Social Studies Project: The Election For this trimester we will be focusing on the Presidential Election.

Our ultimate goal is to have a mock election, once all views are presented. The election will take place a few days prior to the official Presidential Election. We will have the class split into four groups, Democrats, Republicans, and two groups of Debate Moderators. Within the two Presidential groups I have a selected President and Vice President. The remaining members of the party will be campaign followers and researchers. We will be having a Republican and Democratic Convention, as well as two debates, one Presidential and the other Vice Presidential. The debate moderators will be the group who will create the questions, which will be debated. During the debates the remainder of the class will be listening attentively, taking notes, as well as filling out a grading rubric. Then on voting day it will be the entire class job to vote not based on the party they worked for, but based on their own views of the matters at hand. You will be graded on the following: Group/Class participation Written work Speeches Creativity How your group grades you Overall Presentation Campaign Schedule Wednesday September 10, Turn in current views on the Presidential Election Discuss Republican and Democrat beliefs Friday September 12 Meet with Groups and discuss workload Assign responsibilities Wednesday September 17 Groups meet and discuss findings from the previous week Continue working in groups Visual aids Wednesday September 24 Discuss electoral colleges and votes Work in groups Run through info to be presented in Convention Wednesday October 1 Moderators turn in sample questions for the debate Democratic Convention 20 mins

o Turn in speech and research Republican Convention 20 mins o Turn in speech and research

Wednesday October 8 Prepare for debates Wednesday October 15 Vice Presidential Debate o Turn in questions (Moderators) o Turn in notes and observations (class) o Turn in Research for each Vice Presidential Party Wednesday October 22 Presidential Debate o Turn in questions (moderators) o Turn in Research for each Presidential Party o Turn in notes and observations (class) Wednesday October 30 Election Day! Conventions During the Conventions both the President and the VP will say a speech on their beliefs and why they believe their party should be elected. We will watch videos of past Conventions for some ideas. Debates The Presidential candidates will debate each other as will the Vice Presidential. Both parties will have their research teams to assist them and to create answers to the given sample debate questions. The candidates need to come up with questions that they believe will be asked of them, as well as prepare their partys answers. Democrats Create a campaign that is in line with the current campaign strategy being used by the Obama/Biden camp. Research and develop a plan, and present ideas to the President/VP so that they may prepare for their Conventions, Debates and campaign. Republicans Create a campaign that is in line with the current campaign strategy being used by the McCain/Palin camp. Research and develop a plan, and present ideas to the President/VP so they may prepare for the remainder of the campaign. Presidential/VP Debate Moderators Do research on both parties and create meaningful questions that insight a debate between parties. Research must be thorough and questions must be well written. Sample questions will be turned in prior to debate so that I may look them over, return them, and

revisions can be made.

Research: Students may bring in magazines, newspaper clippings, media, as well as Internet information as research. They may use the books that people have written about the candidates as well as books the candidates have written about themselves, however every research source used must be cited in their source cited page. Notes: We are using real information given by the actual Democratic and Republican parties of this current election. Students are not to make anything up. They need to use what they research to best answer all questions asked of them as well as to make accurate speeches during the Convention. Whatever your stance on the particular party you are assigned, you will work diligently and cooperatively with the other members of the group. We are looking at this election to be able to understand both sides of the campaign as well as to learn about the election process. Only during the anonymous election, as well as our opening essay assignment, will the class be able to express their own personal opinion. Academic Honesty: We will be turning in a source-cited page along with our individual research at the end of the project. Everyone, regardless of group, everyone will do research for the project so everyone will have research to turn in as well as a source cited page.