For a Google doc version of this lesson, click here.

OVERVIEW

Presidential elections have become one of the most challenging topics to teach over the past few election cycles. The 2024 presidential election has been unique due to one candidate withdrawing prior to a party convention and another candidate having previously served as President of the United States.

Another concerning trend about the 2024 election is the large number of Americans that question whether the election will be free and fair and the concern about the legitimacy of the eventual winner.

This lesson seeks to explain the voting process, address concerns about voting machines, provide a timeline of important dates, and to address the process of potential challenges to the election results.

Subjects

Government/civics, AP U.S. government & politics, social studies

Estimated time

1-2 class periods

Grade level

9-12

Compelling question

Why are so many Americans skeptical of election results and how can public trust in American elections be regained?

Objectives

1. Students will be able to explain the importance of voting in elections and describe reasons why voters are skeptical of election results.
2. Students will be able to evaluate the technology used by states in conducting elections and recognize how states ensure the security of the 2024 election.
3. Students will be able to analyze reports demonstrating the concerns that Americans have about the fairness of the 2024 election and reports that demonstrate how the 2024 election will be conducted so that voter skepticism will be lessened.
4. Students will identify two things like give them confidence that the 2024 election will be open and honest and two things that shake their confidence that the 2024 election will be open and honest and then compose reasons for their answers.

Materials

Student activity handout

PBS News Hour clip — How Wisconsin Tests its Voting Machines to Ensure Election Accuracy

PBS News Hour clip — Inside Georgia’s Effort to Secure Voting Machines as Experts Raise Concerns

Brennan Center for Justice — Roadmap to the Official Count in the 2024 Election

Public Affairs Council — Few Americans Believe 2024 Election Will Be ‘Honest and Open’

Pew Research Center — Most Voters Say Harris Will Concede — Trump Won’t If Defeated in the Election

WARM-UP ACTIVITY

1. Provide students with the Student Activity Handout. Have students (individually or in small groups) complete the Brainstorm activity on the following prompt: What are some reasons why people should vote in elections?

MAIN ACTIVITY

1. Small group discussion — Place or Form students into small group (2-5 per group) and have students discuss the prompts: A. Why do you think so many Americans are concerned about the fairness of elections? B. Once votes are counted and elections are certified, why are so many Americans skeptical about the election results?
2. Watch — Have students watch (one or both, depending on time or video preference) the PBS News Hour Clip How Wisconsin Tests its Voting Machines to Ensure Election Accuracy and/or the PBS News Hour Clip Inside Georgia’s Effort to Secure Voting Machines as Experts Raise Concerns answer the focus questions on the Student Activity Handout. At the conclusion of the video presentation, lead the students in a large group discussion about the video. (Note: Another option is to have half of the class watch one clip and the other half of the class watch the other clip. Students can then summarize the video and share with their classmates.)
3. Research — The student activity handout provides three different sources for research about the 2024 election. Students can do all three research sets on their own or the class could be divided into three groups with each group using one of the research sets. Students should answer the focus questions for the research set and be prepared to discuss in class.
4. Summative performance task — The student activity handout has a grid where students can utilize all of the information from this activity to identify and explain two things that give them confidence that the 2024 election will be open and honest and identify and explain two things that shake their confidence that the 2024 election will be open and honest.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

1. Students can watch segments from Judy Woodruff’s special reports America at a Crossroads that have aired on PBS News Hour. Students can watch one of the segments on the 2024 election and write a brief response to the report.
   1. Nevada voters who switched parties in 2020 election share thoughts on this year’s race
   2. Social media’s role in fueling extremism and misinformation in a divided political climate
   3. Exploring the links between political polarization and declining trust in news media
   4. Historian explores how polarization and division leads to political violence
2. AP U.S. government and politics — Quantitative analysis free response question with scoring rubric

STANDARDS

Common Core

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1 — Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1.a — Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1.d — Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.2 — Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.5 — Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

C3 Framework

D2.Civ.5.9-12. — Evaluate citizens’ and institutions’ effectiveness in addressing social and political problems at the local, state, tribal, national, and/or international level.

D2.Civ.7.9-12. — Apply civic virtues and democratic principles when working with others.

D2. Civ. 8.9-12. — Evaluate social and political systems in different contexts, times, and places, that promote civic virtues and enact democratic principles.

About the author

Ryan Werenka has taught social studies at Troy High School in Troy, Michigan, for more than 20 years. Ryan teaches AP U.S. Government and Politics and AP Comparative Government and Politics. Ryan has a bachelor’s degree in history and social sciences from Western Michigan University, a master’s degree in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in American History from Gettysburg College.