U.S. Elections, Electoral College, Interest Groups Task Cards

This set of U.S. Elections, Electoral College, and Interest Groups Task Cards are a perfect review activity for middle school Civics, American Government, or even American History students studying United States elections. This set of 32 task cards quizzes students on vocabulary and key concepts related to United States Elections, the Electoral College and Bush v. Gore, qualifications for running for office (the Presidency, Senate, and House of Representatives), term limits and lengths, and Interest Groups, PACs, and Super PACs!

This review activity is aligned to the following Florida State Standards for 7th Grade Students (but applicable to other states as well!):

• SS.7.CG.2.7: Identify the constitutional qualifications required to hold state and national office.
• SS.7.CG.2.8: Examine the impact of media, individuals, and interest groups on monitoring and influencing government.
• SS.7.CG.3.14: Explain the purpose and function of the Electoral College in electing the President of the United States.

These task cards are numbered and come with an Answer Key and a two-sided Student Response worksheet so kids can log their answers! Students can use this as a one-on-one review for extra practice, or you can engage the whole class in a game of Scoot!

This resource also includes a digital version in the form of a self-grading TPT Easel Assessment! Assign directly to your Google Classroom, or generate a link to share with your students through email or your school’s LMS! 

This set of 32 U.S. Elections task cards includes:

✯ 9 U.S. Elections, Electoral College, and Bush v. Gore Task Cards

• Aligned to Florida Middle School Civics Standard SS.7.CG.3.14: “Explain the purpose and function of the Electoral College in electing the President of the United States.”
• 9 cards covering U.S. Elections, Electoral College, and Bush v. Gore
• Cards review vocabulary and key concepts, such as direct vs. indirect democracy, the Electoral College, Red States, Blue States, and Swing States. 
• Vocab definitions, multiple choice, and more!

Questions include:

• To be eligible to vote in a national election, you must be this old. (18 Years Old)
• Is the Electoral College an example of a direct democracy or an indirect democracy? (Indirect Democracy)

✯ 24 Running for Political Office Task Cards

• Aligned to Florida Middle School Civics Standard SS.7.CG.2.7: “Identify the constitutional qualifications required to hold state and national office.”
• 24 cards covering the qualifications required to run for U.S. President, Senator, and House of Representative, including questions on term limits and lengths.
• Questions include multiple-choice, written response, vocab definitions, and scenarios!

Questions include:

• Frederick wants to run for President of the United States. He is forty years old, has lived in the U.S. since he immigrated to the country at the age of 18, and has been a U.S. citizen for over a decade. Is he qualified to run for President? If not, why? (No, Frederick is not a U.S. citizen.)
• Maria was born in Boise, Idaho, where she still lives to this day. At 22 years old, she wants to become Idaho’s next Congresswoman. Is Maria eligible to run for the House of Representatives? If not, why? (No, Maria is not old enough.)

✯ 8 Influencing Elections Task Cards

• Aligned to Florida Middle School Civics Standard SS.7.CG.2.8: “Examine the impact of media, individuals, and interest groups on monitoring and influencing government.”
• 8 cards on Interest Groups, PACs, and Super PACs
• Includes multiple choice, vocabulary definitions, and scenarios! 

Questions include:

• This interest group for retired people is one of the largest in America, with over 38 million members. It spends over $20 million a year convincing politicians to support its causes, such as Medicare and Social Security. (AARP)
• These types of “groups” are organizations with special interests that try to influence lawmakers into passing laws and writing policies that positively impact their cause. Examples: AARP, MADD, NAACP, the NRA, and the AFL-CIO. (Interest Groups)

Two versions are available: a colorful set with a red background, and an ink-saving black & white set. An Answer Key and optional Student Response Sheet are also included. 

This resource comes as a non-editable, printable PDF with an Answer Key, and as a digital version through TPT Easel. Use these task cards as a self-grading assessment — great for review, or as a unit quiz! You can assign TPT Easel digital activities directly to your Google Classroom, or share with students via a web link. 

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