Lesson Planet
Search educational resources
  • Sign In Try It Free
  • AI Teacher Tools
    • Discover Resources Search reviewed educational resources by keyword, subject, grade, type, and more
    • Curriculum Manager (My Content) Manage saved and uploaded resources and folders To Access the Curriculum Manager Sign In or Join Now
    • Browse Resource Directory Browse educational resources by subject and topic
    • Curriculum Calendar Explore curriculum resources by date
    • Lesson Planning Articles Timely and inspiring teaching ideas that you can apply in your classroom
    • Our Story
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
  • Pricing
  • School Access
    • Your school or district can sign up for Lesson Planet — with no cost to teachers
      Learn More
  • Sign In
  • Try It Free

Hi, what do you want to do?

Create a lesson plan
Create a lesson plan
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Find a teaching resource
Find a teaching resource
270 Votes to Win: The Electoral College in the United States Lesson Plan270 Votes to Win: The Electoral College in the United States Lesson Plan
Publisher
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
9th - 12th
Subjects
Social Studies & History
2 more...
Resource Type
Lesson Plans
Audience
For Teacher Use
Duration
1 hr
Instructional Strategies
Differentiated Instruction
4 more...
Usage Permissions
Fine Print
Lesson Plan

270 Votes to Win: The Electoral College in the United States

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This 270 Votes to Win: The Electoral College in the United States lesson plan also includes:
  • Electoral College Lessons Packet
  • Activity
  • Informational Text
  • Worksheet
  • Join to access all included materials

What exactly is the Electoral College and how does it work? The lesson is part of a larger series on government that explains what the Electoral College is and how it helps determine an election winner. Academics participate in discussion, role-play, writing activities, and read handouts to understand the historical background and how the Electoral College works today. 

39 Views 30 Downloads
CCSS: Designed

Concepts

american history, government systems, governments, american democracy, democracy, democratic values, representative democracy, voting, the electoral college, the electoral process, the electoral vote, constitutional law, the constitution, the united states constitution, elections, presidential elections

Additional Tags

social studies

Instructional Ideas

  • Create a mock class election with an Electoral College 
  • Arrange for a local representative to speak to the class regarding voting 

Classroom Considerations

  • Lesson is part one of a two part series

Pros

  • Includes extension activities to enhance learning 
  • Clearly explains a complex component of presidential elections 

Cons

  • None

Common Core

SL.11-12.4 RH.11-12.1 RH.11-12.3

See similar resources:

Lesson Plan

Exploring the Electoral College

Carolina K-12
Does your vote really count? This activity helps young voters learn about the electoral college through a TED talk, a helpful handout, discussion prompts, and then a role-playing activity that has participants simulating...
8th - 12th Social Studies & History
Handout

2016 Electoral College Map

C-SPAN
The electoral college can be confusing for citizens of any age. Clear up misconceptions with a handy printable map that details how many electoral votes are allotted to each state, as well as a history of modern elections, complete with...
7th - 12th Social Studies & History
CCSS: Adaptable
Writing

The Electoral College

Carolina K-12
Is the Electoral College the best method of electing the president of the United States? Your young historians will write a persuasive essay discussing the historical perspective of the college, pros and cons, and a final argument...
9th - 12th English Language Arts
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

What does the Constitution say about voting? Constitutional Amendments and the Electoral College

Classroom Law Project
As part of a study of voting rights in the US, class members examine Constitutional amendments connected with voting and the role of the Electoral College in the election process.
7th - 12th Social Studies & History
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Electoral College: Does My Vote Count?

K20 LEARN
How can a candidate get the most votes, yet still lose the race for the presidency? This is has happened more than once in American history, including in the elections of 2000 and 2016. Using an activity for creating group notes, young...
9th - 12th Social Studies & History
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Video

Does Your Vote Count? The Electoral College Explained

TED-Ed
What exactly is the electoral college and how does it operate in a presidential election? While this can seem confusing to young citizens, help demystify this body of individuals who are designated to formally elect the president...
5 mins 8th - 12th Social Studies & History
CCSS: Adaptable
Activity

A Defense of the Electoral College

National Endowment for the Humanities
Each presidential election year, the debate about the electoral college rages. Michael C. Maibach's "A Defense of the Electoral College" offers young political scientists an opportunity to examine a reasoned argument for why the...
9th - 12th Social Studies & History
Interactive

PBS Electoral Decoder

PBS
Imagine being able to explore all the presidential elections from 1789-2016! Being able to examine the key events, how the states voted, and the importance of the Electoral College in each of the elections! A PBS cartogram makes all this...
6th - 12th Social Studies & History
CCSS: Adaptable
Handout

Electoral College

ProCon
The Electoral College's role in elections is sometimes confusing and controversial. Pupils use a debate topics website to research the pros and cons of the practice to debate whether the United States should still use the Electoral...
9th - 12th English Language Arts
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

The Electoral College and the Constitution

C-SPAN
What is the purpose of the Electoral College? Is it antiquated, or does it have a place in today's political climate? High schoolers view a series of video clips as they analyze the parts of the United States Constitution that address...
7th - 12th Social Studies & History
CCSS: Adaptable
Try It Free
© 1999-2026 Learning Explorer, Inc.
Teacher Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Resources

Sign up for the Lesson Planet Monthly Newsletter

Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • Health
  • Language Arts
  • Languages
  • Math
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education
  • Visual and Performing Arts
View All Lesson Plans

Discover Resources

  • Our Review Process
  • How it Works
  • How to Search
  • Create a Collection

Manage Curriculum

  • Edit a Collection
  • Assign to Students
  • Manage My Content
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Use