Will Biden Pass His Midterms?

1. Set Focus 
Pose this essential question: What does it mean to live in a democracy?

2. Read and Discuss 
Have students read the article, marking key ideas and questions. Then ask them to answer the following questions, citing text evidence:. 

• The title of the article is a play on what common phrase? Based on the article, what would it mean for Biden to “pass his midterms”? (The title is a play on the phrase “pass your midterms,” which is about passing your midyear exams in school. If Biden “passes his midterms,” that would mean that Democrats had maintained or gained control of seats in Congress as well as state governorships in the midterm elections—as a sign of voter confidence in Biden.)

• According to the article, which party—the president’s party or the other party—usually makes gains during the midterms? Why does this happen? (Usually, the other party makes gains during the midterms. Voting against the president’s party is a way for voters to show disapproval for a president’s agenda, and the trend of the president’s party usually losing shows that voters often want Congress to “act as a brake on the president’s authority.”)

• Based on his quotes in the article, why does Mark Rom think young people should vote in midterm elections? Has his point of view influenced your thinking about the midterms? Why or why not? (He thinks young people should vote in midterms to have a say in what Congress does since Congress writes laws. Reflections will vary.)

3. Core Skill Practice
Assign, print, or project the activity In Their Words. Have students identify the speaker for each quotation from the article and paraphrase their words.

4. Writing Prompt
Which of the four issues in the sidebar is most important to you? What do you want lawmakers to do about the issue? Explain in a brief essay.

5. Classroom Debate
Should voting be mandatory?

6. Quiz & Skills
Assess comprehension with the quiz.