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The Electoral College

Essential Question 

What is the electoral college and what role does it play in electing the president? 

Materials 

Opening 

Tell students “Today, we will be doing a classroom activity to learn more about elections and how the United States chooses its president.” 

Tell students: “The U.S. Constitution is the law of the United States that tells how our government functions. It outlines how the president is chosen through a system called the electoral college. It says: ’Each State shall appoint… a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress.’” 

Post the Constitution quote on the board or a piece of chart paper. Then, assign partners for a Think-Pair-Share. 

To use the Think-Pair-Share strategy, have each pair stand back-to-back. Ask a question and give students 15-30 seconds of thinking time. Then, cue the students to turn and talk about the question. Give them 1-2 minutes to discuss, then ask 3-5 volunteer students to share a summary of their discussion with the group, correcting misunderstandings as needed. 

Discussion Questions and Teacher Talking Points: 

  • Based on the Constitution quote, how many people are appointed electors?  
    • “A number of electors equal to the whole number of senators and representatives the state may be entitled in the Congress”. So the number is not fixed, it depends on how many representatives each state has. 
  • You have probably heard adults discuss voting for president. What do you think the difference might be between a voter and an elector? 
    • While every eligible citizen votes, electors are individuals who ultimately select the president. This was decided when the Founders were making the Constitution. Our electors are appointed to vote based on rules in each state. Most commonly, it is the candidate who receives the most votes in each state. 
  • What do we know about how the number of senators and representatives is determined? 
    • Your students may not know. If so, share that each state has two senators. Representatives are based on population.  
  • Describe how the president is chosen in your own words.  
    • Answers will vary but should mention the electoral college or electors based on the population of the state. 

Teacher note: If time allows, conduct a quick search with students to find out how many electors your state has in the electoral college. 

Teacher note: If students ask why the popular vote doesn’t directly choose the president, explain that the Constitution, as the foundational law of the country, mandates the electoral college system. If you need a refresher, BRI’s Electoral College Homework Help video explains more starting at 2:37. 

Activity 

Distribute Handout A: Electoral College Maps to students in groups of 2-3. Handout A includes electoral maps from four elections 1796, 1860, 1960, and 2012. Each map is accompanied by 4 fill-in-the-blank questions and a word bank. Students can complete the questions for all four maps, or a selection of your choosing based on time and state standard emphasis.    

Allow students to investigate the electoral maps in their groups for 10-15 minutes.  

Closing 

To close this lesson, students create a postcard to showcase their learning. Ask students to design their postcard from the electoral college as if it were a vacation destination. Their postcard will also answer the essential question.  

Students can create their postcard using a large index card (4×6 inch or larger.) Instruct students to design art for the electoral college on the blank side. Then, split the lined side into two with a vertical mark. On the left side, students will answer the essential question “What is the electoral college and what role does it play in electing the president?” On the right side they will create an imagined address or write their own address to mail their postcard home and draw or attach a stamp.  

To extend this activity, students may choose to do more research to answer any questions they still have about the Electoral College.