Happy Election Day Eve! I know many of us are feeling a lot about the election, and waiting for the results will make for an anxiety ridden late night. I often end up staying up too late for inconclusive results, so I have learned to turn off the TV, put my phone down, and go to bed!

Two years ago, when we were all waiting for the presidential election to take place, addressing the topic on everyone’s mind and Teaching the History of Voting Rights in the USA actually gave me some relief and channeled some of all of our nervous energy into learning about participating in democracy and civil rights. Also, students were excited to share the way many of their family members voted (by mail, early voting, etc). We read Granddaddy’s Turn, A Journey to the Ballot Box for that lesson, but another great picture book to use to start the lesson is Lillian's Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Teaching is inherently political as you are always choosing what to teach, how to teach, whose voices to include, and more, but depending on your school situation and whatever is best for you and your students, you can also just teach about the process and answer student questions instead of leaning into the political discussion. Remember children pick up on the anxiety adults are feeling around them and they hear, see, and notice EVERYTHING. So giving them time to talk and process and put words to the feelings going on around them and for them is always helpful.

Also, in case election results are rough, here is a reminder from an incredibly hard day in the past: Post-Election in 5th Grade.

Newsela has some great resources too. This article: What's at stake in midterm elections? Here's what to watch before Election Day could also be a great starting place as a way to give students background information, or this text set: Midterm Elections 2022: Introduction would work for a more in-depth exploration.

Two books that I haven’t yet gotten the chance to read, but look intriguing and potentially good fits for an election related lesson are The President of the Jungle and Equality’s Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America. For younger students, Grace for President or Duck for President have both worked well for me in the past.

One other thing to consider is talking to students about local elections, as the national elections often occupy most of the news coverage, but local issues might resonate with students more and give them more of an opportunity to relate to the lesson and see how things work in their community.

Some other useful election resources are below. The first link is a video I have not yet had the opportunity to share with students, but think it has potential for a lot of learning, discussing, and more. Some students might be very familiar with disenfranchisement of specific populations, while others will be shocked to know it takes place today.

Should People Convicted of a Crime Be Allowed to Vote?

2022 Election Teaching Resources for Midterms

The Election Collection | PBS LearningMedia

Teaching Resources for the US Elections - Facing History

Voting and Elections | Resources for a Civil Classroom