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Electoral College |
By: Jaclyn Gottsch (2008 C-SPAN Fellow), High Point High School teacher, Beltsville, MD.
Each lesson contains supporting resources
such as media, worksheets and discussion questions. The lessons may also be combined
to account for block scheduling and breadth/depth considerations.
Overview
The Electoral College system, the means by which the president is selected
in the United States, has evolved somewhat since the founders' original design.
However, since the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution, the system has remained
relatively unchanged, although debate continues.
Key Question: Identifying how the Electoral
College works by using an Electoral Map.
Key Question: Should the Electoral College be changed to meet the
needs of our changing society?
Essential Question: In what ways can a candidate meet the goal of 270 Electoral
votes necessary to win the presidency?
Key Question: Who actually votes for the president, the people or the electors?
Overview: Students will enjoy getting "hands
on" with flashcards
that show the states and their assigned number of electors and
compliment the Electoral College map. Use the flashcards in your classroom with
any of these lesson ideas or come up with your own activity.
NY Times Article. "The Electoral College Explained."
U.S. Electoral College from The National Archives
Electoral Controversy of 1876-1877 from Harp Week
Electoral College Results 2000 - 2004
Campaign 2008 Clips
C-SPAN Politics Page
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