Active learning, including in-class debates, is used in social science classrooms as a means of improving meaning and increasing understanding of complex materials. However, in-class debates do not fully satisfy all aspects of experiential learning because students do not get to experience the results of multifaceted concepts, such as strategic…

Scholars have researched how voters make decisions for well over a half a century, but these studies are limited in what they are able to say about how voters make decisions because they have focused on the choice rather than the process. Most of these studies have focused on the choice that voters reach or the way their memories are structured,…

It is often a difficult proposition for introductory American government students to comprehend different electoral systems and how the rules of the game affect the representation that results. I have developed a simulation in which different proportional-based electoral systems are compared with a single-member plurality electoral system. In…

Given the low turnout among younger voters, it is important to seek innovative ways of engaging students in the electoral process, and a presidential year like this one offers exciting opportunities for doing so. In this article, the author describes her experiences with a schoolwide project designed by herself and colleagues that simulates the…

Teachers live for the "teachable moments"--those opportunities to connect their subject content to events taking place beyond the classroom. They can occur spontaneously, lucky occasions to bring the curriculum to life grabbed on the fly. In other instances, a teachable moment looms large. In hundreds of thousands of classrooms nationwide,…

This material is produced to provide a program to instruct secondary level students in the political, governmental, and legal processes and to encourage active student participation in these processes. The materials draw heavily upon community cooperation as a base for practical learning. Part of a year-long curriculum, this unit focusing on voter…

How can teachers get today's students--and tomorrow's voters--really interested in the presidential election? At Moorestown Friends School, a coed Quaker preK-12 day school in Moorestown, New Jersey, the students participate in a simulated presidential selection process that leaves them energized and informed about the candidates and the issues.…

The use of an electoral college simulation model by college students is described. At least 16 students should participate to represent four geographical regions: the Northeast, the South, the Midwest, and the West. The electoral college simulation is most relevant in courses on American politics, the United States presidency, and elections.…

All evening on election night 2000, candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore were deadlocked in the tightest-ever race for the office of President of the United States. As the numbers were reported from each state, the battle for votes in the electoral college swung back and forth from Republicans to Democrats. The next morning, the issue was still…

The Woodbury materials center around a mock election in a hypothetical community. Students are given background data of the sort astute and active political campaign personnel would ferret out. A statistical outcome rpovides the students a means of evaluating the effectiveness of their strategy as the game progresses. (JB)

A simulation for the classroom consisting of three elections. This article presents its objectives, participants, duties of participants, how to prepare voter profile cards, sample subjects for voter profiles, how to play the game, and follow-up activities. See SO 504 023 for address of journal. (ND)

Electing the U.S. President and Vice President is a basic right and responsibility of every citizen of voting age. Even though it occurs every 4 years, the complexities of electing the president is not a concept that every person understands. This resource book aims to fill the gap in understanding by providing students with a learning-by-doing…

Guidelines for a school-wide simulated election on the state, county, or local level to be conducted by high school social studies or political science classes are provided. The objective is to prepare students for observation of and participation in a real political campaign in the community. Details for the election, establishing political…

A game designed to introduce elementary and middle school students to the primary election process and its operational elements through simulation and role playing activities is presented in this document. A hypothetical town of Notae which has been controlled by one political party for years without resulting change is described. Issues in the…

One of a series of teacher-developed curriculum guides intended to encourage active student participation and involvement in important social issues, this elementary level guide provides children with an age-appropriate understanding of the process of political elections. Students are encouraged to become aware of what is happening around them…