Election resources for the classroom

Now that the political primaries and major political party conventions are over and the presidential election is about two months away, now is a wonderful time to teach your students about voting and elections. Luckily, SCETV and PBS have many engaging resources for PreK-12 students.

We encourage you to explore these digital materials for use in your learning environment. As with all of our resources, we'd love to hear your feedback and outcomes from usage. Was a lesson plan or video helpful? How did students respond? Let us know what you are doing in your classroom and what's helpful by emailing us at etveducation@scetv.org.

Early childhood resources:

• Arthur: Get Out the Vote: This video with support materials explores why it is important to vote using a clip from the PBS KIDS series Arthur.
• Arthur: Vote for the New Mascot: Using another clip from the PBS KIDS series Arthur and providing support materials, students learn how friends can become divided when voting for different candidates.
• Let’s Vote Bingo: This PBS KIDS packet provides printable activities for early learners on voting and civic engagement. 
• Sesame Street: Word of the Day – Vote: This media gallery provides short videos that teach students about the word “vote.”

Elementary resources: 

• Electoral Systems: This video with support materials teaches students about local, state, and federal elections used throughout the United States.
• How to Become a Voter: This video and support materials explains voter registration and the process of voting.
• Your Vote Counts!: This eBook and lesson plan help students understand why every vote counts.
• Assemble: Teaching Civics in an Election Year: This teacher toolkit provides videos and activities for teachers to support students on voting and other civic duties.

Middle and High School resources:

• Carolina Classrooms - Civics: Carolina Classrooms dedicated an entire episode to the teaching of civics in South Carolina. Clips include:
  • SC Votes – Bamberg officials offer education and outreach programs for students to use the voting machines for new voters.
  • Southeast Middle School – See how Lekena Ackerman makes lessons utilizing primary sources interesting and memorable.
  • Furman University – Learn about the Riley Teachers of Government program which provides educators the opportunity to see government in action first-hand.
  • Blythewood High School – Discover how U.S. Government is taught at Blythewood High School.
• Ready to Vote Series: This series is designed to help teachers introduce students voting, the principles of the Constitution, the branches of the U.S. Government, and how the electoral process works.
• PBS LearningMedia Election Central Collection: This collection provides lesson plans, interactives, videos, and documents on elections and voting.
• PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs Election Podcast: This teen life podcast season focuses on the issues and effects of the 2024 election for young people. The first episode was released on August 21, 2024, with six more episodes coming soon.