Lesson Plan

Red States/Blue States: Mapping the Presidential Election

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Young historians investigate how voting patterns have changed by comparing the outcome of the 1960 election to the outcome of the recent election. A creative final assessment has participants making a news show wherein they provide commentary on the election of 1960 or a recent one.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Have historians break into groups to analyze the results of another presidential election from the past and present a summary of the data to their peers
  • A good stepping stone to a discussion about the merits of the electoral college system
Classroom Considerations
  • Some parts of the lesson are written as if a major election is upcoming; use the results from the most recent election if no election is on the horizon
Pros
  • Gives a great introduction to data analysis
  • The assessment project is a creative and fun way for participants to present their findings and opinions
Cons
  • None
Common Core