StudentCam 2026 Documentary Competition Theme Announced: "America's 250th Anniversary!"
Below you will find C-SPAN Classroom resources relating to the topics and categories listed above. Click on each title to expand the section and view the featured resources.
Bell Ringer: Public Trust in Government (3:54)
Bell Ringer: Political Party Identification (2 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Political Ideology (4:57)
Bell Ringer: Age and Political Affiliation (6:02)
Bell Ringer: Religion and Political Socialization (3:40)
Lesson Plan: Demographics and Political Alignment (5 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Political Polarization (7 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Modern History of the American Right Wing (14 Clips)
Lesson Plan: American Generations (10 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Conservatism (2 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Conservatives and the Media (2:29)
Bell Ringer: Political Moderates In Congress (2:41)
Bell Ringer: Libertarianism and Liberalism (2:52)
Bell Ringer: Socialism in the Early 20th Century (5:18)
Video Clip: Progressivism and the Democratic Party (3:53)
Lesson Plan: The Functions of Political Parties (9 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Political Parties (11 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Primaries and Caucuses (11 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Political Party Positions on Issues (4 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Divided Government and How it Works (10 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Switching Party Affiliations (3 Clips)
Bell Ringer: When Do Political Parties Work Best? (7:48)
Bell Ringer: The History of the Republican and Democratic Parties (3:07)
Bell Ringer: The Historical Differences between the Republican and Democratic Parties (3:07)
Bell Ringer: The Development of the Current Two-Party System (3:57)
Bell Ringer: Two-Party and Multiparty Democracies (2:31)
Bell Ringer: Political Party Affiliation in the U.S. (3:23)
Bell Ringer: The Growth of Independents (1:18)
Lesson Plan: Historic Convention Speeches (14 Clips & Slides)
Bell Ringer: Changing Political Demographic and Geographic Trends (3:50)
Bell Ringer: The Republican Party and Blue Collar Conservatism (4:17)
Bell Ringer: The Constitution Party Platform (2:07)
Bell Ringer: The Growth of Partisanship (3:44)
Bell Ringer: The Need for Bipartisanship in Congress (2:44)
Bell Ringer: Congressional Leadership and Fundraising (5:12)
Bell Ringer: Problems with Party Primaries (5:07)
Video Clip: The History of Third Party Candidates in Presidential Elections (2:32)
Video Clip: Political Parties vs. Political Culture (1:36)
Video Clip: Party Identification in 2021 (6:35)
Video Clip: Expanding the Two-Party Political System in the U.S. (11:58)
Bell Ringer: The Early Formation of Political Parties (4:41)
Bell Ringer: The History of Political Parties (2:56)
Bell Ringer: Symbols of the Democratic and Republican Parties (3:57)
Bell Ringer: History of the Presidential Primary System (7:08)
Bell Ringer: The History of Third Parties (1:36)
Bell Ringer: Jacksonians and Whigs (1:39)
Bell Ringer: The 1839 Whig Convention (14:17)
Bell Ringer: The Decline of the Whig Party (2:35)
Bell Ringer: The Formation of the Republican Party (2:42)
Bell Ringer: The Political Machine and Thomas Pendergast (10:07)
Video Clip: The First Party System (2:06)
Lesson Plan: Congress and the Antebellum South (8 Clips)
Video Clip: The Second Party System (6:13)
Bell Ringer: Kansas Nebraska Act and the Formation of the Republican Party (2:34)
Bell Ringer: Nativism and the Know Nothings (2:04)
Bell Ringer: The Know Nothing Party (3:32)
Bell Ringer: The Election of 1860 (2:02)
Bell Ringer: John Willis Menard and the Special Election of 1868 (8:26)
Video Clip: Election of 1876 (4:36)
Bell Ringer: Theodore Roosevelt and Progressive Era (4:35)
Bell Ringer: The Prohibition Party (2:26)
Bell Ringer: Civil Rights and Political Party Realignment (2:08)
Video Clip: The 1964 Republican Convention (14:53)
Lesson Plan: Politics in 1968 (20 Clips)
Lesson Plan: 1994 Midterm Elections and The Contract with America (5 Clips)
Bell Ringer: The Modern Two-Party System (3:03)
Video Clip: Democratic National Committee: Superdelegates (10:08)
Lesson Plan: How Interest Groups Work (7 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Special Interest Groups and Lobbying (3:00)
Lesson Plan: Lobbyists, Who, What, and Why (10 Clips)
Bell Ringer: What is a Lobbyist? (5:36)
Bell Ringer: Unions and Labor History (17:07)
Bell Ringer: The Difference Between Lobbyists and PACs (1:39)
Bell Ringer: The Role and Regulation of Lobbyists (5:42)
Lesson Plan: The Iron Triangle (5 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Types of Political Action Committees (PACS) (3:18)
Bell Ringer: Ballot Measures and Interest Groups (2 Clips)
Video Clip: Lobbying and Former Members of Congress (2:38)
Video Clip: Regulating Lobbying in Congress (2:58)
Bell Ringer: The Taft-Hartley Act and Right-to-Work Laws (2 Clips)
Video Clip: History of the NRA & Gun Legislation (4:11)
Bell Ringer: Special Interest Groups and Government Regulation (2:05)
Video Clip: Lobbying and the Export-Import Bank (4:12)
Lesson Plan: Constitutional Rights of Corporations (6 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Campaign Fundraising: An Investigation (8 Clips & Slides)
Lesson Plan: Campaign Finance, Free Elections or Free Speech (15 Clips)
Lesson Plan: The Impact of Citizens United v. FEC (7 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Politics and Wealth (11 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Leadership PACs (5:06)
Bell Ringer: What is Dark Money? (2 Clips)
Bell Ringer: The Role of the Federal Election Commission (2:53)
Bell Ringer: Buckley v. Valeo and Campaign Finance Reform (2:47)
Bell Ringer: The Impact of Citizens United v. FEC (3:56)
Bell Ringer: Money in Politics (3:55)
Bell Ringer: Quid Pro Quo Rules and Campaign Contributions (4:27)
Bell Ringer: Restrictions on Super PACs and Candidates (1:56)
Video Clip: The Influence of Money in Politics (5:23)
Bell Ringer: Election Laws dealing with Interactions with Foreign Governments (2:05)
Video Clip: Super PAC Spending in the 2018 Midterm Elections (3:49)
Bell Ringer: Polarization and Misinformation (3:41)
Bell Ringer: Muckraker Journalism (3 Clips)
Lesson Plan: The State of Modern News Media (7 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Privacy and the Press (6 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Transparency in Government (8 Clips)
Lesson Plan: How to Interpret Political Polls (8 Clips)
Bell Ringer: What is Libel? (2:22)
Bell Ringer: How Journalists Respond to Accusations of Fake News (4:49)
Bell Ringer: Accuracy, Polarization and Public Trust in the Press (5:31)
Video Clip: Senator Flake (R-AZ) on Freedom of the Press (3:44)
Video Clip: Fact Checking and the Truth (1:38)
Bell Ringer: Identifying Fake News Sources (4:55)
Bell Ringer: Civics Education and News Literacy (1:17)
Bell Ringer: Modern News Consumption and Fake News (3:44)
Video Clip: Anonymous Sources (3:39)
Bell Ringer: Conservatives and the Media (2:29)
Bell Ringer: Bias in the Media (2:32)
Bell Ringer: Fact Checking in Journalism (2:07)
Bell Ringer: How and Why Politicians Lie (3 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Standards of Journalism and Modern Press Coverage (2:59)
Bell Ringer: The Effect of More Information on News Media (1:48)
Bell Ringer: The Blurred Lines Between Facts and Opinions (4:18)
Bell Ringer: Presidents and the Changing Role of the News (4:52)
Bell Ringer: Horse Race Journalism (2:20)
Bell Ringer: The Decline in Local News Coverage (4:11)
Bell Ringer: 2023 State of Local News Report (2 Clips)
Video Clip: Where Americans Get Their News (1:41)
Bell Ringer: The Decline of Local Newspapers (3:14)
Bell Ringer: Information Disorder (4:32)
Bell Ringer: Freedom of the Press and Local and Regional News (3:53)
Bell Ringer: Political Cartoons (2:47)
Bell Ringer: The Press and the Presidency (2:42)
Bell Ringer: President Obama and the Media (3:18)
Bell Ringer: The Role of the White House Press Secretary (2:59)
Bell Ringer: Freedom of the Press vs National Security (2:16)
Bell Ringer: Freedom of the Press and Leak Investigations (5:48)
Bell Ringer: Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart (11:06)
Bell Ringer: New York Times v. Sullivan (2:23)
Lesson Plan: New York Times v. United States (1971) (9 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Libel Laws and the Press: New York Times v. Sullivan (4 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Choice Board - U.S. Presidents and the Press (14 Clips and Activities)
Lesson Plan: Female Reporters in the 19th Century (5 Clips)
Bell Ringer: History and Significance of Newspapers (6:19)
Bell Ringer: The American Revolution and the Press (6:21)
Bell Ringer: Evolution of Journalism (8:33)
Bell Ringer: The History of Partisanship in the Press (4:31)
Bell Ringer: The Alien and Sedition Acts (3:00)
Lesson Plan: The Penny Press (2 Clips)
Bell Ringer: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Post-Facts, & Fake News (4:47)
Bell Ringer: Historical Congressional Violence and the Press (1:38)
Bell Ringer: Abraham Lincoln and the Press (7:47)
Lesson Plan: Political Cartoonist Thomas Nast (6:56)
Bell Ringer: Joseph Pulitzer (7:48)
Bell Ringer: Muckrakers (2:15)
Bell Ringer: History of Newspaper Boys (10:20)
Bell Ringer: The Media and Jim Crow (3:41)
Bell Ringer: History and Politics of US Communications Policy (5:52)
Video Clip: Orson Welles' War of the Worlds and the Art of Fake News (2:05)
Bell Ringer: Hitler's Approach to the Press (2:41)
Video Clip: History of Political Advertising (7:31)
Bell Ringer: Press Coverage of the Kennedy Assassination (6:13)
Bell Ringer: Soviet Internal Propaganda 1985 Film (8:51)
Bell Ringer: HUAC and the Entertainment Industry (10:42)
Lesson Plan: Political Poll Bashing (7 Clips)
Deliberation: What is “Fake News” and How Does It Impact Our Lives?
Lesson Plan: Why does misinformation spread? (6 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Dealing with Misinformation and Propaganda (3:43)
Lesson Plan: Social Media's Role in Democracy (6 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Social Media as a News Source (1:18)
Bell Ringer: Social Media and Data Collection (4:42)
Video Clip: Seattle Schools Sue Social Media Companies (6:07)
Video Clip: Social Media Platforms and Fake News (1:33)
Bell Ringer: How Social Media Uses Algorithms (2:53)
Video Clip: Cambridge Analytica and Facebook Data (5:05)
Video Clip: How Social Media Companies Moderate Content (3:05)
Bell Ringer: Political Extremism on the Internet (3:27)
Video Clip: Transparency in Advertisements on the Internet (3:40)
Bell Ringer: Identifying Fake News Sources (4:55)
Bell Ringer: Growth of YouTube (6:47)
Bell Ringer: China and Restrictions on Foreign Media (3:45)
Lesson Plan: Senate Hearing on Social Media & Russian Interference (15 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Senate and House Facebook Hearings (19 Clips)
Lesson Plan: What is Instagram? (6 Clips)
Lesson Plan: The History of TikTok (15 Clips)
Deliberation: Should social media companies be responsible for removing content on their platforms? (7 Clips)
Lesson Plan: How Members of Congress use Social Media (1 Clip)
Lesson Plan: How to Interpret Political Polls (8 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Polling the Public on Politics (9 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Rating Pollsters (2:39)
Bell Ringer: Internal vs Public Polling (2:33)
Bell Ringer: Incorrect Polls (1:40)
Lesson Plan: Reverency and the Presidency (7 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Is Twitter the New Fireside Chat? (5 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Presidential Communication during Times of Crisis (5 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Fairness Doctrine (9 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Public Trust in the Media (5:44)
Bell Ringer: Impact of Political Campaign Ads (5:10)
Video Clip: Political Impact of Late-Night Comedy (8:33)
Video Clip: Political Humor - Fair or Unfair? (3:18)
Bell Ringer: Advertising and Celebrity Politics (9:21)
Bell Ringer: Celebrity in Chief (8:42)
Bell Ringer: Smear Tactics and Public Opinion (2:39)
Bell Ringer: Deep Fakes, AI, and U.S. Elections (3 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Presidents and the Changing Role of the News (4:52)
Video Clip: The Impact of President Trump on Media Coverage (6:27)
Deliberation: Should your state modify its voter registration laws and methods for submitting a ballot? (10 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Voting Machine Vulnerabilities and the Future Security of Elections (6 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Primaries and Caucuses (11 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Teaching the Iowa Caucus (18 Clips)
Bell Ringer: The Iowa Caucuses (3 Clips)
Bell Ringer: The Role of the Federal Government in Elections (5:44)
Bell Ringer: The Constitutional Foundation for State Voting Laws (2:41)
Bell Ringer: State Referendums and Ballot Initiatives (3:04)
Bell Ringer: Ballot Measures and Direct Democracy (2 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Open Primary Elections (2:10)
Bell Ringer: California's "Top Two Primary" System (2 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Ranked Choice Voting (2 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Snap Elections (3:18)
Bell Ringer: Election Security and Improving State Election Laws (2 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Historic Campaign Speeches (16 Clips & Slides)
Lesson Plan: Celebrity Endorsements of Politicians (23 Clips & Slides)
Deliberation: Should the Electoral College Be Reformed?
Bell Ringer: How Electoral Votes Are Counted (2 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Relationship Between Popular Vote and Electoral College (3:09)
Lesson Plan: Presidential Campaign Announcement Analysis (10 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Running for President and being in the Political Spotlight (3:45)
Bell Ringer: Presidential Elections as Popularity Contests (5:45)
Bell Ringer: Food and Presidential Campaigns (4:16)
Lesson Plan: Primaries and Caucuses (11 Clips)
Deliberation: Should the presidential primary and caucus process be reformed?
Lesson Plan: Presidential Primary Challengers (8 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Choice Board - How Effective Are Presidential Campaign Ads? (Multiple Options)
Lesson: Presidential Debate Analysis (One Clip with Activities)
Lesson Plan: Electoral College Map Virtual Scavenger Hunt (Clips with Activities)
Lesson Plan: The History of Contested Presidential Elections (6 Clips)
Lesson: Learning from Previous Presidential Transitions (5 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Analyzing Historical Presidential Inaugural Addresses (23 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Presidential Candidate Firsts (8 Clips)
Bell Ringer: The Constitutional Foundation for State Voting Laws (2:41)
Bell Ringer: History and Significance of the New Hampshire Primary (9:44)
Bell Ringer: Benefits of Early Primaries/Caucuses in New Hampshire and Iowa (3:42)
Bell Ringer: Brokered vs. Contested Party Conventions (5:45)
Bell Ringer: Presidential Election Debates (6:23)
Bell Ringer: Importance and Evolution of Presidential Debates (2 Clips)
Deliberation: Should Third Party Candidates Be Allowed Greater Participation in Presidential Debates?
Bell Ringer: Presidential Transitions after an Election (4:59)
Lesson Plan: Following the Presidential Transition (14 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Election Prediction Project (3 Clips & Slides)
Bell Ringer: Early Voting and the 2024 Presidential Election (7:07)
Lesson Plan: Why Do Americans Not Vote in Elections? (8 Clips)
Lesson Plans: Voting Discrimination and the Effects of Shelby County v. Holder (8 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Survey Analysis- Public Perceptions of Voting and Elections (2 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Trends for Low- Information Voters (5:55)
Bell Ringer: Political Party Affiliation in the U.S. (3:23)
Bell Ringer: The Republican Party and Blue Collar Conservatism (4:17)
Bell Ringer: "State College Voter" Demographic (4 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Political Polarization (7 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Political Gerrymandering (4 Clips)
Video Clip: State Voting Restrictions (1:54)
Video Clip: Voting Trends for Women (5:33)
Deliberation: Do state laws requiring photo ID for voters unfairly affect voter participation?
Bell Ringer: Election Laws dealing with Interactions with Foreign Governments (2:02)
Bell Ringer: Decentralized Elections and Voting Machines (2:29)
Bell Ringer: CISA and Election Security (6:15)
Lesson Plan: Social Media's Role in Democracy (6 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Fact Checking Political Candidates (2 Clips)
Video Clip: Election Integrity and Confidence in 2024 Results (6:21)
Video Clip: Use of AI in Elections (5:13)
Lesson Plan: What Makes a Good Campaign Ad?- Advertisement Analysis (8 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Choice Board - How Effective Are Presidential Campaign Ads? (Multiple Options)
Lesson Plan: Big Data and Politics (3 Clips)
Lesson Plan: How to Interpret Political Polls (8 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Polling and Public Opinion (8 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Presidential Debate Analysis (1 Clip)
Bell Ringer: Do Debates Still Matter? (10:33)
Bell Ringer: Microtargeting in Political Campaigns (2:03)
Bell Ringer: The Reasons for Debates in Campaigns (3:04)
Bell Ringer: Political Polling (2 Clips)
Bell Ringer: Polling and Phone Surveys (4:53)
Bell Ringer: Analyzing Political Advertisements (3:03)
Bell Ringer: Smear Tactics and Public Opinion (2:39)
Bell Ringer: Attack Ads in Presidential Campaigns (7:37)
Bell Ringer: Impact of Political Campaign Ads (5:10)
Bell Ringer: Grassroots Activism (2:29)
Lesson Plan: Electoral College Map Virtual Scavenger Hunt (Clips with Activities)
Lesson Plan: Evaluating Historical Presidential Campaign Ads (15 Clips)
Lesson Plan: The Expansion of Voting in the United States (10 Clips)
Video Clip: The History of Federal Voting Laws (2:24)
Bell Ringer: History of the Presidential Primary System (7:08)
Bell Ringer: Political Coverage of Candidates (6:23)
Bell Ringer: The Election of 1860 (2:15)
Bell Ringer: The 1968 Democratic National Convention (4:06)
Lesson Plan: Comparing the 1934 and 2002 Midterm Elections (2 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Politics in 1968 (20 Clips)
Lesson Plan: The 1980 Election: A Study in Pathos (5 Clips)
Lesson Plan: 1994 Midterm Elections and The Contract with America (5 Clips)
Lesson Plan: The 2000 Election and the Bush v. Gore Supreme Court Case (6 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Russian Social Media Interference & the 2016 Election (15 Clips)
Lesson Plan: Campaign Fundraising: An Investigation (8 Clips & Slides)
Lesson Plan: The Impact of Citizens United v. FEC (7 Clips)
Video Clip: Campaign Finance Laws and Enforcement (5:41)
Video Clip: Reducing the Impact of Fundraising in Congress (2:44)
Bell Ringer: Presidential Campaign Fundraising Regulations (3:23)
Bell Ringer: The Impact of Citizens United v. FEC (3:56)
Bell Ringer: Restrictions on Super PACs and Candidates (1:56)
Bell Ringer: Buckley v. Valeo and Campaign Finance Reform (2:47)
Bell Ringer: Quid Pro Quo Rules and Campaign Contributions (4:27)
Bell Ringer: Time Spent Fundraising in Congress (3:38)