Every two years, Americans elect a Congress that can reshape what a president is able to do, but without removing the president. This background lesson explains how that works, why the president’s party almost always loses ground, and what actually changes when a chamber changes hands.
This lesson is the first part of a mini-unit on the 2026 US Midterm Elections.
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Three reading levels. Inquiry, critical thinking, and discussion built in. Ready to use today.
Included in this lesson
- PowerPoint Slides with concept intro, discussion, and current event overview
- A separate ready-to-print PDF document for each lesson level
- Thinking questions to connect to the concepts of power and legitimacy
- Critical thinking activity about what the most important changes might be after a midterm election
- Research extension about previous midterm elections
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