Master the Concept of the Electoral College With the Voters Ed Interactive Map
- At October 8, 2012
- By OLE
- In Current Events
The concept of the Electoral College is difficult to understand, even for many adults. In response to feedback from teachers that the topic is challenging to instruct, Second Avenue addressed a driving need. Voters Ed visually reinforces the concept with an interactive electoral map that teachers and students can manipulate to simulate different outcomes.
Detailed data is available on every state, including campaign contribution data for each major political party. As the election approaches, daily events can have significant ramifications on a candidate or party. Voters Ed is fed live poll data (updated every Tuesday) and shows users how candidates perform in each state, flagging those states with updated information. Teachers wanting to focus on current events will find Voters Ed an indispensable tool to keep students engaged.
Access the FREE light version of the Voters Ed Interactive Map in the OLE Election Series Resources here. For the FULL premium version with full functionality, lesson plans, and historical election data, visit Second Avenue here.
Ideas for using the Electoral College interactive map in your classroom:
- Assign students specific states and have them research their state to predict the outcome of the electoral vote. Review your class map and ask students to provide evidence to support their predictions.
- Have students research swing states to determine the issues that voters care about the most and what the candidates are doing in order to get their votes.
Looking for additional ideas for using Voters Ed in your classroom?
You can find several additional features and resources in the full version of the Voters Ed app that is available for purchase. Step through the Electoral College primer that teaches students all they need to know about the origins and function of the Electoral College. Peruse FAQs to deepen student knowledge. Check out the latest poll results by state or examine state details. Click on the Word Cloud, updated weekly, to spur discussion of trending issues. Or dive into history and study any previous U.S. election: results, fun facts, and exploratory questions.
Detailed lesson plans are included in the full version of the Voters Ed app as well. There are specific lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school, mapped to curricular standards for NCSS and several states. Furthermore, there are “mini-lesson” plans that give helpful suggestions on how to integrate the use of the app in the classroom in discussions about current events, campaign financing, and battleground states.
Check out the video on the Voters Ed website to learn about the Electoral College primer, poll data, history features, and more.
The full version of the Voters Ed app is available for purchase in the following marketplaces: Edmodo, Learning.com, SMART Technologies’ SMART Exchange, the App StoreSM, or directly from Second Avenue.
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