Program Guide: Benefits and Drawbacks of U.S. Electoral College System

Program Provider		Vanderbilt University Virtual School
Contact Information		Jan Zanetis jan.zanetis@vanderbilt.edu 110 21st Ave., Suite 850 Nashville, TN 37203 Phone: (615) 343-8848 Fax: (615) 343-1145
Program Title		Benefits and Drawbacks of U.S. Electoral College System
Target Audience		Education: Grade(s): 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Gifted and Talented Coordinator
Primary Disciplines		Community Interests, Social Studies/History
Program Description		?What is the Electoral College? ?What are some possible benefits to an electoral college? drawbacks? ?Why does the Electoral College often fail to reflect the popular vote? ?WHY did the framers of the Constitution create the Electoral College? ?In which three instances has a presidential candidate won the Electoral College but NOT the popular vote? ?What was the final outcome of the Hamilton-Burr election? What position was each candidate awarded? ?Do you think that the fears that the Founding Fathers had regarding?direct elections? are still relevant? Why or why not? ?What happened to President Harrison in the 1892 elections? Do you think this outcome had to do with the fact that he did not win the popular vote in 1888? Why? ?Why does the United States no longer have the candidate who comes in second in the presidential race serve as vice president? ?What is the comparison between the number of popular votes versus electoral votes won by Ralph Nader? ?In what ways do you think voting using an Electoral College system affects candidates from smaller, less dominant parties?
Program Format		The videoconference will be a 20-25 minute presentation and may include visuals or audiovisuals to enhance the presentation. This will be followed by an interactive 10-15 minute question/answer session with students.
Objectives		Students will: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of important issues in the presidential election and develop poll questions to gather data in their community. 2. Examine the race for electoral college votes by reading and researching how electoral college works. 3. Summarize important issues in several states that may determine which candidate earns that state's electoral college votes. 4. Make predictions about the 2004 presidential race by distributing and analyzing a poll in own community.
Vocabulary Words & Definitions		electoral college; partisan, counterpart, margin, trend, turnout, dynamic, surge, populist, tossup, breach, factor, linger, initiative, dead heat, momentum, sway, affiliate, incumbent;
Participant Preparation		Please have students that will ask questions seated close to the front and near a microphone. Please make sure you understand how to mute and unmute your microphones. Students should have SOME familiarity with this subject. Teacher should brainstorm with students before the videoconference and ask students to prepare some sample questions to ask presenter during the interactive question/answer session.
Suggestions for Pre Program Activities		Students will brainstorm and discuss: "What issues do you feel are the most important in the 2004 presidential election? What issues do you think are important in your community, and why? Why might different issues matter in different states, and how do these differences impact electoral votes?" Students will share their answers. Then, brainstorm on the board a short list of three to five questions that may be used in a poll of voters in own community with regards to issues that are important to that community in the 2004 presidential elections.
Suggestions for Post Program Activities		Divide students into five small groups, and assign each group one of the following swing states: Washington, Colorado, New Mexico, Georgia, Missouri, and New Hampshire. Students will write down defining issues in their assigned state for the 2004 presidential election. Students share their results with the class. What defining issues seem to exist in different areas of the United States (such as the Northwest, Northeast, Midwest, Southwest and Southeast) based on this information? Where does your state fit in, and do you feel that these are the main issues in your state? Why or why not? Using the poll questions developed in the beginning of class, each student will poll a minimum of five adults and compare the results to those explored in class for another state in your region of the United States. Students should classify the information of respondents by gender, ethnicity, age, and response. After comparing their results to statewide results, students will determine reasons for the similarities and differences. Based on this information, students will speculate how THEIR state's electoral college will vote, and why?
Supplemental Resources		EC: Electoral College WebZine (http://www.avagara.com/e_c/) provides commentary on the U.S. electoral college system. Project Vote Smart (http://www.vote-smart.org) provides a wealth of facts on candidates and elected officials, including biographies, addresses, issue positions, voting records, campaign finances, and evaluations by special interests. Democracy Network: Presidential 2004 (http://www.democracynet.org/pres2004/) includes an index of election and voter resources, candidate Web sites, and significant news stories.
National Standards to which this program aligns		Grades 6-8 Civics Standard 9- Understands the importance of Americans sharing and supporting certain values, beliefs, and principles of American constitutional democracy. Benchmarks: Understands how certain values are fundamental to American public life; Knows that constitutional government is a fundamental principle of American democracy Civics Standard 20- Understands the roles of political parties, campaigns, elections, and associations and groups in American politics. Benchmarks: Understands the role of political parties; Knows the various kinds of elections; Understands the ways in which individuals can participate in political parties, campaigns, and elections Civics Standard 27- Understands how certain character traits enhance citizens' ability to fulfill personal and civic responsibilities. Benchmarks: Understands the importance for individuals and society of commonly held civic responsibilities such as paying taxes, being informed and attentive to public issues, monitoring political leaders and governmental agencies and taking appropriate action if their adherence to constitutional principles is lacking, deciding whether and how to vote, participating in civic groups, performing public service, serving as a juror, and serving in the armed forces; Understands the meaning of civic responsibilities as distinguished from personal responsibilities, and understands contemporary issues that involve civic responsibilities Civics Standard 28- Understands how participation in civic and political life can help citizens attain individual and public goals. Benchmarks: Understands how participation in civic and political life can help bring about the attainment of individual and public goals; Understands the importance of both political and social participation and what distinguishes one from the other and knows opportunities for both political and social participation in the local community; Understands how Americans can use the following means to monitor and influence politics and government at local, state, and national levels: joining political parties, interest groups, and other organizations that attempt to influence public policy and elections, voting, taking part in peaceful demonstrations, circulating and signing petitions; Understands why becoming knowledgeable about public affairs and the values and principles of American constitutional democracy and communicating that knowledge to others is a form a political participation Civics Standard 29- Understands the importance of political leadership, public service, and a knowledgeable citizenry in American constitutional democracy. Benchmarks: Understands the functions of political leadership and why leadership is a vital necessity in a constitutional democracy; Knows personal qualities necessary for political leadership, and understands ethical dilemmas that might confront political leaders; Knows opportunities for political leadership in the student's own school, community, state, and the nation; and understands the importance of individuals working cooperatively with their elected leaders; Understands why becoming knowledgeable about public affairs and the values and principles of American constitutional democracy and communicating that knowledge to others is an important form of participation, and understands the argument that constitutional democracy requires the participation of an attentive, knowledgeable, and competent citizenry Grades 9-12 Civics Standard 9- Understands the importance of Americans sharing and supporting certain values, beliefs, and principles of American constitutional democracy. Benchmarks: Understands how the institutions of government reflect fundamental values and principles; Understands the signficance of fundamental values and principles for the individual and society Civics Standard 20- Understands the roles of political parties, campaigns, elections, and associations and groups in American politics. Benchmarks: Knows the origins and development of the two party system in the United States, and understands the role of third parties; Understands how and why American political parties differ from ideological parties in other countries; Understands how political parties are involved in channeling public opinion, allowing people to act jointly, nominating candidates, conducting campaigns, and training future leaders, and understands why political parties in the United States are weaker today than they have been at times in the past; Understands the significance of campaigns and elections in the American political system, and knows current criticisms of campaigns and proposals for their reform Civics Standard 27- Understands how certain character traits enhance citizens' ability to fulfill personal and civic responsibilities. Benchmarks: Understands the importance for individuals and society of fulfilling civic responsibilities such as assuming leadership when appropriate, registering to vote, and voting knowledgeably on candidates and issues; Understands whether and when moral obligations or constitutional principles require one to refuse to assume certain civic responsibilities Civics Standard 28- Understands how participation in civic and political life can help citizens attain individual and public goals. Benchmarks: Understands how individual participation in the political process relates to the realization of the fundamental values of American constitutional democracy; Knows the many ways citizens can participate in the political process at local, state, and national levels, and understands the usefulness of other forms of political participation in influencing public policy; Understands the importance of voting as a form of political participation Civics Standard 29- Understands the importance of political leadership, public service, and a knowledgeable citizenry in American constitutional democracy. Benchmark: Understands why becoming knowledgeable about public affairs and the values and principles of American constitutional democracy, and communicating that knowledge to others are important forms of participation, and understands the argument that constitutional democracy requires the participation of an attentive, knowledgeable, and competent citizenry
Cancellation Policy		The full fee will be charged to sites which cancel with less than 48 hours notice unless there is a school closing due to snow or weather emergencies.
Is video taping allowed?		No
Video Taping Notes		Videotaping is NOT allowed. Streaming Video is available for all Vanderbilt Virtual School Videoconferences.

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