Am I Missing Something? Voice

Summary and discussion of message of the video.

Partnership activities with a state legislator to build an understanding of the processes of state government. 

Role play situations to illustrate “voice”.

Suggested Timeframe:

• 1-2 Class Periods

Suggested Timeframe:

• 2-3 Class Periods

Suggested Timeframe:

• 1-2 Class Periods

Objectives

Objectives

Objectives

• The student will summarize and interpret the message of the video to identify the purpose, audience, and effectiveness of the message.
• The student will apply knowledge of vocabulary used in the video by using it appropriately in verbal and written activities. 

• The students will form a partnership with a state legislator to gain a better understanding way state government works.

• The students will role-play created situations that illustrate ways in which people have a “voice”.

Procedure

Procedure

Procedure

• Introduce the activity discussing the importance of all people having a voice in government, families, and society. Encourage the students to identify ways in which they have a voice. Ex: buying power in the grocery store, toys, lunch room, etc.
• Compare the arguing that is mentioned in the legislature with the arguments that families have at home.
• Determine whether arguing is always a problem in a family, community, etc.
• Teams create “Conflict Situation” cards, elaborating on common family conflicts.
• Share situations with the group.
• Close lesson with discussion of importance of compromise in everyday life, encouraging students to express logical arguments for or against compromise in a political setting.

Extension

• View NCSL “You Rule” or “Citizen Brain” videos and discuss debate and compromise in the legislature. 

• Introduce lesson by discussing the scenarios/ situations created in the earlier lesson.
• Invite a few students to participate with teacher in acting out a teacher created situation.
• Discuss ways in which “voices” are heard in everyday life situations.
• Put students into small groups for role-playing activity. Each group select a situation card.
• Specify period of time for each group to prepare roles.
• Dramatize the situations for the whole group.
• Debrief the situations presented and the ways in which people’s voices are heard.
• Students reflect on lessons learned by composing an essay.

Day 1:

• Introduce the lesson by asking who the legislators are for the districts in which they live.
• Introduce students to the state government website, navigating to demonstrate locating the legislator’s pictures and contact information. 
• Discuss information about America’s Legislators Back to School Program sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures, www.ncsl.org/backtoschool.
• Discuss the possibility of forming a partnership with the legislator, citing the possibilities for a trip to the Capitol to watch the legislature in action.
• View NCSL “You Rule” or “Citizen Brain” videos
• Develop questions for the interview.   
• Compose letters to the legislator to invite him/her to the classroom.

Day 2: (Interview)

• On day of the interview, review questions and note-taking techniques. If possible, video the interview to review in a later class session, if needed.
• Conduct interview
• Identify ways the class could be of service in the partnership.
• Compile information from the interview in an essay.

Extension 

• Create a hall or classroom display of “Meet Your Elected Officials” Sheets to include local, state, and national elected officials.
• Add additional pictures and information as interviews are conducted throughout the school year. 

Evaluation

Evaluation

Evaluation

• Participation
• Completed Activity Sheets

• Participation in Class and in Interview/s
• Completed Activity Sheets
• Essay
• Rubric for Evaluation of Essay

• Participation in Role-Playing Activity
• Essay
• Rubric for Essay Evaluation

Resources

Resources

Resources

• American Democracy Video: “Am I missing something?” Voice
• “Do you have a voice?” Activity Sheet (p 1-2)
• “Situation Cards” Activity Sheet (p 3-4)
• NCSL videos: “You Rule” or “Citizen Brain”

• America’s Legislators Back to School Program-National Conference of State Legislatures, www.ncsl.org/backtoschool
• NCSL videos “You Rule” and “Citizen Brain”
• Internet Access
• Home State Government Website
• “Meet Your Elected Officials” Activity Sheet (p 7)
• “Interview Questions and Notes” Activity Sheet (p 8-9)
• Essay Planner for Interviews (p 10) 

• Sample

“Situation Cards” (p 5)

• Student-created “Situation Cards” (p 3-4)
• Essay Planner (p 6)

Create a book for children about state or local government. 

Create a “Day in the Life of our _________” Video or Power Point Presentation. 

Suggested Timeframe:

• Extended Class Periods

Suggested Timeframe

• Extended Class Periods

Objectives:

Objectives:

• The student will work independently or with an illustrator to plan, compose, and illustrate a children’s book about state or local government or government officials. 

• Working with a local or state elected official, Create a video or Power Point presentation to document day to day events for chosen elected officials. 

Procedure:

Procedure:

Day 1:

• Introduce the activity by showing the book, House Mouse, Senate Mouse, on the Democracy Kids page of the Center on Congress website, www.centeroncongress.org
• Discuss what children could learn about Congress from this book. 
• Brainstorm ideas for children’s books that could be used to teach younger students about local and state government. 
• Review the “Am I missing something” videos to get additional ideas. 

1. ABC book

2. Fiction

3. Non-fiction

4. Activity book

5. Other

• Students work independently or with an illustrator to plan, compose, and illustrate a children’s book. 
• Upon completion, partner with a class of younger students to read the books created.

• Introduce the activity by viewing E-Learning modules on the site of the Center on Congress at Indiana. (See resources)
• Discuss importance of understanding responsibilities and work done by elected officials to represent our voice at the city, county, state, and national level. 
• Make a list of all elected officials for the area.
• Students form teams to select the official they will contact. 
• Follow the planning guide to set goals and objectives, establish a plan of action, and organize materials for a presentation.
• Teacher arrange for access to officials via job shadowing, e-mail, mail, or in person. 

Evaluation

Evaluation

• Finished Books
• Rubric for Product Evaluation

• Participation
• Finished Products
• Presentation before Authentic Audiences
• Student developed rubric

Resources

Resources

• “Write a Children’s Book”  Contract and Requirement Sheet (p 11)
• Samples of Children’s Books
• Access to the internet
• Center on Congress website “Democracy Kids”
• American Democracy Videos

www.centeroncongress.org

• “A Day in the Life of…” E-Learning Modules
• Access to elected officials
• Project Planning Guide (p 12-15)
• Student compiled rubric for evaluation (See Rubric Bank)