Democracy and Elections Lesson Plans

From local ballots to national referendums, this category unpacks how power is won, transferred, and sometimes challenged in democratic systems around the world. Lessons connect real elections and political events to durable concepts like representation, legitimacy, and accountability to give students the tools to analyze any democracy, anywhere.

14 lessons

  • New
    Democracy & Elections

    Quebec Sovereignty Lesson Plan – Election 2026

    Quebec sovereignty is back on the agenda after the Parti Québécois won a minority government on October 5th, 2026. In this current events lesson for Grades 6-12, students…

  • Democracy & Elections

    Brazil Election 2026 – Two Round Runoff

    In the Brazil runoff election on October 25th, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who led the first round with 47%, faces President Lula. In this current events lesson for Grades…

    Mini-unit: Electoral Systems · Lesson 1
  • Democracy & Elections

    Gerrymandering Lesson Plan: Who Should Draw the Lines?

    This gerrymandering lesson plan shows how district lines can decide an election, using maps drawn by both parties and Missouri's 2025 redraw. In this lesson for Grades 6-12,…

    Mini-unit: 2026 US Midterm Elections · Lesson 3
  • Democracy & Elections

    Issues in the 2026 US Midterm Elections

    The economy leads the list of American voters' concerns, but according to an Ipsos/Reuters poll from September, 71% name something else, from democracy to immigration to healthcare. Using…

    Mini-unit: 2026 US Midterm Elections · Lesson 2
  • Democracy & Elections

    What are US Midterm Elections?

    Every two years, Americans elect a Congress that can reshape what a president is able to do, but without removing the president. This background lesson explains how that…

    Mini-unit: 2026 US Midterm Elections · Lesson 1
  • Democracy & Elections

    Japan’s First Mayor to Take Maternity Leave

    When Japan's youngest female mayor announced maternity leave, she exposed a system with no rule for the situation. This classroom-ready lesson turns that debate into a study of…

  • Democracy & Elections

    UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Resigns

    In June 2026, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned less than two years after a landslide win and without losing an election. This ready-to-teach lesson uses his fall…

  • Democracy & Elections

    Comparing Independence Movements

    Four regions, one question: who gets to decide whether part of a country can leave? Students examine Scotland, Catalonia, Quebec, and Alberta to understand why independence movements arise,…

  • Democracy & Elections

    Nepal’s Gen-Z Revolution

    In 2025, Nepal's Gen Z took to the streets after the government banned social media… and brought down a Prime Minister. Six months later, a 35-year-old rapper won…

  • Democracy & Elections

    How democratic is your country? – EIU Democracy Index

    After eight years of decline, global democracy scores stabilised in 2025 – but what does that actually mean? This differentiated lesson for grades 6-12 uses the EIU Democracy…

  • Democracy & Elections

    Peru’s Disrupted 2026 Election

    What happens when you can't trust the results of an election, and how can you build that trust back? Peru's 2026 election hit turbulence before a single vote…

  • Democracy & Elections

    Hungary Election 2026

    Hungary's 2026 election ended 16 years of Orbán's rule in a historic landslide. Three differentiated readings explore legitimacy, power, sovereignty and what truly makes an election democratic.

  • Democracy & Elections

    Thailand Election and Constitutional Referendum

    Thailand voted yes to a new constitution — but does a yes vote mean the people are truly in charge? A differentiated lesson on sovereignty and legitimacy for…

  • Democracy & Elections

    Iran Protests

    Amnesty International – What Happened at the Protests in Iran?

Home » Lesson Plans by Theme » Democracy and Elections Lesson Plans