Curriculum Resource: Explaining the Electoral College

I recently received the FREE 2012 Electoral College map that C-SPAN is giving to US teachers (for more information, read this post), and it is a durable and valuable resource.  Now I need some materials to help me explain this unusual voting technique to my middle schooler.

Enter C.G.P. Grey, who has created two videos that are perfect for my son, at least.  They are short and to the point, and use math examples to make the system concrete.  Best of all, they insert some humor, which always works to keep my son interested.

The first one explains the Electoral College System:


But I like the second one even better. It demonstrates the problems with this system, and dismisses some of the myths that are offered as explanations about why we have to keep this antiquated technique of electing our modern President:


I learned some stuff, and I'm already pretty well versed on the subject (or so I thought).

I definitely recommend keeping these in your arsenal of tools when you are covering the 2012 Presidential election with your middle schoolers.