Student Resources  

• Graphic Organizer  
• Montana Congressional District 2 Map  
• New York Congressional District 14 Map 
• U.S. Census Bureau’s List of Congressional District Maps for 118th Congress 

In this lesson, students will explore the challenges of representation. Students will use census data and maps to compare two congressional districts. Through this analysis, students will describe the purpose of representation and how House members try to balance their constituents’ interests with national priorities. Last, students will reflect on how their voices are represented in the House of Representatives. As an option for additional analysis, students can research their own congressional district and compare it to the others.  

Anticipate  

• To begin this lesson, ask students to imagine they have to choose a classmate to represent them to the school principal. What qualities would they look for? What skills should this person have, and why?  
• Next, review the purpose of the House of Representatives with your students. You may want to watch BRI’s video on the ways people in the U.S. are represented in government.  
• After the review, ask students to work with a partner or break into small groups. Post or provide these questions for students to answer:   
  • Our government is based on the Founding principle of consent of the governed. What does this mean to you? How does representation, such as in the House of Representatives, support this principle?  
  • In your opinion, what qualities define an effective representative?  
  • After sufficient time, bring the class together to debrief and share answers.  

Engage

• Use the following Graphic Organizer and the U.S. Census Bureau maps to compare representation from different congressional districts. 
• After reviewing this information, answer the analysis questions that follow.  

Explore  

• Ask students to brainstorm a list of issues facing the country. You may use the following examples. 
• Example scenarios:  
  • Healthcare Access and Quality: More rural districts may struggle with hospital closures and shortages of healthcare professionals, while urban districts might face issues related to healthcare affordability and overcrowded facilities. 
  • Boarder Control: Rural districts along the border might deal with issues related to immigration enforcement and resource allocation, while urban districts could face challenges with immigrant integration and community services. 
  • Environmental Issues and Climate Change: Rural areas might deal with issues related to agricultural practices, land use, and water rights, while urban districts might face challenges like air pollution, heat islands, and rising sea levels affecting coastal cities. 
  • Affordable Housing: In rural areas, the concern might be the lack of housing stock or the decay of existing housing, whereas in urban districts, the rapid increase in housing costs and gentrification might be more pressing issues. 
  • Separate the students into pairs or small groups to work on one national issue.  
  • First ask, based on the data and maps, how would your issue affect the two specific districts? 
  • Explain to students that balancing the interests of local constituents with national priorities is a fundamental challenge for members of the House of Representatives. Below are several strategies that can help House members navigate this complex responsibility. Post these strategies on the board or someplace where all students can review them. Ask each pair or small group to select a strategy to help solve their issue.  
  • Education and Communication: Representatives can play a key role in educating their constituents about national issues and how these broader concerns can impact local communities. Transparent communication can help constituents understand the necessity of certain national priorities and garner their support. 
  • Prioritization and Compromise: It is often necessary for representatives to prioritize issues based on urgency, impact, and feasibility. This might mean focusing on local needs that align with national priorities or finding a middle ground that serves both local and national interests. 
  • Strategic Voting and Legislation: Representatives can leverage their voting and legislative drafting powers to balance interests. This can involve negotiating amendments to bills that include provisions beneficial to their constituents, or supporting legislation that, while primarily national in scope, offers significant benefits to local communities. 
  • Constituent Feedback and Engagement: To ensure that the representative’s actions align with constituent values and priorities, a representative must continuously engage with constituents to gather feedback on national issues and proposed legislation. This engagement can be facilitated through digital platforms, town halls, and regular constituency visits. 
  • Personal Judgment and Integrity: Ultimately, representatives may face situations where local and national interests are in conflict, and no compromise seems satisfactory. In such cases, relying on personal judgment, guided by ethical considerations and a commitment to the greater good, is essential. 
  • Ask students to share their issues and what strategy they would use to help balance the needs of the people in Montana’s 2nd District, the people in New York’s 14th District, and other people across the country. 

Assess & Reflect  

Have students self-reflect and answer the following questions in their journals:   

• How can House members balance their constituents’ interests with national priorities? 
• What does it mean to be represented in government?  

Extend  

• Once your students have finished comparing the two districts, instruct them to research the district in which they reside. They can research their map through this website: U.S. Census Bureau’s List of Congressional District Maps for 118th Congress (https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-maps/2023/geo/cong-dist-118-wall.html)  
• Instruct them to fill out the same graphic organizer they used for the previous two districts.