Ballot Vox:

Explore political views through popular blog posts, videos, pictures, and podcasts created and submitted by regular people. 

 

Budget Hero:

Play this fun, animated game to see how fiscal decisions we make today might affect our personal and national future.  Control spending in defense, education, health care, the environment, and other areas.  Read about the pros and cons of your decisions.

 

If the World Series runs until election day, the networks will run the first one-half inning and project the winner.  ~Lindsey Nelson

Campaign Audio:

Use the curated multimedia resources on this site to research candidates and issues.  The radio pieces, supporting articles, and links provide resources for public radio or student news producers.

 

 

 

Idea Generators:

Explore key issues on research, then share and comment on ideas for solutions posted by fellow users, which are displayed in map and category formats.  Within the Idea Generator for each issue, post  your own ideas, vote on the feasibility of others' ideas, and see what others think of yours.

Idea Generator (Election Stories):

 

 

Idea Generator: Health Care

 

 

Idea Generator: Your Economy

 

 

Idea Generator: Preserving the American Dream

 

The politicians were talking themselves red, white and blue in the face.  ~Clare Boothe Luce

Select A Candidate Quiz:

Take the matchmaker quiz and see which candidates are most aligned with your views and opinions on political issues:

 

 

You Decide:

Vote "yes" or "no" on issue-based questions--regarding immigration, health care, taxes, and more-- to begin this devil's advocate game.  Then, reconsider your answer through a few rounds of short readings presenting opposing views.  Finally, see how your informed opinion compares to other users'.

 

 

CBS News Political News Widget:

 

 

 

 

MSNBC News Scroller:

 

If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?  ~Author Unknown

Teacher-created materials for the project

Parental Permission form
Assignment #1
Assignment #2
Assignment#3

 

Other election resources you will want to use

 

SEEdebate is a resource we'll follow closely during the campaign.  It provides classes with a forum in which students in various parts of the country and the world can interact, share ideas, and debate issues in the campaign.

 

C-SPAN Classroom is a great resource with many video and text resources that can be used.  Video clips feature major candidates and issues, as well as several other "major players" in the campaign and Congress.  Check with Mr. Hutchison for login instructions.  (Click on the graphic above to load site.)

C-SPAN provides free, unbiased government-related and current events programming.  The site includes video clips, campaign information, all sorts of links to current campaign information and debates, and even live streaming of C-SPAN programming

C-SPAN Politics From the Campaign Trail includes streaming video of candidate advertising, past debates, and related campaign links

Obama for America Official Campaign Site

John McCain 2008 Official Campaign Site

Democratic Party Official Site

Republican Party Official Site

The Living Room Candidate contains links to political advertising by major candidates for each presidential election from 1952 (Eisenhower vs. Stevenson) to 2004 (Bush vs. Kerry)

USA Today Candidate "Match Game"  See how you stack up on the issues by comparing yourself with the Democrat and Republican candidates.

CNN Election Center 2008 page includes various resources leading from the primary campaign to the November election.

CNN League of First Time Voters includes all sorts of great stuff regarding issues, information about voter registration, and how to make your voice heard if you're a young voter (or just think you are young).

CQ (Congressional Quarterly) 2008 Election Map includes a district by district breakdown of who's currently in front in the campaign for House seats, Senate seats, governors' races, and the White House.

PBS Vote 2008 Tools page includes various websites that will help you with assignments and also includes various widgets you can add to your blog.  (Note: some of the tools are not designed to work in Blogger, and some resources link to web pages and not widgets.

PBS NewsHour Interactive Election Map (Includes a "NewsHour Outlook Map" with current trends state-by-state as to which candidate is leading.  Also includes resources from PBS NewsHour regarding issues in the campaign, as well as state to state races.)

Get My Vote  On this site, you can explore and post audio, video and/or text commentaries regarding personal political convictions and what it takes for candidates to earn users' votes.  Users can rate, review, and discuss submissions.  Moderators and users monitor content for appropriateness.  National Public Radio shows will utilize the commentaries.  This is a great opportunity to make your voice heard.

American youth attributes much more importance to arriving at driver's-license age than at voting age.  ~Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, 1964

 

Social Media

Blogger provides a quick and easy way  to establish and maintain blogs.  We will use this resource extensively during the semester.

Blogging Safety This brief article gives eight key suggestions for safe blogging.

Creating Your Own Media This page offers a variety of accessible resources for users to get started creating and sharing video, audio, text, and multimedia content on the web.

Civil Engagement and Elections

Declare Yourself  is a national non-partisan, non-profit campaign to empower and encourage every eligible 18-year-old in America to register and vote in the presidential primaries and 2008 presidential election.  This is an online campaign resource designed to energize and empower young voters.

Fact Check is a non-partisan, non-profit consumer advocate for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in US politics.  The site monitors the accuracy of what is said by major US political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases.

NOW: Burning Questions Explore a rich collection of video, articles, and links that students can use to study particular election-related issues.  "Burning Questions" asks critical questions such as "Is the electoral college system fair?" and provides answers along with links to NOW clips and election resources across the Web.

Public Radio Exchange is a database of audio pieces on a wide range of topics created by the public media community.  This website enables listeners to access diverse, high-quality programming.

Mankind will never see an end of trouble until... lovers of wisdom come to hold political power, or the holders of power... become lovers of wisdom.  ~Plato, The Republic

Vote By Issue Quiz Take this matchmaker quiz, based upon direct quotes from candidates, to predict how your views will line up with their view on specific issues in the election.  Then, see how your predictions match up with the actual candidates.

Media That Matters Film Festival is a showcase for short films on the most important topics of the day.  These films from communities around the world engage diverse audiences and inspire them to take action.

National Mock Election Play the game "The Road to the Capitol", which simulates a presidential candidate's campaign from start to finish.

Politfact This website rates politicians' statements from "True" to "Pants on Fire" and keeps track of who misquoted politicians and how.  There is also a guide to Internet sources that is divided into categories for Government, Policy, and Advocacy. 

Redistricting Game A fun game about gerrymandering that makes an important and complicated concept accessible to students.  This site helps students understand exactly how their votes count.  It includes links for activism and provides information about how gerrymandering works in your own state.

I'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work.  Of course it doesn't work.  We are supposed to work it.  ~Alexander Woollcott

Youth Noise is an online community for youth social and political activism, with opportunities to learn, share ideas, and take action.

Youth Media Exchange This site allows youth to upload videos and other media related to global issues.  Users can react to uploaded media with ratings and comments and also post media as a response.