Here are 7 great resources to engage students in Election 2012, including mutimedia election content produced by the PBS Newshour team. Get right to the heart of complex issues with a rage of great interactive maps, video clips and lesssons found in PBS LearningMedia.

2012 Political Map Center

This interactive map from PBS NewsHour features an electoral college calculator which includes historical data going back to the 1964 election, live election results for presidential primaries, evangelical Protestant adherents by state, ethnic data by county from the 2010 census, 2012 primary winners, unemployment data from February 2012, and 2008 general election results for president.

Dollars & Votes: 2012 Election

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“the.News” Correspondent Thai da Silva investigates the fundraising landscape during the 2012 Presidential election in light of the most recent Supreme Court actions. Using the supporting language arts lesson plan, students will study campaign fundraising, analyze the development and influence of Super PACs and explain how Super PACS use rhetorical devices and persuasive appeals to persuade American citizens to vote for the candidates that the Super PACs are supporting. In the social studies lesson plan, students will complete activities to help understand the significance and impact of the 2012 Supreme Court Decision Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

Analyzing the Candidates in the 2012 Presidential Election

This lesson from PBS NewsHour examines the political process, the candidates and their platforms, and the ultimate outcome of the 2012 election. Students will: 1. Work as a class to create a flow chart documenting the steps a candidate must take to be elected to the presidency. 2. Participate in a class discussion about the number of candidates, the reasons people seek to be president, and the election process. 3. Utilize research skills to create a profile of a specific candidate and his/her qualifications, point of view on various topics, and presidential campaign. 4. Present their candidate profile projects to classmates. 5. Monitor the progress of the presidential candidates and participate in classroom discussions about the success of the various campaigns.

Eight States That Will Shape 2012 Election

In this video from PBS NewsHour, Judy Woodruff talks with Stuart Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Political Report and NewsHour political editor Christina Bellantoni about the importance of “battleground states”, or “swing states” and the significance of eight of those states in the 2012 election.

“Silent Generation” May Get Loud in 2012 Election

In retirement, the “silent generation” is becoming increasingly conservative and angry. It’s also more engaged in politics than are other generations. NPR’s series on generational politics, in collaboration with the Pew Research Center, examines the politics of those 66 to 83 years old.

Rich vs. Poor: How Wealth is Impacting the 2012 Elections

In this PBS NewsHour lesson plan, students will: 1. Participate in a survey about social class in the U.S. and work as a group to calculate class results. 2. View a video clip and review articles and data related to socioeconomics and politics. 3. Record, analyze and discuss socioeconomic data and small groups and draw conclusions about how this might affect the outcome of elections in their area. 4. Participate in class discussions related to social class and the effects is has on the election process. 5. Create and share a prioritized list of ideas related to addressing issues of social class.

Who’s Spending More: Candidates or Super PACs?

As presidential candidates raise and spend increasingly larger amounts of money each election season, new financial reports show what role Super PACs are playing. PBS NewsHour’s Gwen Ifill discusses how campaign finance is shaping up in the 2012 election year with John Dunbar of the Center for Public Integrity and Roll Call’s Eliza Newlin Carney.

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