Key historical events changed voting practices in America and extended the right to vote. This article spotlights a few of those events, as well as contemporary voting issues, and outlines a teacher-tested lesson on voting.

The stories of these four state programs on civic learning will provide educators around the country with valuable information on how to advocate for restoring the civic mission of schools.

The upcoming presidential election provides an excellent opportunity for students to examine the underrepresentation of women in American politics.

Introducing patriotic holidays such as Veterans Day with historical photographs and other primary sources in classrooms can not only spark children's interest, but also promote critical thinking and historical comprehension.1 Meaningful, hands-on historical lessons can also motivate children to take informed action about issues they care about. We begin this article with a brief history of Veterans Day, followed by a description of two lessons in which first grade teacher and co-author Lisa May used historical photographs to introduce students to Veterans Day. Next, we describe a student-…

The divisive rhetoric of presidential candidate Donald Trump presents a challenge for teachers covering the presidential primaries in their classrooms.

The study of several post-9/11 Supreme Court cases will launch a spirited student debate on the separation of powers and our constitutional system of checks and balances.

By reframing typical approaches to classroom debates on immigration, we empower immigrant students to be active participants in, rather than the subjects of, our conversation.