Political Parties, Voting, and Interest Groups
Session 1: Conducting a Political Campaign

Materials

• Project: Political Parties (Assignment, Attachment A; Procedures, Attachment B; Rubric, Attachment C)
• Internet access
• Textbook

Instructional Activities

1. Explain that political parties organize to get candidates elected to national, state, and local levels of government and to get their agenda passed.
   
   
2. Detail how each major political party seeks to define itself in ways that win majority support while remaining committed to core principles. Include the following information in a class discussion:
   •    The two major parties are coalitions of several factions and interest groups that recognize the importance of conducting campaigns that appeal to voters in the middle of the political spectrum, veering neither too far left nor too far right of the political center.
   •    Third parties can form to highlight single issues in a given election or provide a long-term forum for minority views.
   
   
3. Describe the role of political parties in the previous presidential campaign.
   
   
4. Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5 students. Each group will be assigned a political party such as the Republican, Democratic, or any third party. Be sure to assign a level of government to each group (national, state, or local).
   
   
5. Distribute the assignment (Attachment A) and the rubric (Attachment C). Explain project procedures (Attachment B): Students will have two days of class time (the first day and the last day before presentations), one day of library time, one day for the computer activity, and homework time for the assignment. Allow the students to be creative in their efforts as long as they include the content.
   
   
6. Explain that the project will culminate with presentations and that all students are expected to take notes on each presentation.
   
   
7. Assign a teacher-selected reading, worksheet, or other reinforcement activity, using available teacher resources.