The concept of the Electoral College can be a bit baffling in addition to understanding how even one state can make a difference in the outcome of an election. I developed this handy dandy interactive spreadsheet where students can keep track of how states are leaning and update with new data.
I use the site 270 to Win, they have a lot of interactive resources and history but there are others. Change one state or several states on the spreadsheet from one party to another and see how this effects the outcome. This spreadsheet serves as a great tool and resource for students to make their own predictions. You may want to have students add their own columns to analyze additional factors and look for correlations. Perhaps add 2 columns and study the relationship between the number of Electoral Votes and population of a state. You could even have students add up the popular vote after an election and compare it to how the Electoral College voted. This spreadsheet is a great example of how you can integrate math, Civics, and Social Studies with technology.
Take this activity to the next level and have your students create this spreadsheet. Learn how you can empower your students with the magic of spreadsheets. Watch for an upcoming announcement and registration for a how to, step by step online webinar and learn how you and your class can create this spreadsheet.
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