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Suggestions for Teachers
The following are suggestions shared by teachers for use of the Vote Smart Lessons and other activities relating to U.S. Government and politics:
Ballot Issue Voting Activity
Suggested by a woman who has been working on a voting and elections project with high school students:
Hand out one ballot, asking each student to vote for or against a measure. Next, hand out a second ballot which describes each of the items that appeared on the first ballot in detail. The idea here is that with more information students may choose differently. Possibly have a third ballot with even more details. For example, the first one could be just ballot measure titles, then a second one with the description of the measure and a "pro" argument, and finally a third ballot with an argument against it.
Brain Storm Ideas with Students (Lesson 6)
The following day, have students bring the filled out questionnaires in and tabulate the results on the board. Discussion questions could include those on the worksheet and also those specific to the results you have found.
Track the Candidates (Lesson 5)
- Discuss which elections will be taking place this year (House, Senate, Governor, President etc.) and decide which ones you will focus on. Brainstorm lists of candidates for each race. Identify the incumbent (if there is one). Assign students to use Project Vote Smart to obtain a full list of candidates, their parties and addresses (NOTE: students who do not have access to the World Wide Web can access information over the Voter?s Research Hotline. Please assign only 2-3 student per class to make calls to the Hotline). Students may also conduct an informal survey of family members to see how many candidates they can list.
- Students report back a full list of all candidates. Have students initially left out many candidates? Why? Which candidates do students think get the most media attention? Take this activity further by assigning students in groups to research and report back on all of the parties running - i.e. How long has that group been around? What do they stand for?
- List all candidates and have students come up with assumptions they hold currently about the candidates. Where did they get these assumptions? From the media? From their family? Have students keep notes of these assumptions so that they can return to them at the end of the lesson.
Types of Ads (Lesson 7)
The most effective way to do this activity will be to prepare a video tape of a sampling of campaign videos (since assigning students to watch TV at home until they see a commercial raises all sorts of problems, such as parents who complain that their children have been assigned to watch television and possible discrimination against the child who may not own a TV). If you cannot prepare a video of the current political ads in your district, or if it is an election off-year, you may be able to obtain a tape at the library. Many campaigns also produce promotional videos which you may be able to obtain by contacting the campaign office. Sometimes candidates also send videos to supporters of their campaigns, so if you know someone who has donated money to a campaign they may have a video you can borrow. Students may also tape ads at home as part of the assignment.
If you are in an election year, you may want to start in the primaries and have your students track specific races or specific candidates (See "Track the Candidates," above). They will then be able to follow these individuals through the process, examining their ads, their media coverage, and their appearances.
U.S. Political Parties (Lesson 8)
In having the students research the various political parties, it may help to use Project Vote Smart's links to political party web sites.
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