Gerrymandering Lesson Plan

Author/: Erin Beals

Content Area: Civics/ Government

Grade Level: Grade 11/12

8 April 2018

Lesson Length: 60 min

I. Standards

Arizona K-12 Standards for Social Studies

Strand 3—Civics/Government, Concept 2: Structure of Government—PO 5:

Analyze the structure, powers, and roles of the legislative branch of the United

States government:

b. role of competing factions and development of political parties

e. election process and types of representation

f. influence of staff, lobbyists, special interest groups and political action

committees (PACs)

Arizona K-12 Standards for English Language Arts

11-12.RI.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in

different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in print in

order to address a question or solve a problem.

11-12.W.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support

analysis, reflection, and research.

Arizona 9-12 Standards for Educational Technology

 Concept 2: Models and Simulations—PO 1: Predict and test the relationships

amongst interdependent elements of a digital model, simulation or system.

II. Objectives

1.) Students will use an online simulator to redraw Congressional districts in order to

demonstrate an understanding of how politics influence and potentially obstruct the

Congressional election process in the United States

2.) Students will use the writing process to analyze and reflect on gerrymandering in the

United States in order to evaluate its flaws and propose solutions for a more fair

election process and representation.

III. The Why

• Students will use their prior knowledge of the role of politics in Congress to understand

how political parties can influence elections.

• Students will recognize that Congressional elections are not determined by the values of

the state alone—the outcome is largely due to how Congressional districts are drawn

• As they are juniors and seniors in high school and will be granted the right to vote

imminently, students will cultivate their own opinions and solutions regarding

gerrymandering considering their roles as future voters.

IV. Materials Needed

1.) Personal notebooks/journals

2.) Personal computers

3.) A satirical YouTube clip of a comical take on the process of gerrymandering

4.) Pens/pencils

5.) Access to the internet

 6.) Online simulator that allows students to redraw Congressional districts according to the

demographics of the state

7.) Instructional PowerPoint

V. Warm Up

• Upon entering the class, students will take their seats and get out their notebooks for the

class and a writing utensil.

• They will then be given about ten minutes to write a journal entry about their perception

of the role of politics in Congress and Congressional elections, based on both what they

have previously learned in the course and their own assumptions.

• Once the ten minutes is up, the instructor will draw the students’ attention to the board,

where the daily objective will be written, and verbally explain it, along with the purpose

of the lesson, stressing its importance and relevance to soon-to-be voters.

VI. Anticipatory Set/Grabber

The instructor will then play an amusing yet informative video clip detailing the practice of

gerrymandering. Once the video is over, students will partner up with the person sitting next to

them to discuss their journal entries and their thoughts on the video clip.

VII. Instruction

• After about five minutes of group discussion, the instructor will then ask the students to

regroup for a full class discussion. The instructor will ask students to share their

impressions of the video.

• Once the full class discussion winds down, the instructor will then transition to the use of

a PowerPoint for a brief lecture on the essential information on gerrymandering. The

instructor will ask questions that prompt students to make connections to prior knowledge
 and that gauge student understanding. Students will be expected to take notes on the

PowerPoint.

• Now equipped with the basic knowledge they need to complete the primary in-class

activity, students will be directed to a website with an online simulator that allows them

to redraw Congressional districts in a way that is more logical and sensitive to state

demographics than the current district shapes.

• While students are experimenting with the simulator, the instructor will circulate around

the room, answering any questions and asking why students are drawing the districts the

way they are. Students will be expected to be able to justify their drawings to the

instructor.

• Once students have created at least five districts that they are proud of, they will be asked

to write a 1-2 page reflection on what they have learned in class about gerrymandering

and propose a solution using one of their original districts as an example. Students will be

expected to describe the factors they took into account when drawing their district and

how they addressed those factors to create a district that would be fairly represented in

Congress.

VIII. Assessment

The assessment of how well students are understanding the material will happen continuously

throughout the class period. Group and class discussions will indicate students’ comprehension

level. Evidence of comprehension will also be present in successful interaction with the online

simulation and completion of the reflection.

IX. Closure
With five minutes left in class, the instructor will ask students to stop working and regroup as a

class. The instructor will then ask for volunteers to share how they have chosen to divide up a

district and provide their rationale with the class. Students will also be asked to give their input

on how they think the makeup of Congress would change if the process of gerrymandering were

eradicated.

X. Independent Practice/Homework

The students will be instructed to finish what they have started regarding their reflections, which

will be due the following day. Students will be asked to include a screenshot of the

Congressional districts that they drew and referenced in their reflections.

XI. Reflection

The instructor will consistently reflect on the effectiveness of the lesson and be prepared to adapt

the lesson if it is evident that the students are struggling with comprehension. Once the lesson is

over, further reflection will take place when the instructor reads the students’ reflection. If

necessary, the instructor will review any concepts that are deemed unclear through the content of

the students’ writing in future lessons.