Educator Resources

What course do you currently teach where redistricting might be included?

Why does this matter? Beyond political science, civics, and government courses, redistricting could be a topic in history, math, or geospatial technology classes. This is a great way to get students engaged in a topic that impacts many aspects of their lives.

This Redistricting in the Classroom resource by the Campus Election Engagement Project discusses why this topic is important and highlights various ways to engage students in the process. There is also a Campus and Student Guide to Redistricting available.

Do your students understand what redistricting is and why it matters?

Why does this matter? While it may be helpful to relate course material with redistricting, this is not necessarily a requirement. Simply understanding the current knowledge base of your students will make it easier to determine the background information they need.

Draw the Lines PA has created learning resources in the form of lesson activities, which range from ways to prioritize criteria, how to draw maps and understanding why gerrymandering occurs with a focus on Pennsylvania.

GeoCivics has a variety of resources available for all states to support learning about the apportionment, redistricting, and map creation process.

Will your students be drawing COI or district maps?

If you are interested in having students draw maps, we can help you choose what tool best fits your needs. The RDH has surveyed the major mapping tools and compiled information regarding their features in our Choosing Your Own Mapping Tool resource.

GeoCivics has an ArcGIS Online Redistricting Exercise available for each state. If your students are not familiar with mapping software, this is a great way for them to practice. There are other resources available that can engage students in the redistricting process, such as the Giant Traveling Map Lesson which is tailored to each state and a presentation on apportionment, redistricting, and gerrymandering.

Are you interested in having someone from RDH explain more about the available resources to your organization?

Please feel free to email info@redistrictingdatahub.org