C-SPAN
The Electoral College and the Constitution
What is the purpose of the Electoral College? Is it antiquated, or does it have a place in today's political climate? High schoolers view a series of video clips as they analyze the parts of the United States Constitution that address...
Curated OER
Tally of the 1824 Electoral College Vote
Twelfth graders study the parts of the Constitution that address presidential election. They complete a variety of activities designed to spark debate about the flaws in the Electoral College system.
Curated OER
Does My Vote Count? Teaching the Electoral College
Students comprehend the purpose, function, origin, and historical development of the electoral college. They evaluate issues of fairness and representation in the electoral process, both individually and through group discussion....
Curated OER
How the Electoral College Works
Pupils research the history and mechanics of the Electoral College and formulate opinions as to whether this institution should be preserved, modified or eliminated. They predict future outcomes of electoral vs. popular votes.
Curated OER
The Final Countdown
Students examine the United States electoral college system as it applies to the 2004 presidential election. They investigate the impact of the twelve battleground states in the 2004 election and develop informative pamphlets on the...
Curated OER
The Electoral Process
Students study the history and mechanics of the Electoral College and formulate opinions as to whether this institution should be preserved, modified or eliminated. They compare and contrast electoral and popular votes in the...
Heritage Foundation
The Office of the Executive
An executive is not just a leader of a company; you can also use the term to describe the president of the United States. The ninth part of a 20-part unit teaches high schoolers about the importance of the executive branch and the...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates — Springboard to the White House
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates saw two primary political candidates debating seven different times about one of the most important social movements in United States history. Middle and high schoolers read an article that describes the...
Curated OER
The Old Electoral College Try
Students examine defining issues in the race for the White House and evaluate important issues in several of the swing states. They create and administer a poll in their community and make predictions by analyzing the data.
Curated OER
Rocking the Vote
Students explore how a presidential candidate can win the popular vote but not receive enough electoral votes to win the election. They analyze various regions' voting trends, explore how these trends reflect the outcome of the 2004...
Curated OER
US Presidential Election Process and the Campaign Trail
High schoolers campaign for president. In this presidential election lesson, students discuss the process of electing presidents, write their own campaign songs, research a campaign train schedule, and create campaign maps.
iCivics
Win the White House
Here is a unique and engaging approach to learning about the steps a presidential candidate must take during a campaign. Learners role play the part of a candidate in this online interactive, taking part in a presidential...
Curated OER
Presidential Race
Young scholars explain the way in which a candidate wins an electorial race and the number of votes necessary to win in the electoral college through movement.
Curated OER
Let the Campaign Begin
Students differentiate between positive and negative personal attributes and select a fictional character for nomination who personifies the qualities of a good leader. They use the Internet to learn about the election process and write...
San José State University
Writing Concisely: Deleting or Replacing Unnecessary Information
Are you actually feeling really tired of reading wordy, redundant, long, lengthy sentences practically all the time over and over again? Introduce writers to this handout and exercise to teach to tighten up their prose! Provides two ways...
Curated OER
Prime Politics
Students read Gandhi Says She 'Must Humbly Decline' to be India's Premier from The New York Times and discuss Sonia Ghandi's electoral victory and her response. Students then break into groups and research the past 50 years of India's...
Stanford University
Fort Sumter
The headlines screamed what everyone knew was coming: War! While Fort Sumter was considered the first battle of the Civil War, the engagement played differently in newspapers at the time. Using coverage from Northern and Southern...
Curated OER
Ideas for Classroom Election Activities
This handout provides suggestion8s for exploring the elections process including making a party platform poster, writing a speech in the style of a famous politician, having a debate, planning a convention, and more! While some of the...
Curated OER
Following the Leaders
Examine the historic election of Pope Benedict XVI and reflect on the challenges he faces as the new leader of the Catholic Church. This New York Times lesson investigates how other world leaders are chosen in different forms of...
Curated OER
Validating Votes
Explore the discrepancies in Florida's vote counting process in 2000 and 2002 with this New York Times reading lesson. Middle schoolers study the viewpoints presented in informational text, paying attention to how word choice can...
Curated OER
Closest Presidential Race Ever. . . Or Is It?
Students examine the presidential election of 2000. In this American history lesson, students listen to their instructor lecture on the details of the 2000 election. Students respond to discussion questions and participate in a...
Curated OER
Age of Jackson
Students work on political campaigns. In this campaign history lesson plan, students study the American presidential elections of 1824 and 1828. Students research primary and secondary sources to learn about the campaigns. Students then...
Curated OER
Vital Voters
Young scholars create voter education campaigns to raise awareness of and interest in the government for future voters.
Other
National Council for the Social Studies: Teaching About the Electoral College
Are you actually electing the president when you vote on election day? This article explains how the Electoral College works, based on the 2004 election, and suggests activities for helping students understand it. The file can be...