Modern U.S. Political Parties


Social Studies American History Contemporary United States Modern U.S. Political Parties
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.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

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Teacher Pack

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Here are the teacher pack items for Modern U.S. Political Parties:

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Overview

In this experience, 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.

Estimated duration: 35-45 minutes

Vocabulary words:

  • partisan, bi-partisan

Objectives

  • Describe the two-party system.
  • Research major politicians.


Engage


A political party is a group of people who share political beliefs. They organize together to elect their candidates to promote their programs and goals. There have been many political parties in the United States since the founding of the nation. Some of them had funny names like the Know-Nothing Party or the Free-Soil Party. In this lesson, you will learn about the two major political parties in contemporary U.S. government: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.

Objectives
  • Describe the two-party system.
  • Research major politicians.


cartoon elephant and donkey decorated in red, white, and blue with stars

Look at the picture shown above—an elephant and a donkey. Describe to yourself how they are decorated.


What do you think that they represent? If you don’t know, that’s OK. Use your imagination and make a prediction.

Post your answer

Use students’ answers as a starting point. If any students identified the animals as symbols of the Republican and Democratic Parties, ask them to explain their answer to the class. Students will learn about the two parties in the next scene.

Students who are interested in the history of the symbols can read the article in the Student Pack.


When everyone is ready to continue, unlock the next scene.

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