Pick a side
Choose one question. Think quietly, compare in pairs, then give a reason. Fictional examples are welcome.
- Choose a representative: a friend, an organiser or a confident speaker. Why?
- Can you support someone's idea without joining their group?
- What makes a promise believable?
Get the story
Read to find one benefit, one problem and one idea you want to challenge.
Imagine choosing a class representative. One candidate is your friend, another has the best plan, and a third belongs to a group you usually support. Would you always make the same choice? Real elections are more complicated, but this familiar problem helps explain why people sometimes choose candidates from different political parties.
Every two years, the United States holds elections for Congress. When these take place halfway through a president's four-year term, they are called midterms. In November 2026, voters were not choosing a president; they were choosing representatives and, in some states, senators and governors. The Associated Press projected that Democrats had won control of both chambers of Congress.
At every congressional election, all 435 members of the House of Representatives face voters. Senators have six-year terms, so only about a third of the Senate is elected at a time. These elections can change which party has the power to pass laws and investigate the government, even while the president remains in office.
A US ballot usually gives voters separate choices for separate offices. For example, a voter might choose a Republican for governor but a Democrat for the Senate. This is split-ticket voting. It can happen because people prefer one candidate's experience, personality or local plans. Voting across party lines does not necessarily mean abandoning your political beliefs.
Spain works differently in important ways. Voters normally choose a closed party list for the Congress of Deputies, so they cannot select their favorite person from different lists in that election. However, voters can select individual candidates in Spanish Senate elections. It is therefore too simple to say that Americans vote for people and Spaniards only vote for parties.
Once elected, American representatives can disagree with their party's leaders. Spanish MPs are not legally required to obey a party either, although party discipline is usually stronger in practice. In both countries, political groups can reward cooperation or put pressure on members who dissent.
So what makes a good representative? Is it someone who always supports a party's program, or someone willing to disagree when constituents need something different? The answer may depend on what kind of trust voters expect.
You may not be old enough to vote nationally, but you can practise judging promises. Ask what the person controls, who else must agree and how you could check progress. A friendly personality can help someone communicate. A practical plan can help people decide. Which matters most when they point in different directions?
Original classroom writing, with a teen-focused introduction and reflection. Election reporting is a dated November 2026 story; being elected does not mean taking office immediately.
Word power
Explain a word to a partner, check its meaning, then use it in a new example.
split-ticket
supporting candidates from different parties in separate races
Dictionary & pronunciationProve it
Choose an answer, then find the sentence that supports it. Guessing is only the start.
Watch. Notice. Question.
Midterm voters rebuke Trump, handing Democrats power · PBS NewsHour
0:00–0:54
Open authentic videoPlay only the opening 54 seconds in class. The full report is 6:46, so use the stop time. Captions and transcript are available on the PBS page. External media is linked, not copied or hosted.
- According to the opening, what did Democrats win?
- How does the report describe the scale of the result?
- Does the report describe an election for a new president or for Congress?
Use the article as your report. Find its main claim, supporting evidence and one thing it cannot tell you. Compare answers and explain the difference between a fact and an opinion.
The challenge board
Two teams, one screen, no student devices. Choose a tile. Explain your answer before revealing it. Use the score buttons to award points; opinions earn points for reasons, not agreement.
Choose a challenge to begin.
Have something to say
This or that?
- A friend with a weak plan or a stranger with a strong plan?
Choose. Give a reason. Ask your partner one follow-up question.
- One group for every role or different groups?
Choose. Give a reason. Ask your partner one follow-up question.
- Group loyalty or disagreement on one issue?
Choose. Give a reason. Ask your partner one follow-up question.
- A big promise or a small realistic change?
Choose. Give a reason. Ask your partner one follow-up question.
- A confident speaker or a careful listener?
Choose. Give a reason. Ask your partner one follow-up question.
- Vote now or ask another question?
Choose. Give a reason. Ask your partner one follow-up question.
Go deeper
Pick the questions that interest you. You can defend a fictional view.
- Should friendship affect your vote?
- When would you choose someone outside your usual group?
- Does a popular candidate make a good leader?
- Which promises can students realistically keep?
- When should representatives disagree with their team?
- Is changing your mind a strength?
- How could a quiet candidate explain their ideas?
- Should every difficult decision be explained?
- What makes voting easy to understand?
- How can people who cannot vote have a voice?
- What would you ask every candidate?
- How would you judge a representative after six months?
- I would choose ... because ...
- One advantage is ..., but ...
- I see your point. However, ...
- What evidence supports that?
- Could we agree on ...?
- I used to think ..., but now ...
Make your case
In a fictional school election, choose a council chair and an activities organiser. Alex's group proposes a quiet study area and a costly festival. Sam's group proposes a homework survey and affordable weekly clubs. You can choose different groups for each role.
Plot twist — open when your plan is ready
Students can recommend changes but cannot decide the homework policy. Reassess the promises.
Final outcome: Explain two choices, one trade-off and one question you would ask before voting.
- I would choose ... because ...
- One advantage is ..., but ...
- I see your point. However, ...
- What evidence supports that?
- Could we agree on ...?
- I used to think ..., but now ...
One more idea
Write a three-question candidate interview that reveals more than popularity. Swap and improve one question.
Exit ticket
One useful word. One idea you changed or questioned. One question you still have.