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Interactive Tools for Navigating the Presidential Election in the Classroom

By Christy Matte
October 17, 2024
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As the 2024 United States presidential election draws near, students are bound to hear (and share) a lot of different opinions, facts, and falsehoods surrounding the race. But many may still not understand the process of running for office, choosing a candidate, or voting. There is no shortage of online and interactive resources available to help out in the classroom, but it can be overwhelming to wade through all the possibilities to find quality content. We’ve put together a list of free resources to get you started.

General Classroom Resources

  • iCivics: Elections and Voting – Founded by the late Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, this nonpartisan site offers a range of resources for teaching civics, including curriculum for grades 6-12 on elections and voting.

The History of Voting in the United States

  • National Geographic Kids: We Want to Vote: Battles for the Ballot – This middle-grades resource is an excerpt from “Our Country's Presidents: A Complete Encyclopedia of the U.S. Presidency” and is current through the 2020 election cycle. It gives students a quick overview of the changes that granted voting rights to women, African Americans, and young people over the age of 18. There’s also brief coverage of how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our voting practices.

Running for President and the Election Process

  • iCivics: Win the White House – A simulation game that invites students to run their own presidential campaign, including an exploration of polling, key issues, the electoral college and more. It’s an interactive way for kids to explore the process, but note that the simulation can be long, especially with limited class time. Aimed at grades 6-12.

  • Khan Academy: "Sal Teaches Grover About the Electoral College" – Sal Khan stars with Sesame Street’s Grover in this silly explanation of the Electoral College, which uses chickens in place of electors. It’s best suited for older kids/teens who will appreciate the humor but not be confused by the substitution.

  • Race to the White House – This simulation uses current polling information, as well as other factors like donations, to simulate election night. You can run a new simulation each day. While the chosen simulation is just one of tens of thousands possible on any given day, it can be fun for students to watch the results roll in. It should be noted that the author of the site has a history of working in a Democrat-leaning space, although he claims that the site is useful for both sides to determine how to spend their campaign dollars.

Election Season and Voter Turnout

  • iCivics: Cast Your Vote – Students take on the role of an educated voter, deciding which issues are most important to them and then researching candidates to make the best choice. This sim gets points for encouraging kids to focus on the issues but might feel slow to some. As it’s a lengthy simulation, it might serve best as a supplemental resource for kids to explore at home or for students who are seeking more information Aimed at grades 6-12.

  • Rock the Vote – A teen-friendly site that makes it easier to register to vote, check registration status, request absentee ballots, and find polling information. It also provides information about the election process and up-to-date laws. Lastly, Rock the Vote encourages young people to engage in helping others to register to vote.

While these two articles are focused on the last presidential election cycle, their information and advice still ring true:

(EdSurge is an independent editorial publication of ISTE and ASCD.)

Fact-Checking, Media Literacy, and Bias

It’s no secret that social media, pop-up internet “news” sites, artificial intelligence, unscrupulous politicians and content creators, and a range of other factors are contributing to an alarming and widespread wealth of misinformation. Much of it is focused on swaying our political views and, by proxy, votes.

Beyond the Classroom

Democracy 4 – While not an educational source specifically, this simulation game tasks players with leading a nation either as president or prime minister, balancing finances, policy, and public opinion, with the goal of being re-elected. Best suited for teens, it could serve as a foundation for conversations about what it takes to be elected for high office, and what you may need to sacrifice and/or compromise on along the way.

There are so many important topics that come into play when exploring elections and voting. Though they can give rise to sensitive issues, elections are in some ways the ultimate teachable moment The resources above are just a few that can help you navigate the campaign season a little easier and create engaging lessons.

Christy Matte is the editor for the ISTE blog. She is passionate about lifelong learning, supporting and mentoring young people, and the power of technology as a tool for self-expression. She holds an M.Ed. in Technology in Education from Lesley University and has shared her joy for creative technological pursuits with kids and adults from Manhattan to Manila.

Image source: Shutterstock