What’s at Stake

1. Set Focus
Pose this essential question to guide discussion: Why do some presidential elections get more attention than others?

2. List Vocabulary
Share with students some of the challenging vocabulary words in this article. Encourage them to use context to infer meanings as they read.

• ramifications
• disrupt
• controversial
• autocratic
• reeling
• profound

3. Engage
Read aloud the title of the article: “What’s at Stake.” Ask: What does the title of the article mean? After students share ideas, ask: What—if anything—do you think is at stake in this election? Why?

4. Read 
Have students read the article, marking the text to note key ideas or questions.

5. Discuss
Distribute or project Up Close: What’s at Stake, a close-reading activity for students to work on in small groups. (Note: The questions on the PDF also appear on the facing page of this lesson, with possible responses.) Follow up with a class discussion. If you’re short on time, have each group tackle one or two of the questions. Collect students’ work or have each group report its findings to the class.).

• What is the author’s main purpose in the first paragraph of the article? (Author’s purpose, text structure) 
  (The author’s main purpose is to describe several major issues currently affecting the political climate of the country: a deadly virus, economic devastation, and a massive social protest movement. Beginning this way helps set up a central idea of the article—that this election is extremely important as it will have “huge ramifications for the nation’s future.”)

• What central idea is communicated through the two quotations the author includes in the opening section of the article? How does the author support this idea? (Central idea, key details)
  (The two quotations—“the two pathways could not be more different” from Larry Sabato, and “In our lifetimes, I don’t think there’s been a greater contrast between the candidates,” from Norman Ornstein—convey the central idea that President Trump and former Vice President Biden have vastly different platforms and governing styles. The author supports this central idea by listing details and facts about each candidate in the paragraphs between the two quotations and in the chart on page 13.)   

• The author includes two statistics about President Trump’s approval ratings. What do they suggest about the overall political climate? (Compare & contrast, make inferences)
  (The two statistics—Trump never having achieved a 50 percent or higher general approval, but having an approximately 90 percent approval from Republicans—suggest that the country is deeply divided about the “pathway” the country should head down. More than half of those polled want a big change, but many others want Trump to be re-elected.)

• What were experts predicting about voter turnout in late 2019? What do many experts now think might happen? What caused the change in thinking? (Compare & contrast, cause & effect)
  (In late 2019, experts were predicting a record voter turnout because of strong feelings over Trump’s impeachment. However, because of fears about Covid-19 and social distancing recommendations, experts now believe that voter turnout might not be as high as previously predicted.) 

• What do the map and graph on pages 14 and 15 add to your understanding of the section “An Enormous Challenge”? (Integrate sources)
  (The section “An Enormous Challenge” discusses how Covid-19 and social distancing measures have made campaigning a challenge and may lead to low voter turnout. The map and graph show additional challenges to winning the election—winning enough battleground states and getting young people to vote.) 

• What does the phrase “defining issue” in the last section head mean? Why do you think the author ended the heading with a question mark?  (Word meaning, make inferences)
  (The phrase “defining issue” means the most important issue or factor that critically affects something. The author explains that, in the past, the defining issue for sitting presidents has been the economy—when the economy is bad, sitting presidents are usually not re-elected. The author most likely ends the heading with a question mark because so many things could happen before Election Day that we don’t yet know if the current bad economy will play a role in how voters cast their votes in this election or if another factor will be the defining issue.)   

6. Writing Prompt
The chart on page 13 explains Trump’s and Biden’s positions on six key issues. Research two other important issues (such as education policy and gun rights) and summarize their stances on these issues.

7. Video
Watch the political parties video. What does it add to your understanding?

8. Classroom Debate
Is this the most important election of our lifetime?

9. Quiz & Skills
Use the quiz to assess students’ comprehension and Be the Editor to review grammar skills.