Classroom Activities
What is democracy? Teacher will ask the students what democracy is and create a list together of common features of a democracy. We will also collectively discuss why they think democracy exists.
Students will view a YouTube Video about Democracy for kids. This will provide them with some background information and knowledge about democracy.
Students will then examine and discuss what makes democracy fair? The teacher will begin by asking what does the word fair mean to them? Additional discussion questions will be “What makes something unfair?” “What can you do about something that is unfair?”
Teacher will engage in a conversation with students about voting. Teacher will ask the students if they know someone who has voted before? Teacher will also ask if they have ever gone to a polling place during any election with a parent or family member? Teacher will explain that although they are not old enough to vote in an actual election, they can create and participate in a mock election. Teacher will explain to them that they are going to set up a mock polling place over the next several weeks. The students will create ballots and ballot boxes. We will discuss the election process and how it can change different policies in place. This activity is a part of the culminating activity. They will use the ballots and the ballot boxes at the end of the unit.
Students will view additional videos about democracy from around the world. We will specifically take a deep dive look at Mexico and Canada.
Students will research and examine the voting process over the past two centuries and how it has changed. Students will create an active timeline together to gain an appreciation of the ability to vote and to also look at the history of voting in the United States.
Teacher will give students voting cards. They will use the cards to have the opportunity to vote on different issues. There will be various rounds of voting. During each round only certain color voting cards will be able to vote to show who was actually able to vote during this time. This will prompt discussions about democracy and inequality. After the activity is completed the teachers will ask the students if it is fair that some people couldn’t vote in the United States back in the 18 and 1900’s due to their race or gender?
Middle school students will argue for a change to their own democratic system - it will be either on how the senate is created, how votes are cast or to change who is allowed to vote. This allows them to develop their own theories or ideologies about said topics.
Students will engage in discussions about voter suppression and the electoral college. This will prompt another discussion around if we really have freedom if voters are suppressed.
Students will research how countries have worked to create fairer systems. They will have selected two out of the four and do a quick comparison and contrast of how their governments have worked to create fairer systems.
The students will write a letter to one of our local government officials from our class about a policy in our community or city that we would like to see changed. Students will decide collectively about what they will write about and want to see changed.
For their culminating activity, students will create and run their own election. This will be a 4 week process. The teacher will inform the students at the beginning of the unit that they will have this project to complete. The students will create various components that they will need for the election throughout the unit.
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