Civics video lessons for students to teach the election process
Instilling an understanding of the election process and fostering civic engagement in our students has never been more vital. As educators, we are constantly seeking innovative ways to teach this complex subject matter effectively, especially in a world driven by technology and evolving aspects of democracy. Using engaging resources, like the civics videos for students listed below, is important to transform the way we teach these vital concepts to our students during election season.
How to make learning about the elections and civics engaging
To make learning about elections and civics engaging for students, it’s crucial to combine traditional and modern teaching approaches. Incorporating collaborative activities, such as mock elections or debates, brings the subject matter to life and encourages active participation. Use current events and real-world examples to help students see the relevance of civics in their everyday lives. Through your civics and government lesson plans, build a safe space to encourage open discussions so students can voice their opinions and explore diverse perspectives.
Additionally, civics video lessons can make complex concepts more accessible and captivating. To gear up to teach about the elections with your students, Flocabulary has curated video lessons that you can use in your civics classroom to teach crucial social studies topics and vocabulary words. Explore hip-hop infused lessons about the election process, campaign ads, and persuasive language. In addition, we have resources comparing political platforms that can be used to teach about presidential debates. Get started teaching about the state, local, and midterm elections with Flocabulary’s civics videos for students!
New to Flocabulary? Teachers can sign up for a trial to access our lesson videos and assessment activities. Administrators can get in touch with us to learn more about unlocking the full power of Flocabulary through Flocabulary Plus.
Civics video lessons for students to teach the election process
1. Voting
The Voting video lesson covers different types of elections, explains why voting is important in a democracy and helps students understand the basics of direct and representative democracy. It emphasizes that not voting is a choice to stay silent and teaches students how to register and be well-informed voters. It’s a practical guide to empower students to actively participate in the democratic process and have their voices heard when they vote. Use the accompanying voting activities in the lesson to enhance the voting process learning experience.
2. Three Branches of Government
The Three Branches of Government song and video lesson is a useful tool for teaching students about the basics of the United States government. It explains the three branches and the system of checks and balances in a simple way for students. It covers the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch, outlining their roles and key features. Use this video in your election lesson plans to focus on vocabulary terms through music and lyrics to explain these concepts to students.
3. Political Parties
In this Political Parties video lesson, students are introduced to the world of American political parties and their platforms, which is a crucial civics and government topic. It explains the dominant two-party system in the United States, featuring the Republicans and Democrats, as well as mentioning smaller third parties like the Libertarian and Green parties. Use this video in your election day lesson plan to help students remember key symbols and colors associated with each major party, which can aid in their recognition.
4. The Presidential Election
This engaging social studies lesson about The Presidential Election explores the process of how the President of the United States is elected into office. It explains the requirements for presidential candidates, the role of primary elections, selecting a running mate, and the significance of swing states and debates. It also introduces the concept of electoral college votes in the election process and how the House of Representatives decides if there’s no majority.
5. Political Debates
This Political Debates video lesson is a valuable resource for educators to introduce students to the role of political debates in informing and engaging voters. By emphasizing the importance of informed voting and elections, it instills the idea that voters play a critical role in the democratic process. The lesson can be seamlessly integrated into the curriculum to help students understand the importance of being well-informed citizens and the role of debates in shaping electoral decisions.
6. Local, State, and Federal Government
This foundational video lesson for Local, State, and Federal Government explains the structure and responsibilities of government at various levels in the United States. It offers a clear and accessible overview of local, state, and federal governments, helping students learn their respective roles and functions. Seamlessly integrate this lesson into your lesson plans to ensure that students have a solid grasp of how their government functions at different levels, which is crucial for their civic education. When teaching the election process to elementary students, pair this Video Text with a Skill Video to create a Flocabulary Mix!
*Video Texts and Flocabulary Mix are available to users with a school or district Flocabulary Plus subscription.
7. Persuasive Techniques in Advertising
The Persuasive Techniques in Advertising video-based lesson is a valuable resource to empower students with critical thinking skills related to political advertisements. It teaches students how to recognize and understand the persuasive tricks used in advertisements. It encourages them to ask important questions when they see an ad, which can be applied to evaluating political campaign ads during elections, helping them become more informed consumers and voters.
8. Week in Rap
The Week in Rap lessons can help teach students about civics, voting, politics, and the election process through current events. The Week in Rap (WIR) is a weekly, rapped recap of important headlines that keep students informed and connected to the world around them. This resource provides teachers with an excellent opportunity to initiate meaningful discussions on critical current event topics, fostering a deeper understanding of civics and elections. By using WIR, educators can promote literacy across various subjects, making it a versatile tool for enhancing student knowledge and encouraging civic engagement. Watch the new Week in Rap and Week in Rap Junior every Friday! Use the formative assessments and games in the lessons as election day activities for elementary students.
Teach about the election process with Flocabulary
We hope these resources are useful for use with your students in your civics and social studies classroom. With Flocabulary, you can access a library of hip-hop infused songs, videos, and standards-aligned lessons for K-12 subjects.
New to Flocabulary? Teachers can sign up for a trial to access our lesson videos and assessment activities. Administrators can get in touch with us to learn more about unlocking the full power of Flocabulary through Flocabulary Plus.