Lesson Plan - Who Will Win?

Watch the Video
Play the video “Newsie’s Challenge: What It Takes to Be President” and pause to have students discuss each game show-style question. After watching, ask: When you are old enough, would you want to run for president? Why or why not?

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

• political parties  
• campaign

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about what is unique about this year’s election.

1. Why does the article say that both main candidates for president “have a chance to make history”?
According to the article, both main candidates for president “have a chance to make history.” The article explains that if Harris wins, she’ll be the first woman to serve as president. It also states that “Trump could become the first president since 1892 to be elected to nonconsecutive (not back-to-back) terms.”
^{(RI.4.1 Text Evidence)}

2. Summarize the section “Making It Official.”
The section “Making It Official” describes two important steps in the presidential election process that happened recently. The two biggest political parties officially named their candidates for president at their national conventions. The Republican Party named Donald Trump, and the Democratic Party named Kamala Harris. Later, the two candidates faced off in a debate.
^{(RI.4.2 Summarizing)}

3. How does the article support the idea that the candidates will “campaign around the clock” in the days leading up to Election Day?
The article supports the idea that the candidates will “campaign around the clock” in the days leading up to Election Day by giving examples of campaigning. It explains that the candidates will travel around the country to give speeches, use social media to connect with voters, and run ads.
^{(RI.4.8 Reasons and Evidence)}

FEATURED SKILL: Summarizing
Distribute the skill builder “Sum It Up!” and have students follow the steps to write a summary of the article.
^{(RI.4.2 Summarizing)}