Voting unit

Overview & Purpose

Students will analyze primary and secondary

source documents, graphics, and pictures.

Students will examine campaign funding and

spending.

Students will evaluate the degree to which

interest groups influence political life

Educational Standards Addressed

SS.Govt.1.a
SS.Govt.6.c
SS.Govt.6.h

Key Words
Interest group, public policy, public affairs, trade association, labor union, public-interest group, advocacy, lobbying, iron
triangle, issue networks, PACs, SuperPAC, Federal Election Commission, 527 group, 501(c)3-6 groups, think tank, iron triangle,
issue networks, revolving door, lobbyist, lobbying, amicus curiae brief, grassroots pressure, Hard money, soft money, Political
Action Committee, subsidy, Citizens United, dark money
Day 1
Homework from
previous night:
Warm-up:

Standard Government
Read Interest Groups

Honors Government
Read Interest Groups and Campaign Finance

Students will brainstorm ways in which they can

try to get the administration to permit students
to leave during lunch periods.

Tie to grassroots movements, discuss

what a grassroots movement might do.

Lecture

Discuss the origins and pros and cons of special

interest

Students will complete the Are Interest

Groups good for Democracy? worksheet
Read Interest Groups
Complete Pressure Group and Government wksht
Standard Government
Students will pick a public policy topic that is
important to them. Using the resource at Project
Vote Smart, students will look at three interest
groups that work in this area. They will
determine how that group interprets the target
policy issue. Class will discuss.
Review Pressure Group and Government
worksheet. Students will understand how special
interest groups apply pressure to government
and the public.
Look at the two graphics. Explain the difference
between an issue network and an iron triangle.

Iron Triangles Explained

Iron Triangle Comic

Read Campaign Finance, Complete the Whack a
PAC worksheet

Do Grassroots Workshop:
Have students stamp money from Stamp Stampede

Explain nature of grassroots campaign by

asking how students would lobby
administration to have permission to lunch
off campus.

Tie to grassroots nature of StampStampede

**WARNING. This is a political act, and the movement
is traditionally associated with liberals, though not
necessarily. Explain to kids that they are stamping
teachers money. By doing this, they are experiencing
the nature of grassroots. All that we are doing
together in class. Not required for students to stamp
their own money. If students choose to take selfies
and post on twitter, they are making on a political act.
If they choose to post on twitter, how the image is
used can be used by any and all members of the
public. It is out of their control. I do not encourage.
Complete Interest Group and Campaign Finance
webquest.

GovLab
Homework
Day 2
Warm-up:

Lecture

GovLab

Homework

Honors Government
Students will complete the Pressure Group and
Government worksheet. Discussion will focus on what
iron triangles and issue networks are. (See Versal)

Students will complete the Should the Constitution

limit Interest Groups and the Debate: Are Interest
Groups Good for Democracy

Re-read Campaign Finance, Complete the Whack a

PAC worksheet

Day 3
Warm-up:

Lecture

GovLab
Homework
Day 4
Warmup
GovLab

Homework

Standard Government
Students will pick a public policy topic that is
important to them. Using the resource at Open
Secrets, students will find the three IGs that they
looked up the previous class, and determine to
which candidates they are giving money.
Discussion on laws governing Campaign Finance,
types of campaign finance vehicles, and federal
agencies with oversight functions.
Complete the What kind of an ad is this?
Worksheet.
Work on the Are IGs good for Democracy
worksheet.
Standard Government
Quiz on Kahoot
Watch Big Sky, Big Money. Students will continue
to complete the Are IGs good for Democracy
outline and turn in at end.
Test next class.

Honors Government
Students will use the resources at Open Secrets to find
out how much campaign money PACs, etc. are giving
to candidates. Information will be recorded onto a
board on padlet.com
Discussion on Constitutional oversight, laws governing
Campaign Finance, types of campaign finance vehicles,
and federal agencies with oversight functions.
Complete the What kind of an ad is this? Worksheet.
Re-read Campaign Finance, Complete the Whack a
PAC worksheet
Honors Government
Quiz on Kahoot
Watch Big Sky, Big Money. Students will continue to
complete the Big Sky Big Money essay and turn in next
class as part of test grade.
Test next class.