- View and summarize video.
- Develop organization charts and identify responsibilities for different levels of government.
Extensions:
- Create a product to demonstrate understanding.
- Utilize E-Learning Modules
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- Research to determine procedures for voter registration, running for office, and elections
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- Research elections/Form of government for other countries
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Suggested timeframe:
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Suggested timeframe:
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Suggested timeframe:
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Objectives:
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Objectives:
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Objectives:
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- 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.
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- The student will research the process for registering to vote and ways in which individuals can participate in the political process.
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- The students will compare forms of government, voter freedom, and voter participation in chosen countries.
- The student will apply analogical thinking to make comparisons between governments of selected countries, citing historical events.
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Procedure:
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Procedure:
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Procedure:
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- Introduce lesson by asking students if they feel it is important to have a voice in how things are decided in the classroom or in their families.
- Allow students freedom to express their opinions and compile a list of ways in which they could have input.
- When voting is mentioned, elaborate and ask if decisions were being decided by vote, would they participate.
- Introduce the video and show to the group.
- Discuss student impressions of the video, identifying the purpose of the film maker and intended audience.
- View the video again, with students making notes of phrases mentioned.
- Discuss the meaning of Representative Democracy and how it depends on voter participation.
- Break the group into three smaller groups. Assign a level of government (local, state, national) to each group to develop the following:
- Organizational chart
- Responsibilities for that level.
- Provide access to reference websites and/or materials
- In large group, teams share charts and lists compiled, allowing additions to be made as the discussion progresses.
- Reiterate importance of informed voter participation as a mechanism to make a difference and have a voice in government.
- Refer to the earlier brainstorming activity that listed ways to participate in the political process and have your voice heard.
- Compile and post a list to which students can add as the class progresses.
- Extension: Students express their understanding on the importance of voting and ways in which citizens can participate in the political process in one of the following:
- Essay
- Poster
- Presentation
- Children’s book
- Other with teacher approval
- Introduce e-learning modules from Center on Congress website.
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Day 1:
- Introduce the lesson by asking specifics about registering to vote, running for office, and voting.
- As students determine that they have limited knowledge of procedures, compile a list of questions and develop a list of resource people for possible interview. Ex:
- City Clerk
- Circuit Clerk
- Mayor
- City Councilman
- State Representative
- State Senator
- Congressional Staff Member
- Member of Congress
Day 2: As schedule permits
- Conduct an interview of the resource person using questions compiled in earlier class.
- Students gather notes and reflect on the information in an essay.
- Compose thank you letters to send to the resource person.
- Invite a state legislator to class through the America’s Legislators Back to School Program, www.ncsl.org/backtoschool
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Day 1:
- Open lesson with a discussion of representative democracy in America.
- Ask for the meaning of voter apathy and why people would be apathetic about voting.
- Introduce the website for the Center on Congress at Indiana University and navigate as a group. www.centeroncongress.org
- Given the list of countries on the “International Voter Turnout” slide, make predictions and identify the voter percentages.
- Discuss reasons given for not voting by 18-26 year olds.
- Ask students about forms of government for selected other countries, making a list of countries about which the students have no clear knowledge of the form of government.
- Individually or in small groups, students select a country from list and conduct research to determine the following:
- Form of government
- Record of voter participation
- Voter freedom
- Stability of government
- Literacy rate for men and women
Day 2:
- Present gathered information to the group.
- Make comparisons and inferences based on information gathered.
- Using a large world map, create a display of information to show comparisons.
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Evaluation
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Evaluation
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Evaluation
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- Participation
- Rubric for product evaluation
- Student created charts/posters
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- Rubric for product evaluation.
- Participation
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- Rubric for product evaluation.
- Participation
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Resources
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Resources
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Resources
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http://www.centeroncongress.org (
- E-Learning Modules)
- Reference materials
- “Brainstorming” Activity Sheet (p 1)
- “Am I missing Something?” Activity Sheet (p 2)
- “Levels of Government” Activity Sheet (p 3)
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- Guest Speakers
- “Interview Questions” Activity Sheet (p 4-5)
- “Reflecting on Learning” Essay Planner(p 6)
- Rubric for effort and product evaluation
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- RDA videos developed by Center for Civic Education
- E-learning modules from Center on Congress Website.
- “Citizen Brain”
- “Your Vote Counts” NCSL
- “Comparing Countries and Voter Participation” Activity Sheet (p 7)
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