Lesson Plan - 5 Big Questions: Midterm Elections

Activate Prior Knowledge
Ask if students have seen election signs in your area. Explain that Election Day is November 8, and discuss which races are happening where you live. 

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know. 

• political party
• majority

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them note the main idea of each section.

1. Based on the article, why do you think these elections are called midterms?
Midterm elections got this name because of when they happen. The article explains that they take place “in the middle of a president’s four-year term.”
^{R.1 Text Evidence}

2. According to the article, why are midterms important?
Midterms determine which political party is more powerful in Congress. That’s important because the president must work with Congress to see ideas he supports become laws.
^{R.8 Reasons and Evidence}

3. How are the two chambers of Congress alike and different?
Both chambers help make laws. The Senate has 100 seats—two for each state. Its members serve for six-year terms. The House of Representatives has 435 seats. The number of seats each state gets is based on its population. Its members serve for two-year terms.
^{R.5 Comparison}

FEATURED SKILL: Domain-Specific Vocabulary
Use the Skill Builder “Election Words” to teach words from the article related to elections and government.
^{R.4 Domain-Specific Vocabulary}