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Voting - Amber Hornick

I. The focus of this lesson is about the local government, specifically voting.
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Expected duration: About an hour long


Social Sciences (History)
The concept is Why Vote
Vocabulary:
a. Elections- The act or process of electing someone to fill an office or position.
b. Rights- Having the right to your rights
5.Skills Working together in groups, doing research
6. Goals Learn about voting
II. Content Outline
Students will gain a historical understanding of voting rights in America through
an online game, Inside the Voting Booth. Students will then examine the
problems of low voter turnout. From surveys and research, students will point out
causes and then will come up with solutions to increase voter participation.
III. Standards- PA civics, History, Economics, Geography; NCSS Thematic Strands
and performance Indicators
PDE SAS- Understands ideas about civic life, politics, and government
IV. Lesson Objectives

Students will recognize the importance of voting within a democracy.

Students will conduct a survey of voters in the community.

Students will analyze results of the survey.

Students will establish ways to increase voter participation.

Students will list valuable steps in registering to vote.

Students will understand the voting rights.

Students will identify various ways to register to vote (local registration, on the Web
through the department of motor vehicles, by mail).
V. Teaching Procedures1. Anticipatory Set- I will ask the students if they have ever voted. Then I will allow the
students to brainstorm voting situations at school, at home in family decisions, and in
sports.

2. Lesson Input1. Next the students will go on the computers to do an online activity "Inside The
Voting Booth." Students will learn about the history of voting rights in the
"Could You Vote?" game.
2. For more information the students might contact local government offices or
the League of Women Voters to find answers. There are also many websites
online for the students to gain further information on this topic.
3. After doing some research and making a few calls students will be asked if
they can think of easier ways to vote. Voting through the Internet may be
discussed as an option. What other ways can students think of that would make
voter registration and voting easier?
3. Guided Practice1. Conduct a community survey to determine local voter participation in the last
presidential and/or local election. Students should collect basic data, such as,
sex, age range; information about voting behaviors ("Did you vote in the last
election? Why or why not?"); and voter preferences about improving the
process (choosing the best ways to make voter registration and voting easier,
from the list the class brainstormed together).
2. Students will survey at least 5 people of voting age. Encourage students to
survey a representative sample of age levels, educational levels, and different
occupations.
3. I will show the students how the forms should be completed. Create the survey
form together, using a word processing or desktop publishing program.
4. Students will be given a minimum of 10 copies of the survey and a results tally
form.
4.Independent Practice
1. Students will tally and graph their findings from their own 5 voter surveys; this
data should also be combined with other students' data for a class composite,
creating a class spreadsheet or database. Students will compare/contrast their
data from the five surveys to the classroom data.
2. Students will use their data to determine the percentage of eligible voters that
did vote. Students will also draw conclusions about the characteristics of voters
and non-voters.
3. Students will examine reasons for not voting and suggest ways to improve
voter participation. Students will then e-mail their results to local officials and
the League of Women Voters.
4. Return to the PBS Web site's "Inside The Voting Booth" activity to print out
customized voter reminder/registration cards for students to keep until they
turn 18.

5.Differentiation
Older students can take a closer look at one particular division of voting behavior (e.g.,
educational levels or occupational effects on voting) to draw conclusions.
6.Closure
Thestudentswillcreateaposterthatpromotesvotingparticipation.Theywilluse
theircollecteddatatodoso.
Studentscanplacethesepostersup.

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