As we enter the new school year, the contest for president will be entering its final stretch. This year’s race has sparked the keen interest of many of our students, including elementary school students, so it presents a wonderful teachable moment.

Here are some high-quality online materials you can integrate into the curriculum to help students of all ages understand the election process.

For K–3 elementary students

A complex analysis of party platforms is not practical for young students, but they can learn about the election process and the responsibilities of the president.

Ben’s Guide to the U.S. Government is a federal site designed for young Americans. The “Election Process” site, for ages 4 to 8, explains what voting is and who can vote in the United States.

Brain Pop Jr. is a subscription service many New York City schools have purchased. Animated videos help K–3 students understand complex topics. The video “President” explains the role of the executive branch in an entertaining way.

For grades 3–5 elementary students

Students in the upper elementary grades can begin to examine election issues and read news coverage at their reading level in kid-friendly formats.

The National Student Mock Election allows students across the country to share their opinions by voting in a national poll. The site publishes teacher curriculum guides that provide a range of ideas for the classroom.

The PBS Democracy Project walks students through creating their own simulated presidential campaign, complete with posters and their own platform.

Time for Kids has a special Election 2016 site with kid reporters, articles on the presidential and vice presidential candidates, and complete election coverage, all written in kid-friendly language.

For middle school students

Middle school students can start analyzing campaign statements and platform issues, and even start to take action on issues they believe in.

CNN Election Center is a comprehensive site with the latest campaign news, election maps, polls, candidate profiles and more. It’s an accessible site for middle school students to start examining the issues.

Votesmart.org is a nonpartisan site with information on current legislation. Through quizzes, the site lets students match their political beliefs with candidates up for election.

Rock the Vote provides a space for student political activism. Students can plan their own strategy to get out the vote and get general information on the election.

For high school students

Students in grades 9–12 can evaluate mainstream election resources and analyze political issues and campaign promises.

Twitter has become a major player in the political arena. Students can follow accounts of candidates, political parties or, through hashtags like #election2016, get the most up-to-date information and follow conversations that make national news.

Politifact is a Pulitzer Prize-winning site published by the Tampa Bay Times to help people discern the truth in political campaigns. Their “Truth-O-Meter” evaluates candidate statements and is a great lesson in fact-checking for our students.

Statistician Nate Silver is famous for correctly forecasting election results across the nation. He analyzes data and polling numbers, and thanks to his site FiveThirtyEight, so can our students.

By exposing students to reputable sources of information like those cited above, you’ll be modelling good practices in media literacy and critical thinking, both sorely needed this election season.