So that the students can practice what they have learned, I will hold a vote. The students will vote on a treat to be brought in on Friday. I will only mention the vote one time. Monday I will tell the students that we are voting and I will have them vote on their own time. I want them to understand that nobody is going to tell them to vote when they get older. If students forget to vote, I will be able to show them how that affects the outcome. I have also asked on the ballot to check if they are a girl or a boy. I have only asked the boys to state their racial status so that they can see the difference their vote makes. Women of all races were not allowed to vote until 1920, so they do not have to mark their nationality. The recognition of gender and race is only to help the students see how important all people are to each election and to emphasise the fact that for a long time, many people were not allowed to vote. I am having them vote on snacks because they will get an instant outcome. There are not always current issues to vote on. For example, the presidential election is every four years. While I will have active discussions on current events, I will need to get my point across when there are not any local elections. The following attachment is a ballot that I created for our classroom vote. I want my students to walk away from this lesson with a knowledge of the people who fought for our rights and I want them to understand that their vote counts.
Author:
Carrie Seather
Last modified:
4/29/2006 5:20 AM (EST)
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