How to Teach the Election Process to Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers

Teaching about presidential elections can definitely feel overwhelming. With so many components and steps, it's easy for students to feel lost or uninterested. I totally get it because I know sometimes the topic can seem pretty dry. Since the election process is crucial to our rights as citizens, I work to make learning about the process as engaging and approachable as possible. Today, I'm sharing some of the resources I use with my students to bring the election process to life!

Teaching the Election Process Benefits Our Students

Understanding the election process is super important for our students because it empowers them as future citizens. When they grasp how elections work, they're more likely to participate actively in their communities and make informed decisions. They'll have confidence when they become voters because they'll know how their vote contributes to the final outcome. 

In our students' minds, learning about elections is all about memorizing dates and facts. From our end, we are helping them understand their role in our democracy. By being aware of the election process, we are helping them appreciate the value of their vote and the impact it can have on their lives and society. 

Teaching our students about the election process also strengthens their critical thinking skills and encourages them to explore different perspectives. They will learn about the importance of looking at everything all the candidates stand for and could do. Then, they think about what matters most to them. Based on all that information, make informed choices. 

While it might seem like a complex and dry topic at first, teaching the election process is really about equipping our students. When we take time to explain the process, we are helping them grow the skills they need to be empowered, engaged, and informed citizens. Who knows? Maybe we're even inspiring some future leaders along the way!

Resources to Teach the Election Process

Let's look at the resources I use to make learning the election process engaging and accessible for my students. With the right tools, even the most complex aspects of elections can become interactive and enjoyable learning experiences. 

Will You Be Elected President: An Election Simulation Game

One of my go-to resources is my Will You Be Elected President simulation game which takes my students through the election process with them in the role of a candidate to become president! This is a digital game that I have my students work through individually so that they are the ones making the choices and they see how those choices play out. It's very interactive and brings excitement to my students' learning!

I assign the game digitally so that each of my students receives their own copy. Once they have it open on their devices, they click on Slideshow, and the fun begins! Your students follow the on-screen directions and choose their path. Their decisions will take them on different journeys, so they can play this game several times to see different outcomes. 

While journeying through the game, your students encounter scenarios where they must choose a response. Some choices result in "Good News," while others lead to "Bad News." The answers are not obviously right or wrong, so this helps to keep them thinking critically and not randomly clicking. If they get a "Bad News," they can recover by answering another question. The game does a great job of helping them learn more bout the election process and the Executive Branch while reinforcing prior knowledge and introducing new content. 

After the game, I have a class discussion about what they learned. We chat about what surprised them and review any questions they may have. Then, I pass out the exit tickets for them to complete. This is a great way to reinforce the material and hear more individually how students feel and understand. 

Propaganda and the Election Process

Teaching our students to analyze propaganda during election years is important for developing their critical thinking skills. One resource I use is my Propaganda in Politics resource. It breaks down the different types of propaganda that are used during campaigns and election seasons. 

I start by passing out the handout explaining the different types of propaganda to introduce the overall topic. It provides clear definitions and examples to set a solid foundation for my students. I usually begin by discussing these with my class to ensure that they all have a basic understanding. 

Then, we start applying the definitions and examples by analyzing regular commercials. Analyzing everyday commercials is a fantastic way to ease our students into the concept of propaganda because they can relate it to something familiar. Once we are comfortable with that format, we move on to political ads. They look for the intended audience of the ad, where the political ad was located, and the different types of propaganda it used. 

The next activity we do focuses on political speeches. During the election process, speeches are frequently given by candidates. This activity has students listen to a political speech and answer questions about who gave it, the location, the purpose of the speech, and the types of propaganda that were used. A similar activity focuses on the debates between candidates, where they keep track of the different types of propaganda that both candidates used during the debate. 

Once we work through these activities, I like to wrap up with a class discussion to share and reflect on their experiences. Many are surprised by what they learned and how passionate speeches and debates can become. I love the moments when classmates point out something that others missed, and then they discuss it!

Political System and Election Process PowerPoint and Guided Notes

To understand the different parts of the election process, we go through a Political System and Election Process slideshow and guided notes that start with the basics and go until the end of the process. We begin with the political parties and chat about how they started, compare Republicans and Democrats, and examine third parties. 

When it comes to voting, the notes guide us through the expansion of suffrage, how to register to vote, and the differences between primary and general elections. We also talk about how the voting landscape is changing and will continue to change. The Electoral College, which is tricky, is explained in a way that's super easy to grasp. 

We also explore what shapes public opinion and dive into the world of propaganda, which is a good way to introduce the topic. The notes also cover interest groups and their influence on government and public opinion. I did this to make it clear how these groups operate and impact policymaking. 

I also included a section encouraging our students to take an active role in the government. We look at practice steps for getting involved in political campaigns, contacting public officials, and participating in community activities. We can empower them to see themselves as active participants in and out of the classroom for change. 

Doodle Notes for the Election Process

Growing up, note-taking wasn't my favorite thing. As a teacher, I know it's not a favorite of many of our students. Doodle pages are a fun take on traditional note-taking. Our students write down the key points while adding doodles and colors to help them retain the information!

Electoral College

To teach the Electoral College, I use my Electoral College doodle notes. These notes make learning interactive and fun while helping my students easily understand an intricate concept. 

I make sure each of my students receives a copy, whether it be fill-in-the-blank or completely blank. As we go through the materials, we fill out our notes. We talk about how the Founding Fathers created the Electoral College as a safeguard. We also discuss how electors are chosen to formally elect the President and Vice President. 

Once we finish our notes, I give them time to color and doodle on their notes. This helps to reinforce the material in a memorable way.  By doing this, we can go back through and review key points like how states allocate their electors and the importance of the popular vote versus the electoral votes. 

How to Become a President 

Over the years, quite a few students have always been surprised by how much goes into the road a presidential candidate has to go through to hopefully become president. I use my How to Become President doodle notes to clearly map out this road and explain each mile marker. 

I pass out the notes to my students, making sure to differentiate between blank and fill-in-the-blank versions. As we go through the interactive slideshow, we fill out our notes along the way! We cover how candidates announce their intention to run for President and the symbols of the two parties. I explain how candidates are narrowed down in primary elections. The notes go into how National Conventions are where delegates from each state vote based on the primary election results and the formal nomination of Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates. 

As we move towards the general election, the doodle notes and slideshow help illustrate how candidates campaign across the country, engage in debates, and use various media to reach voters. The notes also guide a discussion on the importance of voting by secret ballot and how the Electoral College ultimately decides the winner. I included videos in the slideshow to help communicate and showcase information in a different format as well. 

Political Parties

The next set of doodle notes I use in my classroom covers all my students need to know about Political Parties. Once my students are situated with their copy of the doodle notes, we dive into learning the basics of political parties. 

We look at what influences someone to join a particular party, the structure and organization of the parties, and the difference between Republicans, Democrats, and third parties. The notes do a great job helping to develop their understanding of how political parties function and their role in the election process. 

From there, we explore how the parties are organized into committees, the role of the National Committee, and how the parties get their funding. The notes introduce students to the Political Action Committees and Super PACS and explain their importance to political financing. I build on these notes with the videos in the slideshow that provide real-world examples and additional explanations! 

Electoral College Map Activities

Next on my list of resources for the election process is the Electoral College Map Activities. We first look at the map of the 2012 presidential election. I have my students complete a map illustrating the Electoral College breakdown between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. This visual activity helps them understand how the electoral votes are distributed. We then discuss the trends we see on the map. 

Then we move to the 2016 election, where students will complete the same activity, but this time, it will be between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. This time, we might talk about how the New England states did not vote as a solid block for Clinton and how the South was solidly Trump. We also talk about split electoral votes in states like Maine and Nebraska and the role of faithless electors in the election. 

For a more recent perspective, we examine the 2020 election. We complete another Electoral College map to show the breakdown between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. We look at interesting trends, such as Binden winning Georgia and Virginia while Trump once again secured the majority of southern states. 

During an election year, we take this learning a step further. We would use what we learned about the trends of previous elections to make a prediction about a future election. I like to encourage my students to predict the Electoral College outcome based on the previous elections. They answer questions and create their own scenarios for the election. This helps them to see the complexities and possibilities within the electoral process. 

I also love to use this map on election day.  Students go home with the map and mark the states based on the election results.  Then in class, we predict the winner based on the electoral votes.

The Political System and Elections Review Game

When learning about political systems and the election process, there is a lot of information to cover. So I liked to find fun ways to review it all. The Political System and Elections review game is perfect before a big test! Throughout the game, students review important information about the election process. The competitive element keeps them engaged and motivated to participate! 

To start, I divide my students into groups. Depending on the setup, I either give each group a computer to play the game or project the game onto a screen. If I do it the second way, I divide the class into four teams. 

When we play the game, teams take turns choosing a question by clicking on a number on the board. As the teacher, I act as the judge to determine if their answers are correct. If a team answers correctly, they get to roll the dice by tapping on it to start and stop the roll. Then, they move their game piece to the appropriate number of spaces by tapping on it. 

Some numbers on the board might not reveal questions but instead, offer free rolls or cause the team to lose a turn, adding an element of surprise and strategy to the game. We continue playing until all questions are answered or someone reaches the finish square. If all questions are answered before reaching the finish, the time furthest along wins!

Becoming President and Electoral College Review Game

My students love this Becoming President and Electoral College review game! It's another great review game for the election process. Students are engaged, working as a team, and enjoying their learning! 

I divide the students into groups but different groupings than the previous game. When we begin to play, I have teams take turns choosing a question from the tumbling tower in the slideshow by clicking on a numbered block. I act as the judge to determine if their answers deserve full, partial, or no credit. Incorrect answers receive no points unless I decide partial credit is due, while correct answers earn full points. 

To keep track of the scores, we simply tap the numbers under the team names. If we accidentally tap too many times, we just keep tapping until the correct number comes back around. There's an exciting twist with a mystery block that can cause the tower to tumble, which makes the team lose all their points. Their reactions are pretty entertaining. We continue playing until all questions are answered. The team with the highest score at the end of the game wins!

Make Teaching the Election Process Easy and Fun

Teaching the election process doesn't have to be daunting or boring. With the right resources, you can make learning about elections engaging, interactive, and fun for our students and ourselves! From simulation and doodle notes to review games and map activities, there are plenty of ways to bring this important topic to life. By doing so, we're helping our students understand the mechanics of elections and empowering them to be informed and active participants in our democracy. I hope these resources inspire you as much as they have inspired me and that they bring a new level of excitement to your classroom. Here's to shaping the informed voters and leaders of tomorrow!

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