Elections in the United States

Vocabulary

View Activity

History of Voting Rights

View Activity

The 5 Ws

View Activity

Why Voting Matters

View Activity

Essential Questions for Elections in the United States

1. What laws and amendments helped create our modern voting system?
2. How do local elections impact my daily life?
3. How does a popular vote differ from the electoral college?
4. Why is voting such an important civic duty for Americans?

Elections in the United States

Students should be encouraged to examine their current or future role in their community during this unit as well as understand the significance and responsibility of voting. Having a say in the way a country runs is a big deal, and older students are just years away from being able to use their voice to vote. In this lesson plan, students will research, define, and visualize the history and process of elections in the United States. Students will be able to examine how voting rights have changed throughout the course of American History, thanks to many brave Americans who fought for equality. Students will also be introduced to the controversial and sometimes confusing institution of voting known as the Electoral College.

Additional Ideas for Elections in the United States

1. Research an election in American history and visualize the path that the candidate took to win the White House.
2. Have students create an imaginary candidate and represent the political views they would run on.
3. Have students create a pros and cons t-chart that argues the benefits and drawbacks of the electoral college.
4. Have students create a spider map that displays potential reasons for why citizens might not vote.