Students examine the elephant and donkey political symbols and make a prediction what they represent. Then they compare and contrast the two major political parties. Next they identify leadership qualities. Finally, they research a contemporary political leader and analyze the person’s role and leadership qualities.
Students read an introduction to political parties in the United States, focusing on the contemporary Democratic and Republican Parties and the lesson objectives. They examine an image of an elephant and a donkey, describe how the animals are decorated, and post a prediction about what the symbols represent.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the overall flow and goals of the lesson, highlighting key vocabulary such as partisan and bipartisan. Use student predictions about the elephant and donkey as a springboard for discussion, inviting any students who recognize the symbols of the Republican and Democratic Parties to explain their thinking. Optionally direct interested students to read The Donkey and the Elephant from the Student Pack for background on the history of these political symbols.
Students read background text explaining the Democratic and Republican Parties, including their symbols, colors, recent presidents, and general positions on government programs and taxes. They then complete a Venn diagram graphic organizer comparing and contrasting the two parties. Afterward, they read about partisan and bipartisan politics through a simple example and are prompted to recall historical examples of compromise in U.S. history.
Teacher MovesClarify the information about each party and, if needed, model how to use a Venn diagram by placing “donkey” and “elephant” in the appropriate sections. Support students as they identify similarities and differences between the parties. Explain the terms partisan and bipartisan, and prompt students to connect the idea of compromise to prior learning, such as the Bill of Rights and other major historical compromises related to representation and slavery.
Students view an image and caption about President Abraham Lincoln’s nickname “Honest Abe,” then read about how citizens vote for leaders who represent their beliefs and whom they think will do the best job. They contribute to a word cloud by listing qualities they believe make a good leader, and then select one quality to explain in more detail in a written post, including an example of a leader who demonstrates that quality if they can. Finally, they review classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with a question or positive comment.
Teacher MovesUse the example of Lincoln to connect leadership qualities to real historical figures. Monitor the word cloud, define unfamiliar terms students submit, and highlight key leadership traits such as honesty, dedication, capability, bravery, decision-making, and creative problem-solving. Encourage thoughtful explanations in student posts and guide respectful peer interaction by prompting students to ask clarifying questions and offer constructive, positive feedback.
Students use the internet to research one contemporary political leader—Vice President Kamala Harris, Senator Mitch McConnell, Senator Chuck Schumer, or Minority House Leader Hakeem Jeffries. They write a paragraph identifying the leader’s political party, describing the person’s role or function in government, and explaining at least one leadership quality the person demonstrates, including a specific example to illustrate that quality. They then post their paragraph to a shared class wall.
Teacher MovesGuide students in locating and using appropriate online sources to gather accurate information about their chosen leader’s party affiliation and governmental role. Remind them to connect their findings to the leadership qualities discussed earlier. Review student posts, selecting interesting or exemplary examples for whole-class discussion, and provide feedback on the accuracy of party identification, description of function, and the reasoning used to link evidence to leadership qualities.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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