Election Detectives: All-States Edition
For every state: how America picks its leaders, and the clues left behind on Election Night.
Made for all 50 states. Kids fill in their own state's capital, leaders and results. In Florida? Get the Florida Edition
An independent, nonpartisan lesson, not affiliated with any party, candidate or government office.
Election Detectives: All-States Edition is a free, printable 7-page civics packet for kids ages 8 to 10 in any US state, built on the midterm election. Kids follow five clues to learn how federal and state government work, why Congress has two rooms, what a midterm is and what a majority means, then look up their own state's results with a grown-up. It's nonpartisan, and kids fill in their own state throughout.
By the end, your kids can
- Tell federal jobs apart from state jobs
- Explain why the Senate and House are built differently
- Say what a midterm election is
- Work out what counts as a majority
- Describe how an idea becomes a law
- Look up real election results with a grown-up
What your kids walk away with
Teacher details: standards, concepts and skills
- Age range
- Ages 8 to 10
- Grade levels
- 3rd to 5th
- Subjects
- Civics, math
- Format
- Printable PDF, US Letter, 7 pages, black and white. Works in any state.
- Concepts
- Federal and state government · The Senate and the House · Midterm elections · Majorities · How an idea becomes a law · Checking results in the news
No prep. Nothing to gather.
- The printed packet
- A pencil
- Red and blue crayons
- Scissors
- A news site, with a grown-up
What kids figure out
What's inside
- 5 clues to solve
- Shade the Senate and color the governor map
- A certificate to cut out
- THE STORYAmerica votes in the midterm election
- THE LESSONElection Detectives, free to print
Reviews from families
Questions parents ask
Is it really free?
Yes. Enter your email and we'll send you the download link. You'll also get The Dispatch, our free new-lesson emails, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Does it take sides?
No. It teaches how elections work. Kids look up the results themselves, and nothing in the packet says who should win.
Will it work in our state?
Yes. It's made for all 50 states: kids write in their own state's capital, governor, senators and House district. Families in Florida can also pick the Florida Edition, which has Florida's races already built in.
Is there an answer key?
Not with this packet. Most answers are on the pages themselves, and the results come from the news.