits, memorials and statues. Explore historical information about US Presidents from Ohio, portraits of Ohio governors, county flags, and other historical information about the state.
The Ohio Supreme Court
http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/
Contains a library of all Ohio laws and court opinions, a virtual tour of the Ohio Supreme Court Building, the jurisdiction of the court, its administrative structure, history, and tour information.
About What’s New(s)…
The Columbus Dispatch/Newspaper in Education
http://www.dispatchnie.com/live/content/index.html
Newspaper In Education is an international educational effort that helps teachers and parents use the very latest textbook - their local daily newspaper - to instruct young people about the world around them, fuel their desire to learn about many topics and encourage a love of reading. Return to The Dispatch home page to get up-to-date information on national, state, and local elections and issues.
CNN Student News
www.cnn.com/studentnews/
CNN Student News is a daily commercial-free, ten-minute broadcast of the day's news geared for middle- and high-school students. On CNNStudentNews.com, you can access the show and free related curriculum materials, including learning activities, discussion questions, news quizzes and more.
C-SPAN Classroom
http://www.c-spanclassroom.org/
Provides resources on elections, candidates, and issues and lessons and activities for teachers.
Factcheck.org
http://factcheck.org/
The Annenberg Political Fact Check is a nonpartisan, nonprofit "consumer advocate" site that monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases.
Newseum - The Interactive Museum of News
http://www.newseum.org/
Teachers can access “Today’s Front Pages” from over 300 newspapers in the US and around the world.
News Media
Television
ABC - http://abcnews.go.com/
CBS - http://www.cbsnews.com/
CNN - http://www.cnn.com/
CNN Politics.com - http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/
C-SPAN - http://www.c-span.org/
Fox - http://www.foxnews.com/
MSNBC - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/
NBC - http://www.nbc.com/News_and_Sports/
PBS - http://www.pbs.org/news/
Print
The Columbus Dispatch - http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/index.html
The Christian Science Monitor - http://www.csmonitor.com/
The New York Times - http://www.nytimes.com/
USA Today - http://www.usatoday.com/
The Wall Street Journal - http://online.wsj.com/home-page
The Washington Post - http://www.washingtonpost.com/
The Washington Times - http://www.washingtontimes.com/
Ohio Impact
http://www.ohioimpact.org/
imPACT is a program by the League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund made possible with a grant from The Joyce Foundation. Political reform issues affecting Ohioans are covered. The site provides the facts, from a non-partisan, impartial point of view.
Ohio Impact/Interactive Civics Lesson
http://www.ohioimpact.org/civics_cd/index2.htm
An interactive resource about Ohio government, voting and getting involved in government. Includes a section to search for your elected representatives at federal, state and local levels.
ONN/The Ohio News Network
http://www.onntv.com/live/content/onnnews/index.html
ONN is a comprehensive, 24-hour service covering s news, weather, and sports. Programs include Capitol Square, an interview program that spotlights the state's changing political landscape, and On The Hill, which takes an inside look at decisions made by lawmakers in Washington, D.C.
Statehouse News Bureau
http://www.statenews.org/
News reports on the actions of the Governor, the Ohio General Assembly, the Ohio Supreme Court, and other elected officials. Reporters cover statehouse news, government issues, Ohio politics, and concerns of business, culture and the arts.
About Voting, Elections and Campaigns…
County Boards of Elections (BOE)
Valuable information concerning upcoming elections, information on voter registration, recent election results, and useful links to additional county and State of Ohio web sites.
Franklin County BOE http://vote.franklincountyohio.gov/boe/
Delaware County BOE http://www.co.delaware.oh.us/boe/
Fairfield County BOE http://www.fairfieldelections.com/
Licking County BOE http://www.lcounty.com/boe/
Madison County BOE http://www.co.madison.oh.us/15001/index.html
Pickaway County BOE http://www.electionsonthe.net/oh/pickaway/
Union County BOE http://www.electionsonthe.net/oh/union/
EASE History Campaign Ads
http://www.easehistory.org/castream.asp?id=2
An online interactive learning environment where you can learn about campaign issues, historical events, presidential leadership, campaign strategy and more by viewing presidential campaign ads.
US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Voter Information Center
http://www.eac.gov/voter
The EAC is mandated under the Help America Vote Act to serve as a central resource for information about elections. The site has information from every state about voter registration, serving as a poll worker and also posts results from studies on how, where and when we vote.
Election Law @ Moritz (The Ohio State University)
http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/
A web publication that covers developments in the law of election administration-- laws dealing with voter registration, voter ID, early and absentee voting, provisional balloting, poll workers and polling place procedures, recounts and election contests, and other related issues. Primarily targeted to lawyers, legal scholars, journalists and people in the elections field.
electionline.org (The Pew Center on the States)
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/initiatives_detail.aspx?initiativeID=34044
This site is produced by the Pew Center on the States' Election Initiatives, is a nonpartisan, non-advocacy Web site providing up-to-the-minute news and analysis on election reform.
Federal Election Commission
http://www.fec.gov/disclosure.shtml
This site is designed as a tool for anyone who wishes to learn more about financing campaigns for federal office, the rules and regulations pertaining to this process, or elections and voting in general.
US Department of Justice/Voting Section Homepage
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/
Information on the federal voting rights laws, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Help America Vote Act of 2002, and a history of voters’ rights in the United States.
League of Women Voters of Ohio
http://www.lwvohio.org/site.cfm/Voter-Election-Center.cfm
The League of Women Voters of Ohio is a non-partisan political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government. This site focuses on election-related issues. It has extensive voter resources.
The Living Room Candidate/Museum of the Moving Image
http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/
The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952-2008 is an online exhibition presenting more than 300 television commercials from every election year since 1952, when the first campaign TV ads aired. The site includes a searchable database and features commentary, historical background, election results, and navigation organized by year, type of ad, and issue. There is a transcript for each ad. “For Teachers” contains sample high school lessons.
Ohio Secretary of State
http://www.sos.state.oh.us/
Select the “Voter Services” tab for information about voting and voter registration, or the “Elections and Ballot Issues” tab for information on Ohio Election laws, campaign finance, election calendars and results.
PBS – Kids: The Democracy Project
http://pbskids.org/democracy/vote/index.html
Curriculum Resources for Grades 3-6. Visitors to the PBS Kids Democracy Project can take a tour of government, be president for a day and decide which election issues are most important to kids.
Political Party Web Sites/Local
Democratic Party http://www.fcdp.org/
Green Party USA http://www.ohiogreens.org/countymap/central.html
Libertarian Party http://www.lpo.org/county-affiliates/92-franklin-county.html
Republican Party http://www.franklincountygop.org/
Political Party Web Sites/Ohio
Democratic Party http://www.ohiodems.org
Green Party USA http://www.ohiogreens.org/
Libertarian Party http://www.lpo.org/
Republican Party http://www.ohiogop.org/
Politics1
http://www.politics1.com
Politics1 is published as a nonpartisan public service to promote fully informed decision-making by the American electorate. Links to federal candidates, a look ahead to the 2012 presidential candidates, as well as links for political parties, issues, and elections in the 50 states.
Project Vote Smart
http://www.votesmart.org/
A nonpartisan organization, Project Vote Smart supports no candidates and embraces no political philosophy. It posts information on candidates voting records, public statements, and where candidates stand on a wide variety of issues and attempts to make that information readily available.
Rock the Vote
http://www.rockthevote.org
Rock the Vote uses music, popular culture and new technologies to engage and incite young people to register and vote in every election. Their website is designed to give young people the tools to identify, learn about, and take action on the issues that affect their lives, and leverage their power in the political process.
Vote: The Machinery of Democracy
http://americanhistory.si.edu/VOTE/
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has created this website as the online version of their “Vote: The Machinery of Democracy” exhibit. Exceptionally good information on voting technologies, as well as a thorough history of how ballots and voting systems have evolved over the years.
The White House Project
http://thewhitehouseproject.org/voterunlead/
The White House Project is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that aims to advance women’s leadership in all communities and sectors—up to the U.S. presidency—by filling the leadership pipeline with a richly diverse, critical mass of women.
About Getting Involved…
FIRSTLINK
http://www.firstlink.org/public/give_help/
FIRSTLINK is a central Ohio organization that matches volunteers who want to give back to their community to a variety of community service opportunities.
America’s Promise Alliance
http://www.americaspromise.org/How-to-Help/Local-Involvement.aspx
If you are looking for a way to get involved by volunteering, America's Promise Alliance has numerous partners working each day to ensure that America’s young people receive the developmental resources needed for success in life. Many organizations are liked on this page.
The US Senate Youth Program
http://www.ussenateyouth.org/
Apply for the 2010 Senate Youth Program. Two students from each state are selected to spend a week in Washington, D.C. experiencing government in action. Delegates attend meetings and briefings with senators, cabinet members and other government officials. Each student also receives a $5,000 scholarship. All expenses are paid including transportation, hotel accommodations and meals. Information about the program and eligibility requirements is available at this site.
SERVE.GOV
http://www.serve.gov/about.asp
In April 2009, President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act which, for the first time, officially recognizes September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Both President Obama and former President Bush strongly encourage civic engagement. President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps, and President Obama encourages the same work through SERVE.GOV, a part of the Corporation for National and Community Service. This site has resources for participating in these initiatives and creating your own service project.
What Kids Can Do
http://www.whatkidscando.org/
Learn how students are working with teachers and other adults on projects that combine powerful learning with public purpose.
YouthNoise
www.youthnoise.com
100% youth generated website that offers tools and resources young people can use to become involved in the causes that matter most to them. The site brings young people ages 16-22 together to form a global network for sharing and converting their ideas into action to improve the world around them. The Web site features 100% youth-generated content.
Other Useful Sites…
Center for Responsive Politics/OpenSecrets.org
http://www.opensecrets.org/
OpenSecrets offers a detailed picture of campaign contributions, by industry, organization or candidate. The database goes back 10 years, and covers everyone who ran, or is running, for President, Congress or the Senate. The data is public information from Federal Election Commission reports.
E-The People
http://www.e-thepeople.org/
A public forum that encourages active citizens to connect with their government and each other. Includes resources to sign a petition, write a letter and create a petition.
Kids Voting USA
http://www.kidsvotingusa.org/
Kids Voting USA fosters an informed, participating electorate by educating and actively engaging students and their families in voting and other elements of effective civic engagement. The site includes teacher resources and student and family activities.
The Political Compass
http://www.politicalcompass.org/
If you're curious about where your own opinions place you on the political grid, complete the six-page questionnaire at The Political Compass to find out just how authoritarian or libertarian—not just left or right—you are.
Political Cartoons Websites
http://cagle.msnbc.com/ Lesson plans for using editorial cartoons in teaching.
http://www.politicalcartoons.com/ Updated daily and hosted by Slate Magazine.
PollingReport.com
http://pollingreport.com/
Want to know what the American public thinks about health care reform? The environment? President Obama? Congress? Polling Report posts data from opinion surveys from dozens of sources: CNN, Gallup, Pew, Harris, CBS News, even TIME. You can view poll results by topic (Iraq, Iran, national health insurance) or scan the home page for links tagged with today's (or yesterday's) date to see what's just been added. The website is independent and nonpartisan. |
