Procedures

• Begin class by having students view the following video clips and answering the accompanying questions. This can either be done as a class or individually. Before moving to the activities, students should have a basic understanding of what to expect when watching election night coverage.

  VIDEO CLIP 1: Campaign 2022 and Key Senate Races to Watch (6:57)

  • What is Sean Trende predicting for the Senate races in this year's elections?

  • As election results are reported, what factors is Sean Trende watching that could be an indicator of one party controlling the chamber?

  • According to Sean Trende, how did New Hampshire get on the list of the top five races to watch?

  • Are there particular counties that are being watched this cycle?

  • How does he characterize the elections in Georgia?

  • What is a runoff election?

  • How does Sean Trende characterize the election in Pennsylvania?

• VIDEO CLIP 2: Campaign 2022 and Control of the House of Representatives (4:34)

  • What is Sean Trende predicting for which party will control the House of Representatives and by what margin?

  • Which races will he be watching?

  • According to Sean Trende, when the election is completed, which voter(s) will have made a difference in this election cycle?

• ELECTION NIGHT:

  Using the video clips in this lesson as a foundation, the following activities can be used to help students follow along with election coverage on November 8. Choose one of the following activities for students to complete when viewing election night coverage.

  Students can view coverage of the 2022 elections on the C-SPAN Television Networks, C-SPAN.org or other news networks.

• ELECTION NIGHT ACTIVITIES AND VIEWING GUIDES:

  2022 Midterm Elections Night: Note-Taking Chart (Google Doc)

  Election Night Vocabulary BINGO (Google Doc)

  Digital BINGO Card: Election Night BINGO (Google Slides)

  Victory and Concession Speech Comparisons (Google Doc)

  Midterm Election Night Network Coverage Comparison (Google Doc)

• Midterm Election Night 2022: Note-Taking Chart:

  On election night, students should view coverage on C-SPAN or one of the other networks. Students can use the handout to take notes on what is being reported and how the results are being covered.

  2022 Midterm Elections Night: Note-Taking Chart (Google Doc)

  Students should take notes on the following:

  • Different state rules for voting and the counting of votes.

  • Impact of mail-in and absentee ballots on the election.

  • Speeches or statements given by the campaigns.

  • Anything that surprised or confused you.

  • Questions that you have about the election or the results.

  • Overall impressions of election night.

• Election Night Vocabulary BINGO:

  Use the handout linked below to play a BINGO game while watching election night coverage on C-SPAN or another network. Complete the BINGO board by writing words, topics or phrases that might be discussed during the coverage. As you watch the coverage, mark your board when a word or topic is mentioned. Take notes on what this term means and how it was used.

  Printable Handout: Election Night Vocabulary BINGO (Google Doc)

  Digital BINGO Card: Election Night BINGO (Google Slides)

  After viewing the debate, use the BINGO chart and the notes to answer the following prompt:

  • Based on what you watched, what were your overall impressions of election night?

  • What questions do you have after watching it?

• Victory and Concession Speech Comparisons:

  As you are watching coverage of election night, choose one of the races in which candidates gave victory and concession speeches. This can be a gubernatorial, House, or Senate race. Use the handout linked below to analyze the following for both candidates. Using this information students will explain why winning and losing candidates give speeches on election night.

  Handout: Victory and Concession Speech Comparisons (Google Doc)

  • Describe the race, the candidates, and the results of the race.

  • Who does the candidate thank or acknowledge?

  • What issues or topics, if any, does the candidate discuss?

  • Describe how the candidate talks about the future.

  • How does the candidate talk about the other candidate(s)?

  • How does the candidate describe the campaign?

  • How would you describe the overall tone of the speech?

  • Describe your overall impressions of the speech.

• Handout: Midterm Election Night Network Coverage Comparison (Google Doc)

  • When and how each network projects the winners?

  • Guests and commentators featured during the broadcast.

  • Speeches and events featured during the broadcast.

  • Issues and topics emphasized or featured.

  • Overall impressions and questions.

• WRAP-UP:

  As a class after election day, discuss the election night coverage with the class. Have students share their overall impressions of the night and any questions that they had. Address any misconceptions that students might have.

• ADDITIONAL PROMPTS/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  • How would you change how election night is covered in the United States?

  • What was the most confusing part of election night coverage?

  • What if anything surprised you about how election night went?