Virginia SOL CE.8

CE.8 is a Standards of Learning history and social science standard. These are the skills expectations under it.

• CE.8.a

  describing the origins, history, and functions of political parties

• CE.8.b

  analyzing campaigns for elective office, with emphasis on the roles of candidates, volunteers, the media, voters, and poll watchers

• CE.8.c

  explaining the role of campaign contributions and the cost of campaigns

• CE.8.d

  examining the history of and requirements for voter registration

• CE.8.e

  describing the role of the Electoral College in the election of the president and vice president.

01

What Students Need to Do

Students explain why political parties formed, how they changed, and what they do during elections. They examine campaign roles, campaign spending, voter registration, and the Electoral College. They compare how these parts work at local, state, and national levels.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

Students can trace a candidate from party nomination through campaigning, voting, and election results. They can explain how volunteers, media, voters, poll watchers, and contributions affect a campaign. They can describe Virginia voter registration requirements and explain why the national popular vote does not directly elect the president.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may think political parties are government agencies or that poll watchers count ballots and challenge any voter they choose. They may assume campaign money guarantees victory or that all media reports are campaign advertisements. Many confuse voter registration with party membership and believe the national popular vote alone decides the presidential election.

04

How to Assess It

Use a six-box exit ticket asking students to explain party origins, name one party function, compare two campaign roles, describe one effect of contributions, list one Virginia registration requirement, and explain how electors determine the presidential winner.

1. 01

   Run a mock election with candidate, volunteer, reporter, voter, donor, and poll watcher role cards, plus a fixed campaign budget.

2. 02

   Ask students which campaign participant has the most influence, using two examples and one limit on that participant’s power.

3. 03

   Play a card sort matching party functions, campaign roles, registration rules, contribution effects, and Electoral College steps to examples.

4. 04

   Use Virginia’s voter registration form and a recent campaign finance report to identify requirements, donors, expenses, and public information.

• CE.4

  The student will apply history and social science skills to analyze American constitutional government at the local level by

• CE.3

  The student will apply history and social science skills to analyze how constitutional government functions at the state level by

• 3.9

  The student will apply history and social science skills to explain the basic structure of the United States government by

• CE.2

  The student will apply history and social science skills to analyze how American constitutional government functions at the national level by