The Electoral Process Lesson Plan: Path to Be the President

Submitted by: Holly Brown

Grade Levels: 6-8

In this Electoral Process lesson plan, which is adaptable for grades 6-8, students use BrainPOP resources to explore the requirements to be President of the United States. Students will also investigate the basics of the election process and analyze data collected from a survey.

 

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Students will:

  1. Understand the requirements to be President of the United States
  2. Understand the basics of the electoral process
  3. Analyze data collected from survey

Materials:

  • Computer and projector to show BrainPOP resources
  • Hand outs (or projected version of) the BrainPOP features you choose to use
  • Construction paper
  • Markers
  • U.S. map

Preparation:

Find a current electoral map that's relevant to your upcoming election. There are many of these available online.

Lesson Procedure:

  1. Pass out and review BrainPOP Vocabulary sheet.
  2. Show the Presidential Election movie, pausing to take notes and discuss key concepts.
  3. Homework: Survey 5 people and ask them the top 5 qualities needed to be president of the U.S.
  4. Graph the survey information the next day in class and compare and contrast data.
  5. Display an electoral map to further explain the electoral college.
  6. Have the students complete the vocabulary activity.
  7. Using BrainPOP's Timeline as a model, make a class timeline of when the election events will happen this year. Hang the timeline in classroom and hall.
  8. Print the Quiz and have students complete independently.

Extension Activities:

Have students track the result of the election by state or district and compare the outcomes to the electoral map.

Related:

    Filed as:  6-8, Barack Obama, Blended Learning, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7, Elections, Lesson Plan, Presidential Election, Primaries and Caucuses, Social Studies, Social Studies Lesson, Teaching Resources, U.S. Government and Law, Voting