Lesson Plan

Polling and Public Opinion

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Most people are eager to offer their opinions about topics of interest, but what's the most effective way to collect and assess these opinions as a matter of fact? High schoolers learn about the history of polling, as well as the pitfalls of biased and illegitimate polls, with a thorough lesson plan. After watching a series of video clips about different aspects of polling, they choose a topic for their own polls and work on collecting responses from peers.

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CCSS: Designed
Instructional Ideas
  • Have class members complete the first step of the assignment as homework the day before the lesson
  • Use in a sociology class or during a focus on elections in social studies
  • Brainstorm a list of additional topics for learners to choose from when conducting their own polls
  • Connect the lesson to a math class when compiling and and analyzing poll results
Classroom Considerations
  • Based on the topics in the polls, be sure to foster an environment of maturity and cooperation to avoid unnecessary conflict based on personal opinion
  • Lesson requires four days to complete; consider condensing or extending the steps to fit with your schedule and curriculum
Pros
  • Provides polling worksheet in both PDF and Google document formats, allowing for editing and sharing
  • Covers several interesting and topical areas of focus for polls, including the use of phones and the Internet
  • Includes links to all necessary video clips
Cons
  • None