Political Parties
Daily Lesson Plan
Teacher: Jared Kavlock
8th Grade Civics and Economics
This lesson plan is geared toward one class period of fifty minutes. Each class has between 15-26 students.
Objectives
1. Students will be able to identify the four key functions of political parties.
2. Students will be able to explain the similarities or common goals held by the two major political parties in the United States.
3. Students will be able to assess the role third parties play in the American political process.
National Council for the Social Studies Standards
Time, continuity, and change (history)
Individual development and identity (psychology)
Individuals, groups, and institutions (sociology)
Power, authority, and government (political science)
Standards of Learning
CE.5 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the political process at the local, state, and national
levels of government by
a) describing the functions of political parties;
b) comparing the similarities and differences of political parties
Teaching Strategies
Introduction Statement:
“Everyone should have picked up three handouts as they entered class today – an SOL warm-up exercise, slot notes, and Concept Diagram. Today we will begin our unit on the American political process by examining the roles of political parties. Please complete your warm-up worksheet, using the SOL Framework for SOL CE 5. Once you have completed that, we will discuss the 2008 election and tie in to the functions and roles of political parties identified in the SOL Framework. Finally, we will tie all of this information together by completing a Concept Diagram for political parties, using our knowledge to come up with our own definition of a political party.”
1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)
The warm-up consists of a brief worksheet to familiarize students with the content of SOL CE 5a + b.
“If everyone has completed their warm-up exercise, please take out the slot notes you picked up and answer the questions that we will answer in the PowerPoint lecture.”
2. PowerPoint (15 minutes)
The PowerPoint ties the Essential Knowledge found in the SOL Framework to the 2008 presidential election. The lecture begins with a brief recap of how Barack Obama and John McCain received the nominations of their respective parties for president. The methods the campaigns used to educate the electorate will be discussed, including advertising and posting and publishing their platforms. The organization of the campaigns will be discussed, with emphasis placed on the Obama campaign’s use of grassroots and internet organizing, and McCain’s decision to suspend his campaign and return to Washington to help craft the bailout will be used to highlight candidates’ attempts to influence policy. A brief Republican National Committee ad supporting McCain will be shown as an example of how the party helps the candidate. Calls for Sen. Ted Stevens’ resignation after his conviction will be used to show how the parties monitor the actions of officeholders. Finally, Obama will be shown appealing to the political center, while McCain may have lost center-support with his selection of Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, aiding Obama in his quest to win the presidency.
The final slide of the PowerPoint is a Concept Diagram, which will have the Targeted Concept and Overall Concept boxes already filled in. Through class discussion, the teacher will complete the remainder of the Diagram on the SmartBoard.
[The section in red will be used for Peer Teaching]
“Please get out the blank Concept Diagram you picked up as you entered class today, and turn in your notebooks to the SOL Framework for CE 5a. Using the information we have learned so far in this unit, and the content of today’s notes and the SOL’s Essential Knowledge column, we will complete a Concept Diagram for this topic.”
3. Concept Diagram (25 minutes)
“Let’s refresh our memories as to how we will use the Concept Diagram, as we have used this tool several times already this year. Who can explain to the class how information is organized in a Concept Diagram? (Brainstorming is done as a group to come up with key words that pertain to the concept, and these key words are then sorted into three columns – always present, sometimes present, and never present – in order to determine a definition of the concept. Possible examples and non-examples will be offered to determine if the group’s definition fits expectations.) I have provided you with the Targeted Concept (Political Parties) and the Overall Concept (Organizations – political parties are a type of organization), so now as a class we need to brainstorm key words that apply to political parties. Please use your notes and SOL 5a + b to help you. Be sure to raise your hand and wait to be called on before answering. What are some key words or phrases that relate to political parties?”
It is important that the students are familiar with the wording used in the Essential Knowledge section of the SOLs, so the students will be encouraged to refer to and even quote from this section. The students will likely need to be pushed to come up with key words that are “never present,” so the teacher will prompt them with questions like “what do political parties never do?” or “how are political parties unlike other organizations?”
“Now that we have determined some characteristics of political parties, we need to come up with some examples that fit our ‘always present’ and ‘sometimes present’ categories. We also need to think of some non-examples, which are part of the overall concept (organizations) but not the targeted concept (political parties).”
During the examples section, students should easily come up with the Democratic and Republican parties, but may need help coming up with third parties or non-example organizations. (Some suggestions include the Green Party, the AARP, unions, and lobbying firms.)
“To finish our diagrams, I would like you each to come up with a definition for political party in the box at the bottom of the page. The definition should be formed as a sentence using all key words placed in the ‘always present’ category.”
Give the students a few minutes to write their definition sentence, then ask for a volunteer to offer their definition.
“We have a few minutes left, so lets recap and discuss what we have learned today about political parties.”
4. Discussion Questions (5 minutes or until the end of class)
a) In the 2008 presidential election, how did the Democrats and Republicans exhibit the functions of political parties?
b) How did each presidential candidate organize their campaign? How did they attempt to influence public policies?
Assessment
Students will be able to answer these potential test questions:
1. Political parties win majority support by __________________?
a) abandoning their platforms
b) engaging in negative attacks
c) appealing to extremist positions
d) appealing to the political center
2. Which is NOT a role played by political parties?
a) monitoring actions of officeholders
b) helping candidates win elections
c) broadcasting different points of view
d) recruiting and nominating candidates
3. Whose actions do political parties monitor?
a) voters
b) officeholders
c) the press
d) foreign leaders
Accommodations for Special Needs
Completed slot notes and a filled-in Concept Diagram can be provided for students with disabilities.
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