Power of the Vote
http://www.latimes.com/
HOME/NEWS/
POLITICS/KMEXVOTE/
index.htm
Description: Here are news stories and background on issues to be informed for the 98 elections. 
Resource Type: Secondary Text
Graphics Content: High
 

California Online Voter Guide
http://www.calvoter.org/
Description: This site will help the prospective voter look up candidates for office. It also has maps to help you figure out what voting districts you're in.
Comments: This site is also appropriate for information on campaigns and the political process.
Resource Type: Mix of Text and Graphics
Graphics Content: Low
 

California Secretary of State Voter Information
http://Vote98.ss.ca.gov/
VoterGuide/home.htm
Description: This information from the Secretary of State provides a review of the California ballot and election returns online.
Comments: Introductory information on the voting process.
Resource Type: Primary Source Text
Graphics Content: Low
 

Kids Campaign
http://www.kids
campaign.org/
Description: The Kids Campaign Web page is founded by the Benton Foundation. It has links to government departments/agencies involved in children issues. It advocates children's issues and promotes involvement by the public in these issues.
Resource Type: Mix of Text and Graphics
Graphics Content: High
 

Official Site of the Democratic Party
http://www.democrats
.org/index.html
Description: This site has information about the history of the Democratic Party and its positions on issues. It contains both primary and secondary sources. 
Resource Type: Primary Source Text
Graphics Content: High
 

Official Site of the Libertarian Party
http://www.lp.org/lp/lp-
docs.html
Description: Here are the Libertarian party platform, programs and official positions on issues.
Comments: Primary and secondary sources of the Libertarian Party.
Resource Type: Primary Source Text
Graphics Content: Low
 

Official Site Of The Natural Law Party
http://home.natural-
law.org/nlp/
Description: This site has information about the Natural Law Party and its position on many issues.
Comments: Primary and secondary sources from the Natural Law Party.
Resource Type: Primary Source Text
Graphics Content: Low
 

Reform Party Official Website
http://www.reformparty
.org/
Description: This site has the Reform Party platform, its positions on issues, and candidates for office.
Resource Type: Primary Source Text
Graphics Content: Low
 

Republican National Committee
http://www.rnc.org/
Description: This is the official platform and position of the Republican Party on key issues.
Resource Type: Mix of Text and Graphics
Graphics Content: High
 

Socialist Party USA 
http://sp-usa.org/
Description: This homepage of the Socialist Party has information about the Party's beliefs and history and links to several state level Socialist Party organizations.
Resource Type: Compilation of Links
Graphics Content: Low

Select a Lawmaker
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/
activity/lawmaker/
By computer draw, you will be assigned a member of the California Assembly and a political party or party faction. A political faction is a group of people within a political party with a common purpose or ideology. Based on the aims of our faction, you will examine a representative number of bills voted on by the Assembly last year. The bills will deal with a broad spectrum of causes and concerns. In addition to a summary of the bills, you will receive the voting results on each bill.
Author: Ed Cabrera
 

In Praise of Political Parties
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/
activity/parties/index.html
It is time for students in your senior civics class to register to vote. Learn about the views of the various political parties and help fellow students pick a party that matches their ideas.
Author: Kris Hizal
 

Hamilton Takes It!
http://www.pres96.com/
Despite opposition from a strong Republican candidate and three major independents, the Democratic Vice-President has succeeded to the Oval Office.If you don't remember last November that way, you weren't playing President '96, the simulation designed and produced by Crossover Technologies, which ran concurrently on America Online, CNN's and Time/Warner's AllPolitics web site, and the World Wide Web. President '96 was a detailed attempt to explore the factors that go into electing a President. The game began with a set of issues and a slate of fictional candidates that mirrored real-world election concerns and personalities without duplicating them.
Author: Crossover Technologies
 

Political Advertising
http://catalog.socialstudies.com/
c/@Wmpv2OzYB_jKE/
Pages/article.html?
article@PolAdv
This lesson teaches information literacy by having students access Internet sites to learn about common persuasion and propaganda techniques used in political advertising. As a culminating activity students develop an advertising campaign for their own candidate.
Author: Aaron Willis

1. Analyze the origin, development, and role of political parties, noting those occasional periods in which there was only one major party or were more than two major parties.

2. Discuss the history of the nomination process for presidential candidates and the increasing importance of primaries in general elections.

3. Evaluate the roles of polls, campaign advertising, and the controversies over campaign funding.

4. Describe the means that citizens use to participate in the political process (e.g., voting,
campaigning, lobbying, filing a legal challenge, demonstrating, petitioning, picketing, running for political office).

5. Discuss the features of direct democracy in numerous states (e.g., the process of
referendums, recall elections).

6. Analyze trends in voter turnout; the causes and effects of reapportionment and
redistricting, with special attention to spatial districting and the rights of minorities;
and the function of the Electoral College.