Talking Presidential Elections in the Classroom

Teachers! Don’t miss this FREE Professional Development program hosted at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in partnership with Sphere Education Initiatives. This educator workshop focuses on civil discourse and how the 1960 presidential election influences political campaigns today. The program will use the 1960 presidential campaign and election to contextualize 21st century elections and provide a way for educators to discuss close and potentially controversial elections in the classroom.

Register for the Workshop

9:30 a.m. Led by The Sixth Floor Museum’s education department.
Attendees can expect to:

• Learn about the 1960 presidential election through Museum collections and activities for implementation in the classroom.
• Learn techniques for fostering civil dialogue and discussing contemporary issues through historical context.
• Understand hands-on activities for the classroom such as mini-debates, campaign issue comparisons and voter perception of candidates through visual and media literacy assessment.

12:15-1:00 p.m. Educator Networking and Lunch Provided by the Museum

1:05 p.m. Sphere Education Initiatives will lead the afternoon presentations focusing on:

• Civil discourse and how to discuss tough topics in the classroom.
• Curriculum on addressing election integrity.
• Techniques to talk about contentious topics.
• Resources available for discussing close elections.
• The connection between the current election process and the elections of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Participants will earn five continuing education credits and leave with tools to enrich their civics-based classroom discussions ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Lunch is provided.

Sphere Education Initiatives is a 501(c)3 organization that brings together experts from across the ideological spectrum and from a wide diversity of experiences and backgrounds to engage educators on the most pressing topics of the day.

Register for the Workshop