1. Representational Democracy
1.1. Electoral College
1.1.1. Objective: Students will evaluate the structure and function of the Electoral College.
1.1.1.1. Activity: Students will be gathered into small groups and given handouts of the various reform proposals to amend the certain discrepancies in the current Electoral College.
1.1.1.1.1. Assessment: In their groups, students will discuss the proposals and fulfill an organizer worksheet to rate, explain, and rationalize each proposal.
1.2. Gerrymandering
1.2.1. Objective: Students will craft Congressional District lines to manipulate the outcome of elections.
1.2.1.1. Activities: Students will play the Redistricting Game, were they will be in control of setting Congressional Districts for the purpose of fixing the outcomes of elections.
1.2.1.1.1. Assessment: Students will complete a worksheet on the Redistricting Game, with checklist and summary questions for each level of the game.
2. Political Parties
2.1. Two Party System
2.1.1. Objective: Students will explore the causes and development of America's political system being dominated by two parties.
2.1.1.1. Activities: I will deliver to the class an interactive lecture that briefly overviews the history of political parties and key elections in America.
2.1.1.1.1. Assessment: Students will print out guided notes on the lecture so they may fill-in the important information, draw illustrations, and write auxiliary commentary around the slide notes.
2.2. Spoiler Effect
2.2.1. Objective: Students will analyze the how Third Party Candidates affect an election in a Two Party System.
2.2.1.1. Activities: Students will collect into small groups and analyze various political cartoons printed on handouts. I will demonstrate how to break down the first political cartoon on the projector, then enrich their discussions with question prompts.
2.2.1.1.1. Assessment: Students will breakdown various political cartoons, then record their analysis and discussion on their worksheet.
2.3. Party Hierarchy
2.3.1. Objective: Students will breakdown the structure and hierarchy of an American Political Party.
2.3.1.1. Activity: Students will be given a worksheet to guide them through a chapter reading in their text books.
2.3.1.1.1. Assessment: Students will fill-out a graphic organizer that follows the layout and structure of a political party.