Electoral College Lesson Plan

The Content:
1. Previous Learning: The context for this lesson will focus on the Electoral College. The
students will be learning what the Electoral College is, how it works, and its significance
within electing a president. Throughout the last couple weeks, the students have been
learning how our government has formed and developed. This lesson will contribute to
how the Electoral College plays apart within the government and contributes to picking
the president. This lesson will build upon the knowledge of the sections of the
government and how they work together. Again, it will also build the knowledge of how
the Electoral College works.
2. Future Learning: I anticipate using this content in future lessons when students continue
to learn how the election cycle works and how the Electoral College contributes to the
success of the government.
The Environment
3. I have students in groups of two or three which can allow them to easily ask for help from
their peers or enable partner discussion. I am using a PowerPoint with visuals so that
students are able to see, read, and hear the content. I am also using an interactive map so
that the students can physically see how the electoral map works.
The Lesson
1. American Government/8th grade/American History
2. Performance Objective
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to explain the importance of the Electoral
College and its role in American government.
3. Rationale
This lesson is important because it introduces students the basics of how a president is
elected into America. This is material that will be significant throughout their lives, so
that they can comprehend and explain how a president is elected and keep that in mind
when performing their civil duties. The information on the Electoral College is also
significant within the unit, which focuses on American government, considering this
content is important to understanding the Executive branch. This lesson also
accomplished the Iowa Core Standard SS.68.H.2 Understand how and why people
create, maintain or change systems of power, authority, and governance. The students had
previously learned how to government was developed and the importance of a strong
federal government. The Electoral College contributes to this and backs the answer of
why people maintain and change governance.
4. Assessment Strategy
Throughout the lesson, I will be asking students questions to evaluate their
understanding. Based on their answers, I will adjust the lesson. For example, if the
students are struggling with a question I will focus more on that specific content and offer
more examples. If the students have trouble explaining how the Electoral College works,
 let alone the importance of it, I will continue to explain it through examples until I am
confident they are able to successfully explain the importance of the Electoral College
and its role in American government. This content will also be on an upcoming quiz and
if the students do poorly on the quiz I will need to readdress the performance objective.
5. Accommodation for Exceptional Learners
While most students with IEPs or 504 plans are placed in a different classroom, there are still
a handful of students with learning disabilities within my classroom. In order to
accommodate to their needs in this lesson, I will have the students sitting with at least one
peer so they can ask for help from them if they feel necessary. I will also have the notes
online before the lesson, so that the students can follow them throughout the lesson and also
be able to access them in the future. There are also students with very opposite political
beliefs. In order to accommodate this and avoid any unnecessary heated debates that could
quickly escalate, I will remind the class that this is a lesson to learn about the electoral
college and not share political opinions.
6. Supporting Content Development through Language
a. Language Function: Students will be able to describe the process of the Electoral
College in their own words.
b. Key Vocabulary: Students will be able to understand and describe the basics of the
Electoral College. They will also be able to demonstrate how it can be applied.
c. Additional Language Demand: The additional language demand is discourse
because students are communicating and describing how the Electoral College plays a
part within the election and the government.
d. Language Supports: The planned language supports will be implemented
throughout my lesson. I will ask students questions about the Electoral College so that
they have practice describing the process in their own words.
7. Grouping Strategy
Students will be grouped into groups of two or three students. There will also be a class
discussion in the beginning of the lesson and a class activity at the end.
8. Enactment
a. (10 minutes) Hook: In the beginning of class I will ask students what they think an
electoral college is. Then for the hook, I will project Grace for President. I will have
students volunteer to read a page from the book. This is a childrens book that
explains the Electoral College. I thought this would be a fun way to introduce the
Electoral College to the students.
b. Student Aim: I will ask the students what they think the Electoral College is after
being read that book. Asking this question along with the reading will have students
anticipating that the lesson will focus on what an Electoral College is.
c. (15 minutes) Development: The body of the lesson will begin with some short
lecturing. I will be going over key terms the students have to know, such as Electoral
College and Popular Vote. Throughout the lesson, I will be teaching about different
parts of the Electoral College and then applying it to the election, which is incredibly
relevant in the students live. However, I will stress that I am using the election results
as an appropriate example to the students. This will not be a time to discuss, express,
 or debate politic opinions. After going over what a popular vote is, I will go over the
results of the popular in the election. I am hoping that breaking down the election as a
way to teach the Electoral College will be helpful for students since they have been
following the election and they are aware of it. Then I will teach how the Electoral
College works. I will explain that we have 538 electors and I will ask the students
how we get 538 electors. Then I will explain how someone becomes an elector. I have
a visual example of a ballot that has a parties electors underneath their candidate.
This visual will give them a better idea of the role of an elector. Similar to my
example of the popular vote, I will apply how to Electoral College works to the recent
election. During this, I will give an example of how a candidate can win a whole
states electoral votes, regardless if they win by a lot or a little. In order to show this, I
will give an example of Californias results where Clinton won by a lot and
Wisconsins results where Trump won by a little. Then, we will discuss the
importance of swing states. I will show an interactive map where the students can call
out swing states to see how they affected our election.
d. (15 minutes) Culmination
In order to have the students experience what theyve just learned, we will have our
own election. Students will be given a sheet of paper with a state and its number of
electors on it. Then, students will vote whether they prefer skittles of m&ms. With a
blank, interactive electoral map, the students will see the process of the electoral
college after each state votes. I am doing this so that students visually see what they
have just learned.
e. (4 minutes) Leap
The students have a quiz tomorrow so I will encourage them to study what theyve
learned today and previously and remind them that the notes are on the website.