Year: 2020

The US general election for president (and politics as a general rule) can be a tricky topic to discuss with students, difficult to navigate with adults as well without bias towards one side or another. Today we will be having the election results on the screens around the school for everyone to view primarily outside the library, the PAC, and the end of the MS/US and PS hallways. Additionally, I hope that you find the following resources useful should you want to engage with students in exploring this momentous occasion:

• Exploring Media Bias – Pew Research Center
  Based on the above’s map, the selected links below fall close to the middle of the media bias graph
• WSJ Election coverage with interactive tracking
• USA Today’s Election map and coverage
• NPR’s Election map (with an Electoral College version that shows the “weight” of each state)

And here are some additional, more school-oriented resources:

• Britannica ProCon.org – 2020 Presidential Election Site
  “The go-to site for controversial issues provides a wealth of information for the 2020 election, including candidate statements on diverse issues from “defund police” to “border wall” to “tuition free college.”  Even better, the Teachers’ Corner features 2020 election lesson plans and tools for teaching two dozen AP courses, plus ideas on teaching critical thinking.”
• Facing History and Ourselves – Teaching Resources for the 2020 U.S. Election
  “Facing History’s U.S. election-season resources are designed to guide teachers and students in examining the history of voting rights, media literacy, and how young people today can participate in the democratic process.”
• iCivics – Election Headquarters
  “From the highly respected iCivics.org site comes a complete look at the 2020 U.S. election, from the 2020 Presidential Candidates Guide to lesson plans to games and infographics. Bonus: “Students Power Elections,” an election guide written by and for students.”
• PBS Learning Media – Election Central
  “Features a robust collection of 2020 election video clips, documents, lesson plans, and interactives for grade 4 and up. Be sure to check out the awesome KQED Youth Media Challenge: Let’s Talk About Election 2020 .”
• Teaching Tolerance
  “Teaching Tolerance’s Future Voter Project provides resources to educate kids voting rights and voter suppression, and more importantly, a guide for registering all eligible students by the time they graduate high school. To examine controversial topics, visit the Civil Discourse in the Classroom page.”
• 2020 Presidential Election Interactive Map
  “This 2020 Presidential Election Interactive Map is a fun and instructive way to examine the likely scenarios for the outcome of the 2020 Presidential race. Bonus: Share your map via social media, email, or website embed.”

Good luck!

Here are 9 Social and Emotional Learning posters provided from Follett (our library system) to display if you’d like:

SEL Posters set 1 SEL posters set 2

Grades 6-10 students: There are still volunteer spots open for the PTA Autumn Festival this Saturday, October 31.  Sign up for Shift 2 (5:45 – 8:00pm) on Veracross. You can come at 4:30 and enjoy the Haunted House and the games and then volunteer for the second half of the event.  Always lots of fun!

Volunteers also need to buy a ticket.  Buy them from the Admissions Office opposite the library during morning break or lunch.  50 rmb cash only.  Volunteers will receive a free food voucher.