What role do they play in shaping American presidential elections? In this lesson, students create sketches and analyze visualizations of the Iowa caucuses, then conduct a scavenger hunt through The Times to find information about the 2012 Iowa caucuses and what they mean for the Republican presidential nomination. Tell students that as you read, they should sketch the scene being described. You may want to have students listen closely to a first reading of the text and then draw as they listen to the text read aloud for a second time. Emphasize that this is a speed-drawing activity and they will only have until you finish reading the text to complete their sketch. Their goal is create not a beautiful drawing, but one that reflects as much of the information included in the text as possible. When students have completed their drawings, have them share and discuss them briefly in small groups. How similar or different are their sketches? Which details did they include, and which did they omit, and why? Have each group select at least one drawing to share with the whole class. Then ask: Had you heard about the Iowa caucuses before? Did hearing this text help you understand them better? Did drawing the scene help you picture what it's like to participate in a caucus? If desired, show students some of the photos from the slide show "Voters Turn Out in Iowa," taken at the 2008 caucuses, and compare these photos with their drawings. Next, pull out copies of An Iowa Farmer's 2012 Almanac, cut into smaller pieces so that each text box is on its own slip of paper. Give each group member a different one of the following slips: "Comparing 2008 Voters," "Pre-Caucus Expectations vs. Results," "The Current Crop," and "Two States" Records." Instruct students to work on their own to translate, in their journals, the graphic representation on their slip of paper into a written description of the information. Once all students have had a chance to translate their graphic representation into words, have them share their assigned graphics, and written interpretations, with the other students in their group. Finally, have each group share with the whole class. To conclude, hold a brief discussion. Ask: How are the Iowa caucuses different from other states" primary elections? Why do you think the candidates spend so much time, energy and money campaigning in Iowa leading to the caucuses? What are some of the outcomes that may result for those who finish at or near the top of the pack? How about for those who have a weak showing? The article captures some of the last-minute campaigning being done by all six Republican contenders in Iowa (the former Utah governor Jon Huntsman opted not to compete there), including Mitt Romney: Standing on stages across Iowa and marveling the size of his crowds, Mitt Romney says this election "is a dramatic choice between two different paths for America." Read the entire article with your class, using the questions below. What strategies were the candidates and campaigns using to get Iowa voters to go to the caucuses and support them? To you, which strategies and approaches seem effective? Which seem ineffective? What is your impression of the Republican candidates for president from these descriptions? From these snapshots of each candidate and campaign, what distinctions can you draw among them? After reading this article, what questions do you have about the Iowa caucuses and the role that they play in our presidential elections? From The Learning Network From NYTimes.com Around the Web This can be done using the print paper, NYTimes.com or the Replica Edition, as well as the iPad app and the Election 2012 iPhone app. If you wish to make the activity into a competition, tell the class that the team that has done the most thorough and accurate job on the scavenger hunt by a specified time will be crowned the winners. Remind them that they need to be both thorough and accurate as well as speedy. They also need to cite the specific article, blog post or other place where the information was found. You might want to give students working online these points of entry: the home page, the Politics section index, the politics blogs The Caucus and FiveThirtyEight, and the Iowa Republican Caucuses and Election 2012 Primary Calendar pages. New York Times Scavenger Hunt: 2012 Iowa Caucuses Find the following items: The candidate who received the most votes in the Iowa caucuses, and what percentage of the vote this candidate received. Who came in second, and with what percentage of the vote? Who came in third, and with what percentage of the vote? A quotation about the winning candidate from a caucus participant who supported him or her. A quotation about the winning candidate from a caucus participant who supported a different candidate. A photograph of the Iowa winner. A photograph of caucus participants. One statistic about each of the six main Iowa contenders aside from percentage of the caucus vote, like time spent in the state, money spent in the state, number of Iowa counties visited, money raised to date and money spent to date. Three quotations, from three different pundits, political strategists or other experts, commenting on the Iowa caucuses. A quotation in which an expert makes a prediction about the election based on what happened during the Iowa caucuses. A graphic representation of the results of the Iowa caucuses. A statement made by one of the top three finishers. A statement made by one of the bottom two finishers. Analysis of the results by a New York Times opinion writer or blogger. The dates and locations of the first three primary elections in 2012 after the Iowa caucuses. When the allotted time is up, have each team share findings and check for accuracy. Then debrief. Ask: Is the outcome of the Iowa caucuses considered surprising? How are the Iowa results likely to shape the primary season for both the winner (s) and the also-rans? Do you think the Iowa caucuses should be decisive for these candidacies? Who now looks strong to you? Who looks weak? What are your predictions for the New Hampshire primary? They can predict that a particular candidate will win the most votes or that a particular profile of candidate will win (like the candidate who spent the most money in that state, the one who spent the most time there, or one from that region, and so on). They should support their predictions with strong and persuasive reasoning as well as facts gleaned from Times reporting and other reputable sources. They should also make a sketch or political cartoon depicting their predictions. Post these predictions and drawings in the classroom and, as the primary elections unfold, return to them to see if any of them come true. Civics 9. Understands the importance of Americans sharing and supporting certain values, beliefs, and principles of American constitutional democracy. Understands the roles of political parties, campaigns, elections, and associations and groups in American politics. Understands the importance of political leadership, public service, and a knowledgeable citizenry in American constitutional democracy. Language Arts 1. Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process. Gathers and uses information for research purposes. Demonstrates competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning. United States History 31. Understands economic, social, and cultural developments in the contemporary United States. Behavioral Studies 1. Understands that group and cultural influences contribute to human development, identity, and behavior. Understands conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among individuals, groups, and institutions.