The National Constitution Center is proud to feature originally authored lesson plans by educators from across the country. These lesson plans were all developed during the summer of 2008, as part of the Annenberg Summer Teacher Institute - Teaching the Presidential Election. Each lesson is designed to teach one aspect of the presidential election cycle in a hands on and engaging manner for students.
Rick Ritter, Vilseck American School, Vilseck, Germany
Middle School
In an election year, the American electorate is often oversimplified into a patchwork collection of red and blue states without significant study of what makes a state “red” or “blue” or somewhere in between. In this lesson, students will research and analyze the key factors that influence a state’s political make-up, create a state placard with all the relevant information contributing to a state’s “color” and use this information to make predictions about the 2008 electoral vote. Ideally, this lesson would take place after teaching about the US presidential election system, and specifically about the Electoral College. Students will need a basic understanding of the Republican and Democratic parties, including their key constituencies and platforms.
Steve Gilligan, Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School, Philadelphia, PA
High School
In this two-period lesson, students will examine the pros and cons of the Electoral College system, discuss its validity as a means of electing a president, and deliberate proposed reforms to the current system. Students will be split into three groups and have a debate/town hall style deliberation over the preservation or possible reform of the Electoral College. After the two groups of students present arguments both for and against the Electoral College on the first day, the remainder of the class, the “deliberators” will spend the second day evaluating the presidential election system and effective arguments of both sides. At the end of the simulation, the class will vote whether or not to amend the Electoral College system.
Sarah Walsh, St. Ann Catholic School, Chicago, IL
Elementary School
This activity is designed to familiarize elementary students with the experiences of children in presidential campaigns and in the White House, including historic and contemporary examples. Using primary source documents, students will be able to analyze how their lives would change if their parent decided to run for president of the United States. This lesson can be used as part of a unit on the Constitution or as a current events activity. It incorporates technology, class discussion and small group work.
Eli J. Lesser, Director of Education
Secondary
This lesson is designed to teach students about the steps that must be taken to vote in the United States. The entire voting process—from being qualified to register, identifying who and what you are voting for, locating your polling place, and ultimately successfully completing the ballot—is covered in this lesson. Through an opening simulation students are immersed in the experience, engaging first-hand in the many steps it takes to vote in our democracy. The simulation is explained in a student handout and group work activity that allow students to understand the process, explore the need to insure that elections are fair and secure and consider possible areas for reform. The lesson concludes with options for assessment of the student work.
Cathryn Goble, Ridge Community High School, Davenport, FL
High School
The United States Constitution does not mention political parties, but the right for the people to assemble peaceably, as granted by the First Amendment, clearly allows for them. Throughout U.S. history, dozens of political parties have come and gone and many have had runs at the White House. Some have evolved into the parties we know today, while some have disappeared altogether. This lesson is designed to give students the chance to explore modern political parties by allowing them the opportunity to create their own political party, “The Great New Party.” In groups, students will be charged with creating a website for The Great New Party. To successfully complete the website they must first create a history of the party, a party symbol and a party platform. After creating a webpage for their new political party, students will present their project, share the history and beliefs of their party and compare its ideals to those of the real modern political parties. Overall, students will have to explore their own opinions on current events, identify the positions of contemporary political parties, and consider whether alternative parties should play a larger role in our political system.
Marc Lewis, RJ Grey Junior High School, Acton, MA
Middle School
Students will imagine themselves as a candidate for Student Council President and discover the role of celebrity endorsements in a campaign for the presidency. When their campaign manager suggests seeking out a celebrity to endorse their candidacy, students will be forced to decide whether or not that is a good idea. Once their campaign staffs decide to pursue the idea, students will need to identify which “stars” would best help their efforts. In doing so, students will learn that candidates need to appeal to various groups of voters, determine that appealing to one group of voters might come at the expense of another, identify many different ways candidates can campaign, and discover that celebrity endorsements are one way a candidate could reach targeted voters. Students will also read an analysis of endorsements, the history of celebrity involvement in presidential politics, and answer a series of reading comprehension and thinking questions designed to help deepen their thinking on this topical phenomenon.
Melanie Weakley, Skyridge Middle School, Camas, WA
Middle School
If you were to ask your students their preference for the next President of the United States, most students would not hesitate to give you their opinion. Are they making an informed decision? How much do students truly know about the candidates running for the most important office in the country? This three day lesson allows students to evaluate how informed they are, analyze the value of being an informed voter, and research the candidates and important issues so students become informed voters. In a final assessment, students write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper in support of the candidate of their choice.
Leigh Ann Schroeder, Rivermont Collegiate, Bettendorf, IA
Elementary School
In this lesson, students will learn how to write a campaign television commercial that will convey their candidates’ message. In doing so, students will follow a step by step process. That process includes researching a current presidential candidate, learning how to write a topic specific advertisement, using past campaign television advertisements as a guide, making a presidential political television commercial and then comparing negative and positive commercials on voting results. Students will show their advertisements to the class and based on the content of the commercial, the class will vote as to the most convincing advertisement.
