Introduction
Canada has a unique federal electoral system. While Canada and the United States (US) share similarities, their federal electoral systems are quite different.
Educators can use this activity to help students better understand Canada’s system by comparing it to that of the US.
Level: Secondary
Inquiry question: How do Canada’s federal elections compare to those of the US?
Getting ready
Download the full lesson in PDF.
The following materials are provided in different formats to help meet your needs:
Teacher instructions
Ask your students to reflect on what they already know, using the following prompts:
- What are some similarities and differences between the US and Canada?
- How do elections work in Canada and the US?
- What questions do you have?
Ask the students to turn and talk with a partner to exchange ideas. Then invite some pairs to share their ideas and questions with the class.
Distribute the Federal Elections Comparison Table and the Backgrounder.
Have students review the information. They may notice that while there are many similarities between Canadian and US federal elections, there are also many differences. They can note their observations using a graphic organizer, like a Venn diagram.
Once students have completed this activity, you can lead a class discussion, making connections to students’ questions and observations from the beginning of the lesson.
Invite students to reflect on what they learned in an exit card, using one or more of the following prompts:
- What are some key differences between Canada and the US?
- What are some key similarities between Canada and the US?
- What questions do you have about Canada’s federal elections, now that you’ve compared them with those in the US?