KIDS VOTING USA 3–5 CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

KIDS VOTING USA

3–5

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

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3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

KIDS VOTING USA

1ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

INTRODUCTION TO THEME

The intent of this theme is to educate students about elections, from gaining an appreciation of the power of

voting to studying the candidates and issues to understanding the registration process and participating in an

election. The theme’s activities fall under four main learning objectives:

• Students will develop an appreciation for the power and influence of voting.

• Students will learn how to study the candidates and issues relevant to an election.

• Students will understand what is involved in the registration and voting process.

• Students will learn how to stay involved with civic affairs after an election.

GENERAL ACTIVITIES

CONCEPT 1: MY VOTE GIVES ME POWER

Voter Apathy Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Voting Graphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

CONCEPT 2: I STUDY THE CANDIDATES AND ISSUES

Meet The Candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Where Did You Hear That? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Two Ballots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

CONCEPT 3: I REGISTER AND VOTE

The Name Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Polling Place Mural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Voting Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

CONCEPT 4: I CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Watching The Returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

The Wish Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Promises To Keep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

OVERARCHING QUESTIONS

Questions for Concept 1: My Vote Gives Me Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Questions for Concept 2: I Study the Candidates and Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Questions for Concept 3: I Register and Vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Questions for Concept 4: I Continue to Make a Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY

The Vote: Making Your Voice Heard by Linda Scher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

CULMINATING ACTIVITY

I Go To The Polls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

2ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

My Vote Gives Me Power

OBJECTIVE

Students experience the effects of apathy.

MATERIALS

Ballots handout; Please Vote Today handout;

material to construct a ballot box

GET READY

 Adapt the set of ballots on the following page

for your classroom.

 Copy and cut a set of ballots for each student.

 Copy the Please Vote Today sign and assign a

student to color it and set it up on a table or desk.

 Assign a few students to construct a ballot box.

Set it near the Please Vote Today sign.

 See “Voter Apathy” in the Appendix.

INSTRUCTIONS

 On Monday, without discussion, say to the

students: We will vote on an issue a day for

the next five days. Each morning I will place

the ballots by the ballot box. Please come by

the desk once a day to vote by marking a

ballot and placing your ballot in the box.

At the end of the week we will tally and

implement the votes.

 Do not encourage or remind students to vote

during the week.

 At the end of the week, assign a few students to

tally and record the results on the board.

 The following week, implement the results.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What was the point of this activity?

# Who didn’t vote and now wishes they had?

# Might the outcome have been different if

everyone had voted?

# Did more students vote on some days than

others? Why?

# What does the word “apathy” mean?

(Unconcern or indifference)

# Were any of us apathetic to voting? Why or

why not?

# Do you think more students would vote if we

voted like this again? Why?

# Are voters in the U.S. apathetic? Why?

# Why should citizens vote? What could happen

if they don’t vote?

# Is there anything we can do to encourage

adults to vote? If so, what?

MORE!

Help your students learn to be responsible to

vote by allowing them to make as many

classroom decisions as possible by voting.

VOTER APATHY EXPERIENCE

(A few minutes a day for a week)

3ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

BALLOTS

VOTER APATHY EXPERIENCE

Increase recess by 10 minutes,

but add 10 minutes of homework

Decrease recess by 10 minutes,

but take away 10 minutes of homework

Keep recess and homework

the same as it has been

VOTE FOR ONE

(Length of Recess)

Once a week for 1 hour

Every night for 15 minutes each night

3 times a week for 20 minutes each night

VOTE FOR ONE

(Amount of Homework)

Work alone all day

Work with a friend all day

Work in teams all day

VOTE FOR ONE

(Work Pattern)

Math, Science, Reading, Spelling,

Social Studies

Science, Spelling, Reading,

Social Studies, Math

Remain as is

VOTE FOR ONE

(Order of Day)

Lunch in the classroom next Monday

Lunch outside next Monday

Lunch in the cafeteria next Monday

VOTE FOR ONE

(Lunch)

VOTE FOR ONE

(Issue: )

4ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

PLEASE VOTE TODAY

VOTER APATHY EXPERIENCE

Please

Vote

Today

Please

Vote

Today

5ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

My Vote Gives Me Power

OBJECTIVE

Students appreciate the impact of their vote.

MATERIALS

Construction paper; scissors; butcher paper

(not necessary if you use a chalkboard/

whiteboard)

GET READY

 Cut construction paper into 1-inch squares

and hang a large piece of butcher paper.

(You may alternatively use your chalkboard

to create the graph.)

INSTRUCTIONS

 Have your students participate in a vote.

Either come up with a question relevant to

your classroom or let your students come up

with one.

 Have your students graph the results of the

vote. They can create a graph on the

blackboard or on the piece of butcher paper.

 Have one student read the results while others

place the paper squares or fill in the graph

with chalk.

 Carry out the results of the vote as it affects

the classroom (we will have no math

homework tonight, etc).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Do you have power to make decisions and

changes when you vote?

# What happens if you decide not to vote?

# Is this how our government tallies the vote?

# How do they do it?

VOTING GRAPHS

(20 minutes)

6ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

I Study the Candidates and Issues

OBJECTIVE

Students put together a page consisting of

pictures and promises made by the candidates

running for office.

MATERIALS

Meet the Candidates handout; scissors, glue

GET READY

 Divide your students into pairs.

 Duplicate one copy of the Meet the Candidates

handout for each pair of students.

 Collect, or have your students collect, local

campaign literature and several recent issues

of the local newspapers.

 Prepare scissors and glue for each pair of

classmates.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Tell the pairs to look for a photograph of each

candidate in an election and to also look for

articles about the candidates’ campaigns.

 Ask your students to watch the news and listen

for promises that the candidates make. Give an

example: John Jones says that he will bring

new businesses to our town.

 Give students time to work on the Meet the

Candidates handout the next day and possibly

at home. (Students could alternatively work on

this project in small groups.)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What promises have been made by the

candidates? (Continue until you have reviewed

all the candidates.)

# Which promises seem most important to you?

How do campaign promises help you decide

how to vote?

# Is there one candidate whose picture appears

more often than the others? Do you think

he/she is winning right now? Do you think the

pictures are giving him/her an advantage?

# What can we do if politicians do not keep their

campaign promises?

MORE!

Continue to collect campaign pictures and

put them up on a bulletin board with the

Meet the Candidates papers.

Bring up the concept of promises in other

contexts: books the students read, classroom

rules, etc.

MEET THE CANDIDATES

(30-40 minutes over two days)

7ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

MEET THE CANDIDATES

Candidate Name

Picture of Candidate

Campaign Promises

Candidate Name

Picture of Candidate

Campaign Promises

Candidate Name

Picture of Candidate

Campaign Promises

8ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

I Study the Candidates and Issues

OBJECTIVE

Students gather information about candidates

and issues for analysis.

MATERIALS

Where Did You Hear That? handout

GET READY

 Cut the media patterns from the handout and

place them on a bulletin board entitled “Where

Did You Hear That?”

 For more information see “Political Campaigns”

in the Appendix.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Discuss with your students the importance of

staying informed and up-to-date on the issues

and candidates. Ask them where they can get

information to make wise voting decisions.

 Invite students to share things they have

already heard people say about the candidates

or issues. Have your students record this infor-

mation on small slips of paper and place them

under the lips graphic on the bulletin board.

 Ask if anyone remembers hearing anything on

TV or the radio in respect to the candidates

and issues. If so, again have your students

write the information on slips of paper, though

this time have them attach the slips under the

TV or radio graphics.

 Ask your students to cut out information

from newspapers, magazines, political

brochures, or any other written media and

bring it to class to help complete the bulletin

board. This information should be attached

under the newspaper graphic.

 Ask your class to continue to actively listen to

other people, to watch/listen to the TV or radio,

and to read the newspaper so they can continue

to bring information for the bulletin board.

 Continue to fill the board for a few days.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Has the information gathered influenced how

you will vote?

# Where do you think people get most of their

information?

# Are your family and friends good sources of

information?

Should you believe all the information you hear?

MORE!

At the end of the week, play, “Do You Believe

It?” As you read a piece of information, ask the

children to give a thumbs up if they believe it

is true, thumbs sideways for maybe, or a

thumbs down for false. Ask the students to

explain what makes certain information

believable and other information not.

WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT?

(A few minutes a day for a week)

9ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT?

10ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

I Study the Candidates and Issues

OBJECTIVE

Students experience voting with and without

adequate information.

MATERIALS

Two Ballots handout

GET READY

 Make enough copies of the Two Ballots handout

for the number of students in your class.

 Cut the ballots apart.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Without any instruction, give the students

Ballot A and ask them to vote.

 Have your students either tally the results as a

group on the board or individually on a piece

of paper. (Students may also graph the results

of the vote at your discretion.)

 Give the students Ballot B and ask them to

vote again. Tally (and graph) the results again.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What difference was there between “Ballot A”

and “Ballot B”?

# Did you change your vote once you had the

information on “Ballot B”?

# Why is it important to gather information

before we vote?

# Where can we get information before voting?

# Have you already decided who you will vote

for? If not, how will you get the information

you need to decide?

MORE!

Make extra copies of the two ballots for your

students so they can share with adults at home.

Have students take a simple class poll by

asking adults where they get most of their

information before voting.

Ask your students to bring in any election

articles, pictures, or materials for a bulletin

board.

VOTE QUOTE

“Liberty without learning is always in peril and

learning without liberty is always in vain.”

– J.F. Kennedy

TWO BALLOTS

(10-15 minutes)

This lesson was developed by Edna Neprud, Kids Voting Georgia; Kelly Kline, Kids Voting California; and Bobbie May, Kids Voting Washington.

11ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

TWO BALLOTS

Ballot A

1. School

2. Recess

3. Ice Cream

4. Homework

5. Television

YES

Ballot B

1. School will be year round.

2. Recess will be replaced

by 20 minutes of sit-ups

& push-ups.

3. Only garlic-flavored ice

cream will be served in

the cafeteria.

4. There will be no

homework on weekends.

5. Television will be in the

classroom — but only

the commercials.

YES

Ballot B

1. School will be year round.

2. Recess will be replaced

by 20 minutes of sit-ups

& push-ups.

3. Only garlic-flavored ice

cream will be served in

the cafeteria.

4. There will be no

homework on weekends.

5. Television will be in the

classroom — but only

the commercials.

YES

Ballot A

1. School

2. Recess

3. Ice Cream

4. Homework

5. Television

YES

12ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

I Register and Vote

OBJECTIVE

Students discover the importance of voter

registration.

MATERIALS

Kids Voting Registration Cards handout; slips

of paper; a paper bag or equivalent

GET READY

 Copy enough Kids Voting Registration Cards

for your class.

 Write the words “same” and “different” on two

slips of paper and place them in a container or

paper bag so students cannot see what they

are picking.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Ask your students to privately give themselves

a new name, write it on a slip of paper, and

keep it hidden from the other students.

 In seat order, ask each student to stand and

announce his or her new name. As the teacher,

write down the new names of the students

(beside their real names on a student roster) so

you can keep track. Tell the class to listen

carefully to their classmates’ new names

because they will need to remember them

without being able to write them down.

 Next, have each student draw a slip of paper

from the container and say either the same

name he/she said earlier or a different one as

indicated by the slip of paper.



Ask the class to remember whether it was the

same or a different name. Have your

students

vote by a show of hands and tell the class whether

or not they are correct. If they are wrong,

remind

them of the name they had forgotten.

 Once every student has drawn from the bag,

talk with your class about the importance of

voter registration. Point out that without

registering, some people might try to vote

multiple times.

 Copy and give each student a Kids Voting

Registration Card to fill out. Collect the cards

and return them the day before elections so

each student can take their card to the polls.

 Fold a piece of lined paper in half and have

each student sign on the left hand side. Save

the paper to use as a registration list for the

voting simulation activity.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Was this game difficult or easy in your

opinion? What made it so?

# How was this game like voter registration?

# What might happen if people did not have

to register?

# Can you think of other ways than registration

that we could use to make sure people voted

only once? Any futuristic ideas?

MORE!

Help coordinate a school registration day for

both students and parents. Invite a deputy

registrar for parents and let students register

for the Kids Voting USA election at the same

time. See local Teachers Handbook for more

information.

THE NAME GAME

(20 minutes)

13ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

KIDS VOTING REGISTRATION CARDS

THE NAME GAME

Voter Registration

Student

Teacher

School

Voter Registration

Student

Teacher

School

Voter Registration

Student

Teacher

School

Voter Registration

Student

Teacher

School

14ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

I Register and Vote

OBJECTIVE

Students choose appropriate sites for

polling places.

MATERIALS

Mural Symbols handout; glue; scissors;

markers or crayons; several sheets of butcher

paper or newsprint

GET READY

 Make several copies of the Mural Symbols

handout.

 Have the glue, scissors, markers or crayons,

and several large sheets of butcher paper or

newsprint ready for use.

 See “Elections” in the Appendix.

INSTRUCTIONS



Divide your students into groups of three or four.

 Instruct each group to design a mural

depicting a neighborhood similar to their own.

(They may choose the neighborhood

surrounding the school if they are from

different areas.) Have your students draw their

design and/or use symbols from the handout.

 After allowing your students time to finish their

murals, review the activity with them using

the discussion questions.

 Ask each group to indicate the best location for

a polling place on their murals.

 Let each group show their mural to the class

and explain how their polling place is on a

reasonable site.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What sort of buildings act as polling places?

(churches, schools, etc.)

Why are polling places located in such buildings?

# Is our school a polling place?

# What time do the polling places open and close?

# Have you ever been to a polling place with an

adult? If so, what was it like?

# Do you know where the adults at your house go

to vote? Where? If not, how can you find out?

MORE!

If there are several polling places within the

boundaries of your school, assign your

students to find the polling place where they

will vote. Post a map of the area in your room

and let the students place nametags at their

polling places.

POLLING PLACE MURAL

(30 minutes)

15ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

MURAL SYMBOLS

POLLING PLACE MURAL

16ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

I Register and Vote

VOTING SIMULATION

(30-40 minutes)

OBJECTIVE

Students vote in a simulated polling place to

become familiar with the voting process.

MATERIALS

Paper for ballots; material for a ballot box and

voting booth; Polling Place Diagram handout

GET READY

 Choose an issue that will impact the students

rather quickly. For instance, vote on what’s for

homework that evening or something fun such

as determining the class’s favorite color.

 Prepare ballots or determine a way to vote on

blank pieces of paper.

 Prepare a simple ballot box and voting booth.

 Arrange a corner of the classroom to resemble

a polling place as shown in the diagram.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Explain the roles of the various precinct

workers and assign students to these roles.

Seat them as shown in the diagram.

 Give one of the judges the registration sheet

derived from “The Name Game” activity.

 Give the clerks lined paper to record the voters

as they come in.

 Hand the ballots to the other judge.

 Seat the marshal by the ballot box.

 Ask a student to demonstrate by casting

the first vote.

 Let each student go through the process

of voting.

 Instruct the marshal to tally and announce

the vote.

 Implement the vote.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Who can go to a polling place?

# Have you ever gone with your parents?

If so, where was it?

# How do adults know where to vote?

# If they don’t know, how can they find out?

# Can everybody vote?

# Have you voted at the Kids Voting booth

before? What was it like?

# Where will you go to cast your Kids Voting

vote this election?

# Are there any rules in a polling place?

# What do you think are good manners for a

polling place?

17ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

POLLING PLACE DIAGRAM

VOTING SIMULATION

At the polls there are usually: one inspector; two judges — one

Republican, one Democrat; two clerks — one Republican, one

Democrat; and one marshal.

As you enter you will generally meet:

A judge with the register, a list containing the names of

registered voters in the precinct, who will ask your name,

find it in the register, and ask you to sign beside it

Two clerks, one for each party, who will add your name to a

list to witness that you have voted

Another judge, who will hand you your ballot, and help you

understand how to cast your ballot

A voting booth

The marshal, who will take your ballot and place it in the

ballot box

The inspector, who oversees the polling place and assigns all

the workers their duties

Poll workers have other duties. For

instance the marshal makes sure that

the law is kept. She watches that no one

campaigns within 150 feet of the polls

and she checks to see that everyone in

line when the poll closes gets a chance

to vote.

You, the voter, will:

1. Sign in by writing your name in

the register

2. Take a ballot from a judge

3. Go to the booth and vote

4. Return your ballot to the marshal

18ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

I Continue to Make a Difference

WATCHING THE RETURNS

(Time varies)

OBJECTIVE

Students monitor the election returns to

stay politically active.

MATERIALS

U.S. Map handout

GET READY

 Copy one U.S. Map handout for each student.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Ask your students to take the maps home and

watch the election returns on television or find

them in the newspaper.

 Instruct them to choose a color for each

presidential candidate (preferably blue for a

Democratic candidate and red for a Republican

candidate) and to color the states accordingly

as they learn the results from television, the

radio, or newspaper.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What happened when you went to the polls?

# Did you have any problems? Any surprises?

# Did the election turn out as you thought

it would?

# How do you feel about it today?

# Were the election returns exciting to watch?

# If you were planning an election returns show

for kids how would you make it more exciting?

MORE!

For gubernatorial or other state elections,

copy a state map showing counties. Follow

instructions above.

VOTE QUOTE

“Politics is just another word for your future.”

– Unknown

19ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

U.S. MAP

WATCHING THE RETURNS

Color Key

= Democrat

= Republican

= Other

20ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

I Continue to Make a Difference

OBJECTIVE

Students make wishes for their country that

express changes they want to see.

MATERIALS

Star Cards handout; art supplies (crayons,

markers, etc.); yarn; hole puncher; scissors

GET READY

 Find a large bare tree branch and place it in a

pot filled with pebbles or design a large tree out

of paper and attach it to a wall or bulletin board.

 Copy and cut apart a star card for each

student.

 Prepare: one 8-inch-long piece of string or

yarn for each student, crayons, markers, or

colored pencils, scissors, and a hole puncher.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Instruct your students to cut out the star card,

fold it in half, and color/decorate the cover.

 As they are working, ask them to make a wish

for our country.

 Have your students draw or write their wish on

the inside of the card and sign their names.

 Help them punch a hole in the corner and tie

string through the hole.

 Hold a ceremony so the students may tie their

cards to the tree. They may read or describe

their wishes as they place them on the tree or

share them more privately later on.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# How can our wishes for our country come true?

# Is there anything a young person can do to

make these wishes come true?

# How have we helped our country by

participating in this activity?

# If we practice self-discipline and patience in

our classroom, how might that help?

# Can you think of anyone who had a wish or a

dream for our country and made it come true?

Tell us about it.

MORE!

As a class, brainstorm a wish for the

community that the class can make a reality

(such as a cleaner school or playground).

Work together to make this happen.

THE WISH TREE

(30 minutes)

21ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

STAR CARDS

THE WISH TREE

“How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment.

We can start slowly changing the world. How lovely

that everyone great and small can make a contribution.”

– Anne Frank

“How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment.

We can start slowly changing the world. How lovely

that everyone great and small can make a contribution.”

– Anne Frank

22ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

I Continue to Make a Difference

OBJECTIVE

Students track the candidates’ promises to

involve themselves in the ongoing political

process.

MATERIALS

Promises To Keep handout

GET READY

 Copy Promises To Keep handout for each

student or group.

 See “Political Campaigns” in the Appendix.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Instruct your students to find the winning

candidates’ promises by examining newspapers

and news magazines and by watching TV.

 Have your students list one candidate’s

promises and make their predictions in the

appropriate Promises To Keep column.

 Save the charts until spring (if the election

was in the fall). In March, April, or May, place

check marks in the last column if the promises

were kept.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Have the winning candidates kept all their

promises?

# Do you think the candidates were sincere

about their promises?

# Why might it be difficult to keep campaign

promises?

# What course of action do we take if a

candidate has not kept his or her promises?

MORE!

Research campaign promises made by

candidates within the last two or three years to

see if the promises have been kept.

PROMISES TO KEEP

(Time varies)

23ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

PROMISES TO KEEP

PROMISES PREDICTIONS

I PREDICT HE/SHE

_______________ KEEP

THIS PROMISE.

HE/SHE DID IT!

Fill in the Promises and Predictions columns in the time leading up to the election. After some time has passed,

fill out the “He/She Did It!” column.

Candidate’s Name

I PREDICT HE/SHE

_______________ KEEP

THIS PROMISE.

I PREDICT HE/SHE

_______________ KEEP

THIS PROMISE.

I PREDICT HE/SHE

_______________ KEEP

THIS PROMISE.

I PREDICT HE/SHE

_______________ KEEP

THIS PROMISE.

I PREDICT HE/SHE

_______________ KEEP

THIS PROMISE.

I PREDICT HE/SHE

_______________ KEEP

THIS PROMISE.

24ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

MY VOTE GIVES ME POWER

# What is a vote? What do you think it is like to vote?

# What does voting accomplish?

# Does voting make a difference? How?

# What is an election?

# What is the purpose of an election?

# Are there different kinds of elections? Like what?

# What power does voting have?

# What happens when people do not vote?

I STUDY THE CANDIDATES AND ISSUES

# What is a candidate?

# What does a candidate hope to do?

# How do candidates try to win an election?

# Do you know any candidates in this election?

# What is an issue?

# Can you give an example of an issue?

# What issues are important to you?

# Why is it important to study the candidates?

# Why is it important to study the issues?

# What can you do to study the candidates and issues?

I REGISTER AND VOTE

# What does it mean to register?

# What do you think you do when you register?

# Why is it important to register?

# Do you need to register before you vote?

# Why is it important to vote?

# What do you accomplish when you register and vote?

# Have you ever been to a polling place? What was that experience like?

I CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

# What does it mean to make a difference?

# Does voting make a difference?

# What else can you do to make a difference?

# Do candidates make promises? Can you give me an example?

# Do all candidates keep their promises once they are elected?

# What can you do to make sure that candidates keep their promises when they are elected?

# What do you think is important to do once an election is over?

OVERARCHING QUESTIONS

25ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

OBJECTIVE

Students investigate elections and the

voting experience.

MATERIALS

The Vote: Making Your Voice Heard - Linda Scher

PRE-READING ACTIVITY

 Read to your class the paragraph on page 37

beginning, “The U.S. government is the only

western democracy that doesn’t…”

 Ask, Why do you think this is the case in

America? Do you think the government should

come up with ways to get more people to vote?

Why or why not?

 Ask, What did the author mean when she

commented that the government might need

to find new ways to keep voting from

becoming a “spectator sport.”



Next, ask your students to divide into groups of

two or three and brainstorm ways that prevent

Americans from becoming voter “spectators.”

 Have your students share their ideas with

the class.

 Read The Vote: Making Your Voice Heard

by Linda Scher

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What are the qualifications to vote today? Do

you think those are good qualifications? Why

or why not?

# “Voting is the foundation of democracy.” What

does that mean in your own words?

# How has voting changed in America over the

years? What do you think of these changes?

# How and where do you vote? What does voting

accomplish for yourself and others?

# Why do some people not vote even if they have

the right? How do you feel about that?

# How do you think wise decisions are made in

casting a vote?

# Why do you think the author named her book,

The Vote: Making Your Voice Heard?

ACTIVITY

 Have your students create a collage that

answers the following five questions (each

question is a chapter heading from the book):

 Who Can Vote?

 How Has Voting Changed?

 How and Where Do You Vote?

 Who Votes and Who Doesn’t?

 How Do You Use Your Vote Wisely?

 Divide your class up into groups of five so

that each student can prepare one question

for the collage.

 Give your students time to meet and determine

who is responsible for which question.

 Provide enough time for students to collect

articles, pictures, etc. (Encourage your students

to draw an image if they cannot find what they

are looking for in magazines, newspapers, etc.)

 On the day of creating the collages, break your

students up into their groups and make sure you

supply them with enough glue, scissors, etc.

(The students should have their pictures,

drawings, and other clippings ready, so they can

easily work together to create a group collage.)

 Have your groups present their collages to

the class identifying how they answered the

questions through their artwork.

LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY

The Vote: Making Your Voice Heard

by Linda Scher

26ELECTIONS AND VOTINGGrades 3-5

3–5

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

OBJECTIVE

Students engage in an authentic voting

experience.

MATERIALS

Election materials supplied by your Kids

Voting USA affiliate

GET READY

 Have your students’ voter registration cards

handy. (They should have filled them out during

The Name Game activity. If your students did

not yet participate in this activity, consider doing

it with them prior to them casting their votes.)

INSTRUCTIONS

 Tell your students, Now that we know what

voting is and why it is important, let’s use our

right to vote and make a difference!

 Give your students back their registration

cards prior to their voting experience so they

can take them to the polls.

 Have your students participate in your local

Kids Voting USA affiliate election. If you are not

sure who your contact person is (whether a

grade-

level chair, school principal, etc.) visit our

Web site: www.kidsvotingusa.org and click on

“Affiliate

Network.” It will give you the contact

information

for your local Kids Voting USA

affiliate. They should be able to give you the

information you need.

 Have your students reflect, either verbally or in

written form, both on their voting experience

and on how they plan to continue to make a

difference in their community.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# How did it make you feel when you voted?

# Does voting give you power? How?

# How do you think it would feel if you were not

allowed to vote?

# Do all people vote who are able to?

Why do some people not vote? How do you

feel about that?

# Why is it important to study the candidates

and issues?

# How can you get information about the

candidates and issues?

# What does it mean to register? Why is

registering important?

# Is voting the only way you can make a

difference? What else can you do to make a

difference?

CULMINATING ACTIVITY: I GO TO THE POLLS

(Time varies)

DEMOCRACY AND

THE PEOPLE

KIDS VOTING USA

3–5

1DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

INTRODUCTION TO THEME

The intent of this theme is to provide an understanding of and a context for American democracy and

citizenship, from the rights and responsibilities of students in their local, state, and national communities

to the world beyond. The theme’s activities fall under four main learning objectives:

• Students will understand the principles that make a government democratic.

• Students will understand how America fits the model of a democracy.

• Students will learn the rights and responsibilities of an American citizen.

• Students will learn the context of American democracy within the world.

GENERAL ACTIVITIES

CONCEPT 1: WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?

Democracy: What Is It And What Does It Have To Do With Me? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Our Homes, Our Town, Our Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

CONCEPT 2: DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA

The President’s Hats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

In Their Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

My Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Our Town: A Role Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

CONCEPT 3: A CITIZEN’S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Freedom Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Pledge Anew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

CONCEPT 4: DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD

Democracy: Who? What? Where? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Pen Pals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

OVERARCHING QUESTIONS

Questions for Concept 1: What is Democracy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Questions for Concept 2: Democracy in America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Questions for Concept 3: A Citizen’s Rights and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Questions for Concept 4: Democracy in the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY

Ideas of the Modern World: Democracy by Nathaniel Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

CULMINATING ACTIVITY

Go Ask City Hall! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

2DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

What is Democracy?

OBJECTIVE

Students learn the characteristics of a democratic

society and how they can improve where they live.

MATERIALS

Ways I Can Participate in Our Democracy

handout

GET READY

 Copy the Ways I Can Participate in Our

Democracy handout for each student.

 Have lined paper available for students (if they

are not responsible for supplying their own).

INSTRUCTIONS

 Ask students, How many of you have heard of

the word “democracy”? Does anyone know

what it means? What other words do you think

of when you hear the word democracy? List

the students’ ideas on the board.



Read to students the following simple definition:

A democracy is a society where the people are

involved in making many of the decisions

about what happens in communities, states,

and the country.



Ask students, How do people in the United States

help make decisions about the government,

schools, laws and other important aspects of

our lives? (Possible answers include attending

public meetings, writing letters to public officials,

running for public office, and serving on a local

board. If the students do not mention voting,

make sure to tell them it is a major way

people

can help make decisions in our country.)

 Ask students, Is democracy just for adults?

Does it have anything to do with kids? Accept

all responses. Then ask, How many of you ride

a bike? Wear pajamas? Use a local park? Drink

water? Breathe the air? Point out to students

that the laws made by our local, state, and

federal governments determine what is and

what isn’t acceptable when doing things such

as riding a bike, using a local park, etc. They

affect most of our everyday activities, including

the fact that the students are required at this

moment to be in school!

 Give students, individually or in small groups,

the

Ways I Can Participate in Our Democracy

handout and ask them

to circle all of the ideas

that kids can do.

Are the students surprised

that they can contribute to our democracy in

so many ways? While elementary students are

not old enough to vote,

they can influence how

adults vote and contribute

to improving society

in many other ways.

 After completing the handout, ask the students

to compose a paragraph about how they plan

on improving their community. This can be

based on one of the ideas they circled on the

handout or it can be a new idea they come up

with. They should not only write about what

they plan on doing but also how they plan on

carrying through on their idea.

 Ask students who wish to share their idea to

present it to the class.

DEMOCRACY: WHAT IS IT AND

WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH ME?

(30-35 minutes)

3DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

What is Democracy?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Who can share how they already participate in

our democracy?

# Who came up with ideas that were not on our

“Ways I Can Participate in Our Democracy”

handout? What are some of these ideas?

# What other ways will you be able to participate

in democracy when you are an adult?

DEMOCRACY: WHAT IS IT AND

WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH ME? (continued)

4DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

DEMOCRACY: WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH ME?

WAYS I CAN PARTICIPATE IN OUR DEMOCRACY

Directions: Circle the ideas listed below that are ways kids can help their community.

Picking up trash Writing to an elected official

Following the laws Voting in public elections

Listening to or reading the news Donating money

Attending a public meeting Talking to an adult about voting

Visiting someone who is lonely Writing a letter to a newspaper

Talking to friends about a Calling the mayor about a

community problem community problem

Speaking at a public meeting Distributing flyers

Raising money for a good cause Making get well cards for

in the community children in the hospital

Volunteering at a nursing home Creating artwork that teaches

Donating food or clothing Recycling

Can you think of any other ways kids can participate in democracy?

Write them here…

5DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

What is Democracy?

OBJECTIVE

Students construct a concept map of households

and discuss the ways that democracy impacts

their lives.

MATERIALS

Multicolored markers; Our Homes, Our Town,

Our Country handout; butcher paper;

government agencies information

GET READY

 Divide your students into groups of three

or four.

 Have ready a set of multicolored markers for

each group of students.

 Make copies of the handout so that each

student has one.

 Give each group one large piece of

(butcher) paper.

 Duplicate the page of city, state, and/or

national agencies from your telephone

directory for each group.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Explain to your class that a useful way to think

of democracy is to look at the household unit

(the people who live together under the same

roof). A democratic government, whether local,

state, or national, provides services to the

households of a community.

 Model for the students a handout that you have

completed, pointing out the various services

the government provides for the different

members of a household: Children need sports

leagues and library services; adults need free-

ways to get to work; older people need health

classes; the house needs a building permit.

 Say, Add as many services as you can think of

to the bubbles on the handout. You can use

the list of city, state, and federal agencies to

jog your thinking. Share your ideas with your

group members. If you want to expand the

activity you can say, If you feel a member of

the household has been left out and want to

add a bubble to your map, feel free to make

that addition.

 The group should next draw a large concept

map (based on the one in the handouts) on the

piece of butcher paper. They need to work

together to make sure nothing is written more

than once. They can then present their map to

the class and the teacher can keep track of all

the services mentioned.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Are there any services used by all the people in

the household? (Police, garbage, libraries etc.)

# Which services would you miss the most

if the community did not provide them?

(Garbage collection?)

# If our government provides us these services,

what is it that we provide back? (Taxes, votes,

civic engagement)

# Politicians often talk about the services they

think are most important. Which ones are

most important to you? (Education and

transportation are the ones on the top of most

community agendas.)

# Why is it special that a democracy provides

these services? (Because they represent the

people’s interests, etc.)

MORE!

Students could invite a speaker from a city

agency (police, refuse, animal control,

recreation, libraries, etc.) to talk to the class

about the agency’s work and how children can

make a difference in that work.

OUR HOMES, OUR TOWN, OUR COUNTRY

(30 minutes)

6DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

OUR HOMES, OUR TOWN, OUR COUNTRY

library services

sports leagues

building permit

health classes

freeways

7DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

Democracy in America

OBJECTIVE

Students examine the jobs of the president to

discuss facets of American democracy.

MATERIALS

The Hat Patterns handout; The President’s

Work handout; boxes

GET READY

 Divide your students into groups of three.

 Copy and cut apart The Hat Patterns handout.

Place each hat on the front of an open box.

 Copy and cut apart a set of The President’s

Work cards for each group of three.

 Read “The Office of President” in the Appendix.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Prepare your class for the activity with a discus-

sion of the powers and duties of the president.

 Give each group a set of The President’s

Work cards.

 Instruct each group to discuss each card,

decide which job goes to which hat, and place

the cards in the correct hat box.

 When all the cards are in the hat boxes, invite

a student to stand by each box, draw the cards

out, and then read them to the class.

 You can keep track of the cards by posting

them on the board or by taping them to the

front of the boxes.

 Go over which duties belonged to each job. (You

can pass out the answers; a handout is provided.)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What do you think is the president’s most

important job? Why?

# Why were some of the same cards dropped in

different boxes? (This will inevitably happen,

and is a good time to address that the president’s

different responsibilities may intersect.)

# Which hat would you like to wear? Why?

# Which hat would you not like to wear? Why?

# How does a president learn to do all these jobs?

How could you prepare yourself to be president?

# Which jobs do you think the current president

does either poorly or well?

# (If an election is forthcoming), Which

candidate do you think is most prepared?

# If you don’t know, how could you find out?

# How do you think the president of the United

States is different from other world leaders?

# What characteristics do you think a president

should have?

DEVELOP A GRAPH

 Create a chart on the board identifying the

hats of the president. Ask the students which

hat they think is most important.

 Have a student volunteer to tally the votes as

you call on one student at a time. Each student

gets to vote once.

 Create a bar graph on the board. Using the

chart information, have students fill in the

correct number of votes each hat received.

THE PRESIDENT’S HATS

(30-40 minutes)

8DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

Democracy in America

THE PRESIDENT’S HATS (continued)

MORE QUESTIONS

# Which hat got the most number of votes?

Does this make it the most important job of

the president?

# Which hat got the least number of votes?

Does this make it the least important job

of the president?

# What do you think the president would say is

the most important thing he does?

MORE!

Develop a similar activity for governor, senator,

or mayor, etc.

9DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

THE HAT PATTERNS

THE PRESIDENT’S HATS

10DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

THE HAT PATTERNS

THE PRESIDENT’S HATS

11DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

THE PRESIDENT’S WORK

THE PRESIDENT’S HATS

HEADS POLITICAL PARTY

CAMPAIGNS FOR OTHERS IN PARTY

HELPS SETTLE PROBLEMS

AMONG OTHER NATIONS

PREPARES THE BUDGET

PREVENTS NATIONAL

EMERGENCIES

GRANTS PARDONS FOR CRIMES

CARRIES OUT LAWS

DEFENDS THE COUNTRY

DURING WAR

KEEPS THE COUNTRY

STRONG DURING PEACE

HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCES

OFFICIALLY VISITS

OTHER COUNTRIES

LIGHTS THE WHITE HOUSE

CHRISTMAS TREE

MAKES TREATIES

APPOINTS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

HOLDS CEREMONIES AND DINNERS

FOR FOREIGN OFFICIALS

GIVES MEDALS

GOES TO INTERNATIONAL

MEETINGS

APPOINTS AMBASSADORS

12DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

ANSWERS TO THE PRESIDENT’S HATS

THE PRESIDENT’S HATS

HEAD OF STATE

HOLDS CEREMONIES AND DINNERS FOR FOREIGN VISITORS

LIGHTS THE WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS TREE

HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCES

GIVES MEDALS

OFFICIALLY VISITS OTHER COUNTRIES

CHIEF DIPLOMAT

GOES TO INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS

MAKES TREATIES

HELPS SETTLE PROBLEMS AMONG OTHER COUNTRIES

APPOINTS AMBASSADORS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

CARRIES OUT LAWS

PREPARES THE BUDGET

APPOINTS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

PREVENTS NATIONAL EMERGENCIES

GRANTS PARDONS FOR CRIMES

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

DEFENDS THE COUNTRY DURING WAR

KEEPS THE COUNTRY STRONG DURING PEACE

PARTY CHIEF

CAMPAIGNS FOR OTHERS IN PARTY

HEADS POLITICAL PARTY

13DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

Democracy in America

OBJECTIVE

Students interview adults to directly learn

about American democracy.

MATERIALS

No materials are necessary for this activity.

GET READY



Divide your students into groups of three or four.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Inform your students that they will be

interviewing adults to learn more about

American democracy.

 Tell your class that each group will first

brainstorm questions and then the class will

compile a final list of questions to ask the

interviewees.

 Have each group of students come up with at

least two questions to ask the interviewees in

respect to their opinions and experiences with

the United States, past and/or present. Some

examples of questions are:

 Which president did you admire most

in your lifetime and why?

 Have you ever seen a president in

person? Which one?

 How does being an American feel

different from the way it felt 20 years ago?

 Have the groups come back together, share

their questions, and list them on the board.

 As a class, choose 10 questions that everyone

will ask their interviewees.

 Have your students copy the questions onto a

separate piece of paper.

 Instruct your students to find an adult to

interview, follow through with the interview,

and then write up the responses.

 In class, have students volunteer to share the

responses they got to the various questions.

Follow this sharing session with a discussion

based on the questions below.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Did any response given by an interviewee

surprise you? If yes, how so?

# Did you share any of the same opinions as the

person you interviewed? If yes, which ones

and why?

# What were you able to determine about the

United States in terms of its past and its

current direction?

Are there any common threads running through

the various responses the interviewees gave?

IN THEIR WORDS

(30-40 minutes over two days)

14DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

Democracy in America

OBJECTIVE

Students keep journals of their daily activities

to understand how government impacts them

every day.

MATERIALS

My Life handouts; chart paper (optional)

GET READY

 Duplicate My Life handouts for each student.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Initiate a conversation with your students by

asking, Is the government just for adults?

How does it affect your lives? Listen to the

responses and add, I bet the government

affects us in even more ways.

 Tell your students you are giving them a piece

of paper that will be their journal for just one

day. All they need to do is keep track of what

they are doing every hour: ex. 7:00 a.m. Alarm

rings—I wake up, brush my teeth, shower.

(Students should not feel obligated to record

activities of a personal matter that they don’t

wish to share with the class.)

 Give the students the handout on a Friday and

ask them to bring it back in on a Monday

(giving them Saturday or Sunday to complete

it). Tell them that when they bring it back on

Monday the class is going to look and see how

government impacts much of what we do.

 When students bring back their journal

entries, ask them to reflect quietly about the

details of their recorded activities. Ask, When

you woke up, did an alarm clock go off? Did it

play radio music? Did you run the tap when

you brushed your teeth?

 Give students enough time to add details to

their entries.

 Pair students to compare journals and observe

the influence of government over a single day.

Students should look at each other’s journals

and make notes on the entries showing where

government may have an influence.



Give an example yourself. Say, Was it 6 a.m.

when

your alarm went off? Why was it 6 and

not 7? Because the government determines

time zones, doesn’t it? This is the kind of

notation to make for the activities in the

journals. Think carefully: there may be more

than one governmental involvement.

(Example: turning on the water = plumbing

codes, clean water regulations, sewage

treatment standards, regulations to heat the

water, etc.)

 After your students are finished, create a class

journal by calling on each pair to provide an

activity for each hour of the day. Move

chronologically through the day, recording the

information on chart paper if possible. When

the diary entry is complete, look for

government influences as a class.

MY LIFE

(30 minutes in class; time varies out of class)

15DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

Democracy in America

MY LIFE (continued)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Did you find any activities without ties to

government? Ask the class to check out the

lack of government influence. Be persistent:

humming or singing looks government-free…

but what about public nuisance laws?

# What would America be like without our

government?

# What does this exercise tell you about the

importance of voting and participating in our

government?

MORE!

Students could ask adults to share what they

do over the course of a day. Students can share

these activities and how the government

impacts them.

MY LIFE – JOURNAL PAGE 1

MY LIFE

16DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

Journal of Activities for

MORNING

6:00–7:00 am

7:00–8:00

8:00–9:00

9:00–10:00

10:00–11:00

11:00–12:00

AFTERNOON

Noon–1:00 pm

1:00–2:00

2:00–3:00

3:00–4:00

4:00–5:00

5:00–6:00

17DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

MY LIFE – JOURNAL PAGE 2

MY LIFE

Journal of Activities for

EVENING

6:00–7:00 pm

7:00–8:00

8:00–9:00

9:00–10:00

10:00–11:00

11:00–12:00

OVERNIGHT

While you sleep, on a mattress tagged to guarantee

that it meets federal regulations (a tag you remove

at your peril!), what else is happening in your home?

18DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

Democracy in America

OBJECTIVE

Students play the parts of city officials, members

of boards and commissions, and ordinary

citizens. In their roles, they examine both

imaginary scenarios and actual issues being

addressed in the community.

MATERIALS

The Roles and Scenarios handout; Role

Biography handout; conference badges

GET READY

 Duplicate the Role Biography handout for each

student in the class.

 Assign each student a different role from the

list provided. Obtain conference badges and use

markers or a word processor to label the

badges with the roles from the list. (The list can

be found on the Roles and Scenarios handout.)

 Complete the scenarios list on the Roles and

Scenarios handout with at least two possible

scenarios (preferably ones that are currently

being addressed in the community).

 Move desks so that groups of four can consult

during the role play.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Distribute badges and the Role Biography

handout and give students five minutes to fill

out Parts I and II of the handout.

 Choose a scenario from the list.

 Ask students, in their roles, to record their

reactions to the scenario in Part III of the Role

Biography. Give them five minutes to do so.

 Say, At your tables, please express your

community concerns and opinions with the

other three “townspeople.” After a few minutes,

we will hold the Town Meeting to discuss the

issue and we will hear from all of you.

 After the table consultations, ask the City Clerk

(a student you have given the role to because

of leadership abilities) to run the Town

Meeting, which can last as long as you choose.

 Once the Town Meeting is over, choose another

scenario, preferably a “real life” one from the

community, and have the students respond to it.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# As a student, did you personally disagree with

what you had to present as, for instance, the

town police chief?

# As you can see, officials and citizens have to

arrive at compromises. Is there an issue you

can think of that seems to call for compromise?

Can you suggest compromise solutions for

that issue?

# Would you like to have any of these roles in

your community for real?

MORE!

You may continue the role play for several

days, adding a research component: consulting

the media and/or the real people in town who

hold the simulated positions to see what they

think about the issues.

OUR TOWN: A ROLE PLAY

(45 minutes)

19DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

ROLES AND SCENARIOS

OUR TOWN: A ROLE PLAY

Roles:

Mayor

Building Inspector

Business License/Sales Tax Manager

City Attorney

City Clerk

City Council Member

City Manager

Community Center Director

Director of Libraries

Facilities Maintenance Director

Finance Officer

Fire Commissioner

Garbage Department Director

Insurance Officer

Parks and Recreation Director

Personnel Director

Police Chief

Public Information Officer

Purchasing Officer

Superintendent of Schools

Transportation Director

Member, Design Board

Member, Arts Commission

Member, Human Relations Commission

Member, Planning and Zoning Board

Downtown Department Store Owner

Elderly Retiree

Wheelchair-bound Citizen

Parent of Four Children

Scenarios:

A large shopping center will be built in town.

The community wants a minor league baseball

team.

Parking problems in the town center are

keeping business away.

Some citizens complain that the design rules

of the historic district are too restrictive.

A crafts fair is proposed.

The number of homeless people on Main

Street is rising quickly.

There are gangs at the high school.

Drug crimes are up.

An automobile parts plant is coming to town.

Add here two actual situations in your town

that are currently being addressed:

20DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

ROLE BIOGRAPHY

OUR TOWN: A ROLE PLAY

Name of student:

Role:

PART I: GET A LIFE!

Invent for yourself some background, family, personality traits, etc.

(Example: “I am a 30-year-old man with a young family and I’ve been the Parks and Recreation Director for

only two months. I’m likely to back down in a clash with older, more established community leaders.”)

PART II: MY JOB IS TO...

List the most important concerns you have in your role in the city’s welfare:

(Example: “As the Fire Commissioner, I am most worried about fire safety for all the citizens, through

enforcement of the fire code.”)

PART III: HERE’S MY REACTION

For each scenario in the role play, give your response to possible benefits and problems in

your area of concern.

(Example: If the city holds a crafts fair, the Garbage Department Director wants exhibitors to clean up after

themselves; wants no disruptions of the refuse removal schedule; wants a budget for additional trash cans on

the streets, etc.)

SCENARIO 1: SCENARIO 2:

My reaction: My reaction:

21DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

A Citizen’s Rights and Responsibilities

OBJECTIVE

Students gain an understanding of the Bill of

Rights and the major freedoms it guarantees.

MATERIALS

Index cards (10 for each student); a hole punch;

yarn or string

GET READY

 Punch holes in the upper left-hand corner of

the index cards, or secure multiple hole

punchers for your students to do it themselves.

 Have a discussion with your students about the

U.S. Constitution to lay the groundwork for

this activity on the Bill of Rights.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Inform your students that they are going to

explore the Bill of Rights and make

connections between it and their own lives.

 Tell your students that after the Constitution

was ratified, people were concerned that it did

not guarantee certain rights. Say, With the king

previously denying certain freedoms before the

war, colonists were worried about their rights

being abused by a new government. Give each

student a copy of the Bill of Rights found at the

following site: http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/

infousa/facts/funddocs/billeng.htm.

 Read and discuss the Bill of Rights as a group.

Make sure your class has a good understanding

of each right.

 Divide students into groups of three or four

and ask them to discuss the freedoms

guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. Each group

should confirm that all its members know the

meaning of each right.

 Next, have your students continue to work in

groups and have them think of real-life

scenarios that are protected by the 10 rights.

Give each student 10 large index cards with

holes punched in the upper left-hand corners

of the cards.

 Have students label each index card with a

number, 1 through 10, indicating each

freedom of the Bill of Rights. Your students

should then write a brief scenario that would

be protected by each right. (Group members

can consult each other as they work.)

 Have your students bind their cards with a

piece of string or yarn.

 Allow students to volunteer to share some of

their Bill of Rights scenario cards.

 Ask your students to write a paragraph or essay

about how their lives would be different if the

Bill of Rights was never created.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What did this activity teach you about the

importance of the Bill of Rights?

# Was it challenging to come up with a scenario

for each right? Why or why not?

# Could you fathom how your life would be

different without the Bill of Rights? How

might it be changed?

# Which right is the most important to you?

Explain why.

FREEDOM CONNECTION

(40-50 minutes)

22DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

A Citizen’s Rights and Responsibilities

PLEDGE ANEW

(30 minutes)

OBJECTIVE

Students evaluate the responsibility they

commit to each morning when pledging

allegiance to their country.

MATERIALS

Pledge Anew handout; lined paper, pens/pencils

GET READY

 Copy the Pledge Anew handout so that you

have a copy for each student.

 Make sure you have paper and pens/pencils for

each student.

 Have paper and crayons available.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Say, Sometimes when people repeat something

over and over again they forget what they are

saying. They may even confuse the words they

are repeating. This is often the case with

students saying the Pledge of Allegiance.

 After having students say the Pledge of

Allegiance, ask them what they think it means.

Ask them what the phrase “liberty and justice

for all” means to them. Inform your students

that Francis Bellamy first wrote the Pledge in

1892. Ask them why they think he wrote it.

 Tell your students that they are going to write

the pledge in their own words. Give each

student a copy of the Pledge Anew handout

and advise them to use words they would

normally use themselves.

 Students who finish early can create a picture

that accompanies their interpretation of the

Pledge.

 Ask students to share their work with the rest

of the class.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Why do you think the Pledge was first written?

# What do the real words mean?

# What is your favorite phrase? Why?

# What does it mean to show allegiance to

America?

# Can our actions show allegiance as well as our

words? How?

# What are you promising when you recite the

Pledge?

# Did somebody else’s “translation” seem very

different from your own? Is any one person’s

interpretation wrong?

23DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

PLEDGE ANEW

The words to the Pledge of Allegiance are written below. Read them over a few times and then

write the Pledge in your own words in the space provided. When writing your version of the

Pledge, think of reasons why Francis Bellamy wrote it. Lastly, state what you think you are

promising when you say the Pledge.

The Pledge of Allegiance:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag

of the United States of America,

and to the Republic for which it stands,

one Nation under God, indivisible,

With Liberty and Justice for all.

In your own words…

What are you promising when you recite the pledge?

24DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

Democracy in the World

DEMOCRACY: WHO? WHAT? WHERE?

(35 minutes: 5 minutes on one day, 30 minutes on a later day)

OBJECTIVE

Students investigate questions about their

government and other governments around

the world.

MATERIALS

Democracy: Who? What? Where? handout

GET READY

 Duplicate the page of questions and cut them

into fortune cookie-sized strips.

 Pair students.

 Duplicate a copy of your class roster to record

which questions go to which pairs.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Place the slips face down. Let each pair select

a question.

 Once every pair has a question, tell the students

to read over their question several times.

 Say, As partners, examine your question.

Brainstorm: What do you expect the answers

to be? What are some ways to figure out the

answer? Record any first guesses as well as

ways to find the answer.

 Give students several days to determine their

answers. To aid them in this process, provide

students with some clues (for example, some

answers may be found in the school library).

You may want to provide additional printed

resources (books, magazines, etc.) and/or access

to the Internet to further aid your students.

 Have the pairs present their answers as oral

reports of no more than one minute each.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Which answers to the questions were not what

you expected originally? Explain.

# Did anyone already know the right answer to

their question? How did you know that?

# Did anyone find out any other interesting

information they wish to share?

MORE!

Students could write thank you letters to the

contacts that helped them find their answers:

people at City Hall, the school librarian, etc.

25DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

DEMOCRACY: WHO? WHAT? WHERE?

1. What ancient nation first practiced democracy?

2. Name five democracies besides our own.

3. Name the leader of another democracy? What is his or her title?

4. How many countries in the world are democracies?

5. What is the largest democracy on earth?

6. What are the names of our senators?

7. What are the names of our representatives?

8. What are the three branches of the American government?

9. What cities have been our nation’s capital?

10. Name the guarantees protected by the Bill of Rights?

11. Who first settled the community we live in?

12. How many employees work directly for our local government?

13. What did our mayor do before becoming mayor?

14. Where are our city offices located?

15. Where and how do you register to vote in our town?

26DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

Democracy in the World

PEN PALS

(Time varies)

OBJECTIVE

Students contact other students around the

globe to learn about different democracies.

MATERIALS

Appropriate letter writing materials: paper,

pens/pencils, envelopes, etc.

GET READY

 Arrange for pen pals to exchange information

about democracies in other parts of the world.

 Write to:

World Wise Schools

1990 K Street N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20526

 Look for pen pal opportunities on the

Internet. A good Web site to visit is:

http://www.stonesoup.com/

main2/penpal.html

INSTRUCTIONS

 Assign each student a pen pal.

 Give them model questions they could ask

their pen pals, such as: How is your country

different from America? Do you know people

who vote? What is the name and title of the

leader of your country?

 Over a specified period of time, have your

students put together profiles on the countries

where their pen pals are living. Have them

include information they got directly from

their pen pals.

 Designate a time for students to share what

they learned from their friends overseas.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# How are democracies the same in other

countries? How are they different?

# What did you especially like about the other

countries you researched?

# Are there any things you did not like?

# Are there things you would change about the

United States?

# How could we make changes if we wanted to?

27DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?

# Where have you heard the word “democracy” before?

# Who has the power in a democracy? The leader or the people he/she leads?

# How are decisions made in a democracy?

# Sometimes people don’t agree with the majority’s decisions. Should they still have to stand by them?

# If you did not live in a democracy, what do you think you would be missing?

# What is the best type of government?

# How can you, as students, participate in a democracy?

# Does everyone you know understand what a democracy is? What can you do to help others

understand democracy?

DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA

# Who makes the decisions in America?

# What do adults do to contribute to our government?

# What benefits does our government provide us with?

# How do you support your country?

# What types of people make effective leaders? What about effective presidents?

# Do you know people who don’t care about our government? Why do you think they don’t care?

# If the majority of Americans think something is good, are they always going to be right?

# Why is democracy the fairest form of government?

A CITIZEN’S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

# The Constitution guarantees us many of our rights. Why do you think our forefathers felt that they

needed to protect our rights?

# What are some of our protected rights?

# What does the freedom of speech mean to you?

# Does freedom of speech mean that you can say whatever you want whenever you want?

# What does the word “freedom” mean to you?

# Do you think kids have enough rights? Do you think there are certain rights denied to you

that you should have?

# What do you think are a citizen’s responsibilities?

# How are you a responsible citizen?

DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD

# Are all governments in the world the same? How might some governments be different than others?

# Can you think of differences in the way people live in different countries? What are some examples?

# Why do you think that America has attracted millions of people over the last 200 years, drawing them

away from their native countries?

OVERARCHING QUESTIONS

28DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

OBJECTIVE

Students understand the idea of democracy

and play out the concept.

MATERIALS

Ideas of the Modern World: Democracy -

Nathaniel Harris

PRE-READING ACTIVITY

 Tell students that you are going to share with

them a definition of democracy expressed by

Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president.

 Say, According to Lincoln, democracy is a,

“government of the people, by the people,

(and) for the people.” (excerpted from the

Gettysburg address)

 Ask what this means to the students. Have

them put this definition in their own words.

 Tell your students that they are now going to

discover the many aspects of a democracy.

 Read selections from Ideas of the Modern

World: Democracy.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Is the idea of democracy new? With whom did

it originate? Is it the same idea or has it changed?

# In a true democracy, all people participate in

all the decision making. Are most of the

world’s democracies run this way? What do

you think about that?

# For most of human history, nations have not

been run by democracies. Why do you think

this has been the case?

# In a democracy, can the majority do whatever

they want? Can they take away the rights of

everyone else? Why not?

ACTIVITY

 Tell the students that you are going to play a

game. Give them multiple game options to

choose from.

 Ask, What’s the best way to choose a game?

To have one person decide? To have a random

group of people decide for everyone? Have

everyone decide together? Ask the students to

explain why they think one option is better

than another.

 Ask, Is it easier to let one person decide, or

maybe just a few? Wouldn’t (student’s name)

like it best if he/she got to choose? Listen to

student responses. Say, Oh, that is not good for

everyone. Then what is a good way to decide?

Students will say that they should vote.

 Hold a vote over which game the class should

play, having students write their game choice

on pieces of paper (or create ballots). Play the

game that gets the most votes.

 Ask the class if everyone got to play the game

they wanted to play. Listen to responses.

 Point out that even though they all didn’t get

to play the game they wanted, through

democracy they all had a voice and they all got

to participate in a game.

LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY

Ideas of the Modern World: Democracy

by Nathaniel Harris

29DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLEGrades 3-5

3–5

DEMOCRACY AND THE PEOPLE

OBJECTIVE

Students propose a park improvement or a similar

youth-centered plan of action and walk through

the processes of democracy and governance.

MATERIALS

Maps of the community; markers, pens and

paper; letter writing materials

GET READY

 Obtain a map of the community from a source

such as the Chamber of Commerce.

 Obtain a map (or create one) of the neighbor-

hood immediately surrounding the school.

 Gather markers, pens, and paper.

 Divide your students into groups of four.

 Distribute the copy of the community map to

each group.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Ask each group of students to imagine they are

walking around the different areas featured on

the map. Say, What features of the town could

be improved for the children living there? (Ex.

creating a new library, a new park, a new play-

ground, etc.) Each group should discuss some

possibilities and then design and illustrate a

project idea for a part of the community.

 After the students present their responses, give

each group a copy of the map of the school’s

immediate neighborhood.

 Say, Let’s look at our school’s neighborhood.

What is one small improvement in this part of

town that could help children? (Emphasize the

importance of choosing a smaller project, like

a new piece of playground equipment in a park

or a street sign close to school.)

 Have each group suggest improvements for the

area around the school.

 Vote: Which is the best idea presented to

improve the school’s neighborhood?

 Find out how much your improvement will

cost the city by pricing the materials that are

going to be installed. (Call the manufacturers

of the equipment for a quote or call the city

for an estimate.)

 Call City Hall and ask which office or board

makes decisions in the area of your improve-

ment. It might be the Library Department,

Parks and Recreation, Public Works, etc.

 Have students write a letter (using proper

letter format) to present the idea with a budget

to the proper authorities.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# How would your community pay for the

improvement you suggested?

# Do you think the fact that you are students

will help or hinder the implementation of your

idea? Would you have a better chance of

having your thoughts heard if you were of

voting age? Why or why not?

# What are other ways students can impact

their communities?

MORE!

Find out when your City Council or a public

board meets. Encourage students and parents

to attend such a meeting together. Ask those

who attend to report about one proposal they

observed at the meeting.

CULMINATING ACTIVITY: GO ASK CITY HALL!

(1 hour)

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

KIDS VOTING USA

1THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

INTRODUCTION TO THEME

The intent of this theme is for students to understand what suffrage is and why it is an important concept

today. The theme’s activities fall under two main learning objectives:

• Students will understand what suffrage is within the context of American history.

• Students will understand what advantages and obstacles there are to suffrage today.

GENERAL ACTIVITIES

CONCEPT 1: WHAT IS SUFFRAGE?

Nonvoter Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Suffrage Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Vote Quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

CONCEPT 2: SUFFRAGE TODAY

Know The Vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Around The World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

OVERARCHING QUESTIONS

Questions for Concept 1: What is Suffrage? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Questions for Concept 2: Suffrage Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY

The Day Gogo Went to Vote by Elinor Batezat Sisulu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

CULMINATING ACTIVITY

Get Out The Vote! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

2THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

What is Suffrage?

OBJECTIVE

Students understand the concept of suffrage –

the right to vote.

MATERIALS

No materials are necessary for this activity.

GET READY

 Have three students volunteer to form a

committee. Assign them to:

 Choose three issues to vote on over the

next three days that will directly affect

the class, such as “We will study math all

morning today” or “We will do extra

homework tonight, but none tomorrow.”

 Choose unfair criteria to determine the

right to vote on each of the issues such

as “those with birthdays from January to

June.” Have different criteria for each of

the three days. On the third day of voting

you may want the voter criteria to be

those who have not yet voted, so that

everyone gets a chance to vote.

 Prepare a ballot box, ballots, a voting site, and

voting issue signs.

 Supervise the ballot box and get ready to turn

away

students who do not have the right to vote.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Have the committee announce the voting issue

each day and display it next to the ballot box.

Do not display the voting criteria.



Invite the students to vote one at a time

writing “Yes” or “No” on a ballot and placing

it in the box.

 Instruct the members of the committee to

quietly turn away those who do not meet the

voting criteria.

 Announce the outcome and implement it.

Repeat the process for the next two days.

 Inform the class that there will be a meeting

held at the end of the week for complaints and

discussion.

 Hold a class meeting to discuss the feelings of

the students.

QUESTIONS FOR THE CLASS MEETING

# Did those with the right to vote have more

power than those without? Do you know that

the right to vote is called suffrage?

# When you did not get to vote, how did it feel to

be powerless?

# Do you think the process of granting suffrage

has always been fair? Why or why not?

# Do you have a say in the decisions our

government makes? If yes, how?

# Does everyone use their voting privilege?

Why or why not?

# What other powers do you have in this

community, this state, this country?

# How did U.S. citizens achieve suffrage?

Do citizens of other countries have the right

to vote?

NONVOTER SIMULATION

(45-60 minutes over the course of a week)

3THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

What is Suffrage?

OBJECTIVE

Students learn that the population with voting

rights has drastically changed over the years.

MATERIALS

U.S. Suffrage Timeline handout; Suffrage

Timeline Questions handout

GET READY

 Break your students up into small groups of

two or three (or if your students are younger,

work together as a class on the activity).

 Make photocopies of the U.S. Suffrage

Timeline handout and the Suffrage Timeline

Questions handout for each group of students.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Provide a definition of suffrage and explain

who has the right to vote today.

 Inform your students that they are going to

investigate the history of the right to vote

in America.

 Give each group copies of the U.S. Suffrage

Timeline handout and the Suffrage Timeline

Questions handout.

 Go over the U.S. Suffrage Timeline handout

with the entire class.

 Have the groups use the U.S. Suffrage

Timeline handout to answer the questions on

the Suffrage Timeline Questions handout.

 Once each group has completed the Suffrage

Timeline Questions handout, have a class

discussion comparing and contrasting answers

to the questions.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Which questions were the most difficult to

answer? Why?

# Were there questions that had no “right”

answer? Which questions and why?

# Were there any dates on the timeline that

surprised you? How so?

# Why is learning about suffrage so important

for young citizens of the United States?

SUFFRAGE TIMELINE

(30 minutes)

4THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

U.S. SUFFRAGE TIMELINE

SUFFRAGE TIMELINE

1776 The Declaration of Independence is signed. The right to vote is based on property ownership.

Suffrage is primarily for white male Protestants over the age of 21.

1787 The Constitution is drafted. States are given the power to regulate their own suffrage laws

and favor white male landowners.

1848 Because African-Americans and women will suffer discrimination at the polls, Elizabeth

Cady Stanton sets forth resolutions for women’s suffrage at the first convention of women’s

rights advocates.

1865 A Civil Rights Act defines citizenship and prohibits discrimination based on race. The

Republican Congress overrides the veto of President Andrew Jackson, hoping to lure the

vote of former slaves.

1868 With the Civil War over, lawmakers enact the 14th Amendment, granting citizenship to

African-Americans and permitting them to vote. But state officials still attempt to deny them

the right to vote.

1870 The 15th Amendment is ratified, providing the legal rights of African-Americans to vote and

prohibiting state and local governments from denying that right.

1890

Wyoming becomes a state and is the first state to provide suffrage for women in its Constitution.

1920 The 19th Amendment is ratified, giving women the right to vote.

1947 Miguel Trujillo, a Native American and former Marine, wins a suit against New Mexico for

not allowing him to vote. New Mexico and Arizona are required to give the vote to all

Native Americans.

1957 The Civil Rights Act passes, allowing punishment for interference with, or disruption of,

protection for African-American voters.

1964 The 24th Amendment passes, outlawing the poll tax.

1965 The Voting Rights Act passes after Martin Luther King, Jr. leads 25,000 people on a march

from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to dramatize the need for more voting rights.

1970 The Voting Rights Act is amended to lower the voting age to 18 and ban the use of literacy tests.

1971 The 26th Amendment lowers the voting age from 21 to 18.

5THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

SUFFRAGE TIMELINE QUESTIONS

SUFFRAGE TIMELINE

Name:

Use the U.S. SUFFRAGE TIMELINE handout to answer the following questions. If you can’t give

a definite answer to a question, state what additional information you would need to know.

1. You are a Native American living in Arizona in the 1920s. Can you vote?

2. You are a woman living in Wyoming in 1894. When were you first granted the right to vote?

3. What was the last U.S. population to earn the right to vote?

4. What U.S. Constitutional Amendment gave women the right to vote?

5. You are an African-American male living in Alabama in 1864. Can you vote?

6. You are an African-American male living in Alabama in the 1940s. Can you vote?

What might be keeping you from voting?

7. You are a white male in the 1790s and you do not own property. Can you vote?

8. What did the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution accomplish?

6THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

What is Suffrage?

OBJECTIVE

Students study famous quotes to learn the

significance of the right to vote.

MATERIALS

Vote Quotes handout

GET READY

 Make a copy of the Vote Quotes handout

for each student.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Give each student in the class a copy of the

Vote Quotes handout.

 Tell your students that they will be analyzing

the six quotes on the handout. Have them

interpret, in their own words, the purpose and

meaning of each quote.

 Once your students have individually analyzed

the six quotes, have them get into groups of two

or three to discuss and compare their thoughts.

 Have your class come together as a whole to

discuss all responses.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

# What quote did you agree with the most?

Why?

# Did you struggle with interpreting any of the

quotes? Which one(s) and why?

# Did you disagree with any of the quotes?

If yes, why?

# Did you find that the people in your small

group had similar interpretations of the quotes?

What insights did these quotes shed on suffrage?

VOTE QUOTES

(30 minutes)

7THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

VOTE QUOTES

1. “The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.”

–Dwight D. Eisenhower

2. “The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”

–Abraham Lincoln

3. “Those who stay away from the election think that one vote will do no

good: ‘Tis but one step more to think one vote will do no harm.”

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

4. “Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.”

–George Jean Nathan

5. “The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.”

–John Fitzgerald Kennedy

6. “People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of

the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of

those who make themselves heard and who vote — a very different thing.”

–Walter H. Judd

8THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

Suffrage Today

OBJECTIVE

Students experience voter apathy and ignorance.

MATERIALS

Materials for signs; materials for a ballot box;

Ballots handout; clipboard; lined paper

GET READY

 Set up your classroom for a vote, but do not

announce it to the class. Create a sign that

says you are voting that day on (something

that the students will care about). The sign

should also say, “Place your ballot in the ballot

box by the end of the day.” The sign should list

several options to choose from to answer the

ballot question. Place the sign somewhere

visible in the room.

 Make copies of the Ballots handout and cut

enough ballots for each student in your class

to cast one vote.

 Place a ballot box and the ballots somewhere in

the room that is visible but not too prominent.

 Next to the ballot box leave a clipboard with

lined paper. Label the paper “Voter Registration.”

 For more information, see “Voter Apathy” in

the Appendix.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Come up with something for your class to vote

on, but do not make any announcements to the

class regarding the vote. Set up the classroom

as described above and see if the students can

figure out the voting process. Note: if students

ask questions of you individually (such as where

the ballot box is), answer them, but do not

share any information with the class as a whole.

 At the end of the day, point out the sign that

announced the vote you held that day. Then

point out the ballot box and ballots as well as

the registration clipboard. Ask the class, Who

noticed these things in the classroom? What

did you do? Did you vote? Did you tell other

people to vote?

 Check the voter registration sheet and the

ballot box. Count the ballots and announce the

outcome of the vote. Make it clear that you had

to register on the sheet before you could vote

and therefore only those people who registered

had their votes count.

 There will be a mix of reactions in the class-

room from those that were not aware of the

vote, those that knew of a vote but did not

know how to cast their vote, those that voted

but did not register, and those that registered

and voted. In the possibility that no one cor-

rectly registered and voted, you should make

sure you registered and voted. Point out that

because you both registered and voted you got

to make the decision for the class without

their input.

 Carry out the decision of the vote.

 Tell the class that there will be a similar voting

opportunity the next day. At the end of the day,

change the sign to reflect a new question. See

how many more people register and vote the

next day and make a note of it to the class.

KNOW THE VOTE

(Time varies)

9THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

Suffrage Today

KNOW THE VOTE (continued)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# How did you feel after the first day of voting?

# How was this experience for you on the second

day of voting?

# If you did not vote the first day, why didn’t

you? (Didn’t care…weren’t sure what to do…)

# If you voted the second day but not the first,

what changed?

# Why do you think 18-24-year-olds do not vote

as much as other age groups in our country?

# In general, why do you think so many people

do not vote in our country? Is there anything

we can do to change this?

# How did you feel when you got to vote in

this activity?

# Did you know that there have been groups of

people in our country who have not had the

right to vote?

# How do you think they felt? Why do you think

they were left out of the process?

# Can everyone in our country vote?

Can everyone in the world vote?

10THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

KNOW THE VOTE

Ballot

Name:

Choice:

Ballot

Name:

Choice:

Ballot

Name:

Choice:

Ballot

Name:

Choice:

Ballot

Name:

Choice:

Ballot

Name:

Choice:

Ballot

Name:

Choice:

Ballot

Name:

Choice:

Ballot

Name:

Choice:

Ballot

Name:

Choice:

BALLOTS

11THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

Suffrage Today

OBJECTIVE

Students discover the role that suffrage

plays in

different forms of government.

MATERIALS

Slips of paper

GET READY

 Give each student a slip of paper: On a third

of the slips should be written, “Democracy,”

on another third, “Dictatorship” and on the

last third, “Oligarchy.”

 Have your students divide into three different

groups: one “Democracy” group, one

“Dictatorship” group, and one “Oligarchy”

group. Have each of the three groups meet in a

different part of the room.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Remind your students that a democracy is a

form of government in which policy is decided

by the majority of adult citizen’s votes.

 Ask your class, Are you aware that there are

many people in the world who don’t live in a

democracy? Some people live in countries with

other forms of government, such as

dictatorships and oligarchies.

 Explain that in a dictatorship one person has

absolute and complete control over the

government; this person, the dictator, cannot

be held responsible for what he or she does to

the general population.

 Let your class know that in the case of

oligarchies, just a few people make the

decisions for everyone.

 Ask the groups to consider a question like,

“What is your favorite movie?” or “What is your

favorite color?” Tell them that in a few minutes

their group will need to answer the question.

 Have those students in the “Democracy” group

answer the question in a way that allows

everyone to share their opinion, such as voting.

Provide paper to this group to act as ballots.

 Randomly select one person in the

“Dictatorship” group to be the dictator. Have

that student answer the question for the group

based on what he/she thinks is best. Make sure

the other “Dictatorship” group members

remain quiet and do not give their opinion.

 Similarly, at random select three people in the

oligarchy group to answer the question for the

entire group. The rest of the group members

must remain quiet.

 Have the groups give their responses to

the question.

 Next, have the groups switch to a different

form of government (i.e. dictatorship to

democracy, democracy to oligarchy, and

oligarchy to dictatorship) and vote on another

question. Have the groups switch governments

one last time, so each student has experienced

each type of government.

 Discuss with your class the advantages and

disadvantages of the different types of

governments. Use the discussion questions

found on the next page.

AROUND THE WORLD

(30 minutes)

12THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

Suffrage Today

AROUND THE WORLD (continued)

 To end the activity, hold a vote on what your

class’s favorite form of government is. If any

students list oligarchy or dictatorship, explain

that if the classroom was an oligarchy/dictator-

ship and you (the teacher) were the leader,

then it is likely the vote they just had would

have never occurred.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What are the advantages and disadvantages of

the different types of governments we examined?

# Which form of government did you like the

most? Which one did you like the least?

# Which form of government allows citizens to

have the most input in decision-making?

# Why do you think some countries are

democracies and others oligarchies/dictatorships?

What has this activity taught you about suffrage?

# What has this activity taught you about being

an American citizen?

13THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

WHAT IS SUFFRAGE?

# Do you know that the right to vote is called suffrage? What does having the right to vote mean?

# Do those with the right to vote have more power than those without?

# Does everyone have the right to vote? Who does? Who doesn’t?

# Who are some groups of people that have earned the right to vote over the years?

# What did they do to earn the right to vote?

# When or if you did not get to vote, how did/would it feel to be powerless?

# Why would you want the right to vote?

SUFFRAGE TODAY

# Who has the right to vote today?

# How might our country be different if the power to vote was still limited to those who had it at the time

of the writing of the Constitution?

# What are some barriers that keep people from voting today?

# Do you think everyone who deserves the right to vote has the right to vote?

# Why do you think 18-24-year-olds do not vote as much as other age groups in our country?

# Why do you think so many people in general do not vote in our country? Is there anything we can

do to change this?

# What do you think it will feel like the first time you vote?

OVERARCHING QUESTIONS

14THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

OBJECTIVE

Students examine the right to vote by comparing

suffrage in America to suffrage in South Africa.

MATERIALS

The Day Gogo Went to Vote - Elinor Batezat

Sisulu; Venn Diagram handout

PRE-READING ACTIVITY

 Ask your students to share something they

were excited to do for the first time: Ride a

bike? Fly in a plane? Go to school? Have your

students break up into small groups and share

what they were excited to do and how it felt

when they finally got to do it.

 Tell your students the woman in The Day Gogo

Went to Vote waited decades to vote because of

the color of her skin. Ask, Can you imagine

how she felt? (Take responses) Let’s find out.

 Read The Day Gogo Went to Vote.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Did you come to understand why the right to

vote is so important by reading this story?

What makes it so important?

# In America, who were some people that used

to be denied the right to vote and other rights?

# What did they do to earn the right to vote?

# What is suffrage? What does this word have to

do with the story?

# What are the similarities and differences

between the United States and South Africa

when it comes to the right to vote?

# After having read the story, how do you think

Gogo felt the first time she was allowed to vote?

ACTIVITY

 After reading the story, divide your students

into groups of two and ask them to compare

and contrast suffrage in America versus

suffrage in South Africa.

 After brainstorming the similarities and

differences between the two countries, tell

your students that they will be given a handout

where they need to list any conclusions they

have come to.

 Explain what a Venn Diagram is and how it

is used.

 Pass out the activity handout for the students

to complete.

 Create a large Venn Diagram on the board for

the entire class. Call on volunteers to come up

to the board and fill in the diagram using their

completed handouts.

 Ask, What conclusions can we draw from the

completed diagram?

LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY

The Day Gogo Went to Vote

by Elinor Batezat Sisulu, Illustrated by Sharon Wilson

15THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY: THE DAY GOGO WENT TO VOTE

VENN DIAGRAM

Compare and contrast the right to vote in the United States with the right to vote in South Africa.

Use the Venn Diagram below. The place where the two circles overlap should show the characteristics that both

the United States and South Africa have in common.

The Day Gogo Went to Vote

by Elinor Batezat Sisulu, Illustrated by Sharon Wilson

16THE RIGHT TO VOTEGrades 3-5

3–5

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

OBJECTIVE

Students participate in a variety of activities to

increase the number of adult voters and/or kid

voters who attend the polls on Election Day.

MATERIALS

The materials needed depend on what project

the students decide to undertake.

GET READY

 See “The Right to Vote” and “Voter Apathy”

in the Appendix.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Have students brainstorm responses to the

following question: “How can we increase the

number of registered voters/kid voters who will

attend the polls on election day?”

 Here are some possibilities to add to students’

lists if they do not come up with them:

 Posters

 Flyers

 Letter to the editor of a local and/or

school newspaper

 Public service announcement on the radio

 Voter registration drive

 Calling registered voters to remind them

to vote

 Setting up a public display in the library,

mall, or outside a grocery store

 Contacting neighbors, friends,

relatives, etc.

 Decide which activity or activities students will

undertake to increase the voter turnout.

Students could work in small groups or the

entire class could work on one project.

 Have students keep track of how many kids

and/or adults they influence to vote. A large

thermometer-type graph could be posted in the

classroom and filled in periodically as students

complete their activities. (Of course, they won’t

be able to discern the effects of all activities,

for example, posters and flyers.) As a school or

a class, students could set a goal to influence a

certain number (100? 1000?) of people to go to

the polls. If they worked with the adult popula-

tion, they could check the Auditor’s Web pages,

contact the Auditor’s office, and/or contact the

Election Commissioner for voter turnout

records. Be sure to compare results to

the voter

turnout of the last comparable election.

 After the election, discuss in class whether

students think they made a difference.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What did you learn about the challenges of

influencing people to vote?

# Did you make a difference? If so, how?

# Was this activity easier or harder than you

thought it would be? Why?

# What was the best approach in trying to get

people to vote?

# Do you think most citizens appreciate their

right to vote? Why do you feel that way?

# What challenges do we face that prevent

people from voting? What can you do about

those challenges?

# What did this activity teach you about the

right to vote?

CULMINATING ACTIVITY: GET OUT THE VOTE!

(Time varies)

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

KIDS VOTING USA

1ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

INTRODUCTION TO THEME

The intent of this theme is for students to learn how to evaluate information and to intelligently form,

communicate, and act on the decisions they make. The theme’s activities fall under four main learning objectives:

• Students will learn how to gather and weigh information and form an opinion.

• Students will learn how to clearly and effectively communicate their position with others.

• Students will learn how to work together effectively.

• Students will consider how they can have an impact in their community.

GENERAL ACTIVITIES

CONCEPT 1: GATHERING AND WEIGHING INFORMATION

Using The World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Judging Propaganda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Student Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

CONCEPT 2: COMMUNICATING YOUR POSITION

Bumper Stickers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Spokespeople For Kids Voting USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Debates For Classroom Decisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

CONCEPT 3: WORKING TOGETHER

Ice Cream In A Bag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Building A Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Eleusis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

CONCEPT 4: HAVING AN IMPACT

Things To Do On My First Day In Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

E-mail, Snail Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Dollars And Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

OVERARCHING QUESTIONS

Questions for Concept 1: Gathering and Weighing Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Questions for Concept 2: Communicating Your Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Questions for Concept 3: Working Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Questions for Concept 4: Having an Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY

The Kid’s Guide to Social Action by Barbara A. Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

CULMINATING ACTIVITY

Learn And Serve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

2ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Gathering and Weighing Information

OBJECTIVE

Students learn how to navigate the World Wide

Web and locate Web sites of interest.

MATERIALS

Access to the Internet

GET READY

 Arrange for your class to have access to the

Internet. If possible, seat two students to each

computer.

 Before the activity, talk to your students about

various forms of media and information. You

may also want to engage them in a dialogue on

credibility, discussing what makes some

information valid and other information not

(What is the source of the information? How

current is it? etc.).

INSTRUCTIONS

 Ask your students to think of characteristics of

a good decision (examples: well thought out or

based on information from many sources).

 Say: Good decisions are based on accurate

information. One source of information is the

World Wide Web. It is a great place for finding

information regarding any topic including

history, voting, democracy, and so on.



Tell your students that they are going to work in

pairs to navigate the Web and research a topic.

 First, have your students visit the

Kids Voting USA Web site. They should type

www.kidsvotingusa.org into the address bar.

 Next, have your students click on the

“Resources” icon on the left-hand side of the

screen. A page will pop up with lots of

interesting Web sites for kids and young

adults. Have the pairs “surf” around, visiting

some of the various Web sites.

 Tell the pairs that as they “surf” they should

pay attention to the things they want to learn

more about: the presidency, Congress, the U.S.

Constitution, etc.

 Give the pairs a few minutes to determine

what they would like to research.

 Next, have the pairs use search engines to

research their topic of interest. They can use

any of the popular search engines: Yahoo!,

Google, etc.

 Inform your students that entering keywords

like “voting,” “election,” “campaign,” and

“president” might help them narrow their

search for relevant Web sites.

 Give the pairs 10 to 15 minutes to visit several

Web sites relating to their topic.

 Have the pairs report on what they learned.

They should be prepared to reference what

Web sites they got their information from.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Did you find it challenging to use the Internet?

If yes, how so?

# Was it easy to search for information on your

topic? Why or why not?

# How did you feel about the amount of

information you found? The quality of the

information?

# How do you think the World Wide Web might

be helpful to voters?

USING THE WORLD WIDE WEB

(30-40 minutes)

3ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Gathering and Weighing Information

OBJECTIVE

Students learn to identify various forms of

propaganda.

MATERIALS

Judging Propaganda handout; writing and

drawing materials

GET READY

 Make a copy of the Judging Propaganda

handout for each student in your class.

 Share with your students that advertisers,

candidates, and the media at large often use

propaganda techniques to influence opinions

— these approaches can be found in television,

the radio, and in magazines and newspapers.

Provide examples to your class.

 Share with your students information from the

“Political Propaganda” section of the Appendix.

INSTRUCTIONS

 After sharing with your students some

background information on what propaganda

is, give an example of each type of propaganda

technique listed on the activity handout.

 Once you think students have a handle on the

various techniques, have them complete the

handout either individually or in small groups.

 Go over the handout as a class:

 Answers: 1-b, 2-e, 3-a, 4-d, 5-j, 6-h,

7-c, 8-f, 9-g, 10-i.

 Now share some more examples you have

made up. Have the students guess which

techniques you are using. Make sure they are

comfortable with the different terms.

 Have your students come up with their own

examples now. They may choose a technique

and apply it to a product, a candidate, or an issue.

 Your students should now write out their

propaganda message in the form of an

advertisement. Have them support their

advertisement with a picture.

 Have your students present their

advertisements and ask the class to guess

which technique they are using.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Can you think of examples of propaganda you

have heard? What makes these examples

propaganda? What techniques are being used?

# What is the purpose of propaganda?

# Can you be truthful and write propaganda?

How or how not?

# Is all propaganda bad? What would make

some propaganda bad?

# Do you think propaganda is effective? How do

you think propaganda affects people as they

live their lives?

MORE!

Have students bring in various pieces of

propaganda from the media. They should

identify and share the propaganda technique

being used.

JUDGING PROPAGANDA

(45 minutes)

4ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

1. These are vague, nice-sounding descriptions of things: “Have a lawn that makes you proud.”

“Get the biggest and best for your money.” “…stronger, brighter.”

2. This appeals to your sense of home and family: “Lemonade, just like grandma used to make.”

“The hearth-baked goodness of whole grain bread.” “It’s as American as apple pie.”

3. This is a direct line to your fear, anger, pity, or sense of humor: “Don’t be bullied into paying

more taxes than you need to.” “If you know the feeling of a dead battery on a lonely road,

then buy…”

4. Since many people want to do what everyone else is doing, you are urged to hop aboard and

join the crowd: “Be like all the others in your neighborhood and roller skate under the

stars…” “Join the younger generation, vote for…”

5. One blames problems on a particular group, person, or idea: “I don’t want those big-mouthed

kids in the library.” “Our downfall began under the other party.” “Your money problems are

caused by that party.”

6. One only presents one side and hides the other. One only presents what is favorable or what is

unfavorable, whatever serves the cause.

7. These refer to people who are either unnamed, unknown, or famous who have something

positive to say about the product, issue or candidate. Everyone is made to sound like an

expert: “Most experienced mothers depend upon…” “These movie stars are voting for…”

8. Tests, statistics, survey, and pseudo-scientific jargon are used to be convincing: “Four out of

five dentists use…” “Research shows that…” “The polls show our candidate ahead.”

9. These give the impression that people of elegance, wealth, good taste, and intelligence will

buy the product or vote for the issue or candidate: “When only the very best will do, buy…”

“People of status will vote for…”

10. One groups things for a stronger effect. The following combinations of traits do not

necessarily go together: “young and joyous,” “thick and juicy,” “old and wise.”

a. EMOTIONAL APPEAL

b. GLITTERING GENERALITIES

c. TESTIMONIALS

d. BANDWAGON

e. PLAIN FOLKS

f. SCIENTIFIC APPROACH

g. SNOB APPEAL

h. CARD STACKING

i. TRANSFER

j. NAME-CALLING

Listed below are names of propaganda techniques, followed by specific examples. Match the name of the

technique to the example by placing the letter in the box.

JUDGING PROPAGANDA

5ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Gathering and Weighing Information

OBJECTIVE

Students identify the parts of a newspaper

article and write their own article.

MATERIALS

A local or national newspaper (if possible, get

copies for your entire class)

GET READY

 Bring in a local or national newspaper and pick

a news article to share with the class.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Describe to your students the various parts

that make up a newspaper article: The headline

is meant to grab the reader’s attention, the

lead paragraph contains specific details and

important information about the article, the

body gives supporting information and details

about the lead, and the conclusion sums up

the content of the article.

 Using the article you selected before, explain

how the different parts of the news article fit

the descriptions you provided: See how this

headline is catchy? See how most of the

important information is in the lead paragraph?

 Give copies of the newspaper to your students

(if you were able to get copies) and have them

examine an article and identify its various

parts. If you do not have additional copies of

the newspaper, break your students up into

groups of three or four and give an article

from your newspaper to each group.

 Have your students label the parts of their

article (in pen or marker).

 Invite individuals or groups to read their

article aloud, identify its various parts, and

explain why they labeled the parts as they did.

 Tell your students that each of them is going

to write their own article and in doing so the

class will generate its own newspaper. Give the

students some of the following options for

their assignment:

 Write an article based on an event in the

classroom, school, or community.

 Write an article based on an event or

incident that occurred in a book the

class read.

 Create an article based on a picture

selected from a magazine or newspaper.

 Give your students a few days to complete their

articles. Then have your students share their

articles with the rest of the class. Compile all

the articles into a class newspaper to be

brought home.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What does a newspaper article have to have in

order for people to want to read it?

# Why is the article headline so important?

# What happens if you have a weak lead

paragraph? What about a weak body or

conclusion?

# Was it difficult writing an interesting article?

# What did you learn from writing your article?

STUDENT REPORTERS

(45 minutes)

6ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Communicating Your Position

OBJECTIVE

Students advocate for a cause or issue through

the creation of bumper stickers.

MATERIALS

Bumper Stickers handout; paper (preferably

label paper); drawing and writing materials

GET READY

 A few days in advance of doing this activity, ask

your students to keep a watchful eye out for

bumper stickers.

 Copy enough of the Bumper Stickers handout

so that each student has one bumper sticker.

Use label paper if possible.



Cut the bumper stickers from the handout apart.

 Gather markers and crayons.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Discuss with students the purpose of bumper

stickers. If possible, bring in examples and

discuss what makes a bumper sticker effective.

 Draw bumper sticker examples on the board.

First draw effective bumper stickers with

catchy, large print. Next, draw ineffective ones

with small, messy print. Then ask: Which

would you consider well done and eye-

catching, and which would you consider

poorly done and uninteresting? Why?

 From the answers, keep track of what makes a

good bumper sticker. List on the board the

qualities of a good bumper sticker:

 Short, catchy message

 Large, neat letters

 Clear, heavy lines

 Bright colors

 Ask the class to describe bumper stickers they

have seen and liked.

 Divide your students into groups of three.

 Instruct each student to design a bumper

sticker promoting a favorite issue, candidate,

etc. They may draw their design on scrap paper

before using the label paper.

 Have students consult with their group

members to make sure everyone used the

graphic principles on the board.

 Let the students draw and color in their

bumper stickers.

 Students can share their bumper stickers with

the class for feedback.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Why do you think people put bumper stickers

on their cars?

# Do you think bumper stickers help sway

people’s opinions on issues, candidates, or

other subjects? If so, how?

# Do you think creating bumper stickers is a

good way to express how you feel about

something? Why or why not?

# What are some other ways you can express or

share an opinion?

MORE!

If they get consent from the appropriate adult

family member, students can place their

bumper sticker on the family car.

Have your students help you collect bumper

stickers for a bulletin board. Discuss whether

they are effective or ineffective.

BUMPER STICKERS

(20 minutes)

7ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

BUMPER STICKERS

8ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Communicating Your Position

OBJECTIVE

Students advocate voting throughout their

school and community.

MATERIALS

Materials vary depending on what the students

do to advocate voting.

GET READY

 Ask for student volunteers who would like to

act as spokespeople for Kids Voting USA.

Inform them that they have to be passionate

about voting and democracy and willing to

share that passion with their fellow students.

 Meet with the students who you think are

responsible enough for the position.

INSTRUCTIONS



Gather the students who will act as spokespeople

for Kids Voting USA. Inform them that they

have been selected to advocate Kids Voting

USA because of their interest in democracy as

well as their level of maturity.

 Arrange for these students to meet once or

twice to create and carry out projects to promote

voting throughout the school. Ask, What

messages do you want to share with the rest of

the school? How can you influence other people

to vote? How can you share with other students

your passion for voting and democracy?

 Students may come up with their own ideas

for messages and how to disseminate these

messages, though you may mention these

ideas as a start:

 Make signs to encourage classes and

students to participate in the election.

 Bring in daily information for an election

bulletin board.

 Sponsor a forum on an issue or election.

 Make tally sheets for the school vote.

This can be compiled in graph form.

 Count votes for the whole school.

 Count votes by class and grade level for

comparison. Speak about apathy and how

it influences a vote.

 Announce events and results over

the intercom.

 Continue to collect material involving

candidates and issues to inform the

school on an ongoing basis.

 Remind your students to be conscious of when

they are sharing opinions and when they are

sharing facts. (They want to influence people

to vote, but they should be careful not to

influence how people vote.)

 Reward your Kids Voting USA spokespeople!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Does anyone have the job you just had during an

adult election? Who are they and what do they do?

# What can you do to promote an election when

you are an adult?

# Was it hard to convince people to vote? If yes,

what made it so hard?

# How were you best able to communicate your

message to the other students? Do you think

you were effective in sharing your message?

MORE!

Have your student advocates share their

message with the adult community, either in

school or at home.

SPOKESPEOPLE FOR KIDS VOTING USA

(Time varies)

9ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Communicating Your Position

OBJECTIVE

Students debate with each other over issues

relevant to the classroom.

MATERIALS

Anything that could aid in holding a classroom

debate (mock podiums, etc.)

GET READY

 Find a tape of a debate, preferably a former

Presidential or Vice-presidential debate.

(Refer to the “Recommended Films” section

of the Bibliography.)

INSTRUCTIONS

 Show parts of the videotaped debate to the class.



Discuss debate form and etiquette with your class.

 Hold debates in class concerning classroom

decisions:

 Center the debate around an issue that

the students care about and will have

divided opinions over: What should we

play at recess today? Should we have

math in the morning or afternoon

tomorrow? Etc.

 Identify students who want to represent

and defend their point of view.

 Each student debater should present and

defend their argument and be prepared to

critique other students’ arguments.

 Following the debate, have your students vote

and decide the issue.

 Implement the results of the vote.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What is the purpose of holding a debate?

# Are debates an effective way to get information

about candidates and issues? Why or why not?

# How were people effective in presenting their

point of view during the debate? Why was

this effective?

# What can we learn from a debate that we can’t

learn in other ways?

# How else can we get information before

making important decisions?

DEBATES FOR CLASSROOM DECISIONS

(30-40 minutes)

10ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Working Together

OBJECTIVE

Students work together to decide on an ice

cream flavor and to create ice cream.

MATERIALS

Measuring cups, measuring spoons, milk,

vanilla, sugar, rock salt, ice, one or more 1-

gallon Ziploc

freezer bags, one or more 1-pint

Ziploc freezer bags; eating utensils and

bowls/cups; any ingredients needed to create

the ice cream flavor the class has voted on

GET READY

 Gather your students together and tell them

they will be eating as a class tomorrow, but

first they need to decide on an ice cream flavor.

 Help your students hold a debate/forum and a

vote to choose an ice cream flavor. Recommend

the students pick a flavor that the majority of

the class will enjoy — it is their goal to work

together to find a flavor that everyone will like.

 Hold an “Ice Cream Election” and graph the

results of the vote.

 Once the students have made a final decision,

prepare the materials above for the day when

you will be making the ice cream as a class.

Make sure you have:

 measuring cups, measuring spoons, milk,

vanilla, sugar, rock salt, ice, one or more

1-gallon Ziploc freezer bags, one or

more 1-pint Ziploc freezer bags

 the ingredients needed for the flavor the

class has voted on (ex. chocolate,

strawberries, etc.)

 spoons and either bowls or cups

INSTRUCTIONS

 Help the students mix the following in 1-pint

freezer bags:

 1 cup milk

 4 T sugar

 1 t vanilla flavoring

 Put the following in the gallon freezer bags:

 2 cups ice

 3 T salt

 the sealed pint bag

 Seal the gallon bags.

 Pass the bags around so all can cooperate to

make the ice cream. Students should gently

squeeze the bags but also make sure the bags

don’t pop open.

 Eat the ice cream while discussing the

questions below.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Was the flavor of the ice cream the flavor you

wanted? If the student says no, ask them if it

was still a fair process. Remind them, if

necessary, that they were able to express their

opinion both verbally and in a vote.

# Would it be fair if we only let the boys vote on

the flavor? Why not?

# Were you happy with the flavor the class

selected? Were you happy with the process we

took to determine the flavor?

# Was it hard to work as a class to determine the

flavor of the ice cream? Why or why not?

# Did the ice cream taste good even if you voted

for another flavor?

# Was it easy or difficult to make the ice cream

as a class? Why?

# If we did this again, what could you do to

get more people to vote for the flavor you

wanted most?

# Do adults ever do anything similar to what we

just did? Can you give me an example?

(elections, presidential debates, etc.)

ICE CREAM IN A BAG

(20-30 minutes)

11ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Working Together

OBJECTIVE

Students work collaboratively to write

well-developed stories.

MATERIALS

Lined paper; writing utensils

GET READY

 Break your class up into groups of three or four.

 Write these five words on the board:

 Election

 Vote

 President

 Campaign

 Ballot

INSTRUCTIONS

 Inform your students that they will be working

with their groups to collaboratively write a story.

 Tell the groups that their stories must be at

least two paragraphs long and that all students in

each group must take part in creating the story.



Encourage your students to listen to and support

their fellow group members as they work.

 Inform each group that they need to make

sure that their story has all essential elements:

 A setting

 Characters

 A problem

 Events

 A resolution

 Have the groups choose four of the five words

on the board to incorporate into their story.



Encourage your students to write creatively with

strong action words and descriptive language.

 Give the groups a specified amount of time to

work together on their stories.

 At the conclusion of the activity, have your

class come back together and the groups share

their stories out loud.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Was it difficult to work together on this

assignment with your classmates?

If yes, what made it challenging?

# Was it easy to incorporate the words on the

board into your story? Why or why not?

# Do you think working in groups made your

story better than it would have been if you were

working alone? If yes, explain why.

# What did you learn from this activity?

BUILDING A STORY

(30 minutes)

12ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Working Together

OBJECTIVE

Students work together to create and decode

patterns.

MATERIALS

Packs of cards (one pack for each group

of four students)

GET READY

 Help the students divide into teams of four.

 Group each team of four against another team

of four.

 Give each team a pack of cards.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Explain the following rules to the students:

Using a pack of regular playing cards, one team

makes up a pattern at the beginning of the

game, then lays out the cards in a row

following the pattern. The other team tries to

figure out what the pattern is as the row is

being laid out. For instance, in an example too

simple to use, the first team might lay the

cards out in alternating colors—one red, then

one black. Or the first team might lay them

out alternating even and odd cards. Another

example: 1,7,8,2,6,8,3,5,8,4,4,8. This pattern is

1+7=8, 2+6=8, 3+5=8, 4+4=8. (Aces count as 1

and jacks, queens, and kings as 11, 12, and 13.)

 Once one group has guessed correctly, they

may lay the cards out in their pattern.

 The groups take turns creating and

deciphering patterns until you decide the

activity is over.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# How did you figure out what the patterns

were? (The answers will possibly be something

like, “I saw a little bit of a pattern, then I tried

it on the rest of the cards and if it didn’t work,

I tried another idea.”)

# Did it help you to figure out the pattern by

having teammates?

# How did it feel to figure out the patterns as

a team?

# Was it difficult to work together and create a

pattern for the other team to guess? Why or

why not?

# When have there been other times that you

had to work together with other people?

# Why does it help to have groups of people

cooperate and work together?

ELEUSIS

(20 minutes)

This activity was developed with funding by the Intel Corporation. The game was invented by Robert Abbott and found in Mathematics,

A Human Endeavor by Harold R. Jacobs.

13ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Having an Impact

OBJECTIVE

Students think up ways to improve their

communities as if they were mayor and then

envision their own role in making things better.

MATERIALS

Things To Do On My First Day In Office

handout; writing and drawing materials

GET READY

 Duplicate the Things To Do On My First Day In

Office handout for each student in your class.

 Prepare a Kids Voting bulletin board area to

display the papers.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Say, Have you ever wondered what the mayor

of our community does? What do you think he

does? Listen to responses.



While students brainstorm several of the mayor’s

jobs, write them on the board. They may include

planning, listening to people’s problems,

getting things built for the community, etc.

 Distribute the handouts and say, I want you to

pretend that each of you has just been elected

mayor of our city! Tomorrow will be your first

day in office. What do you need to do, and

want to do, starting tomorrow?

 The students will list their priorities and, if

they wish, color or decorate their papers.

 Have your students pair up to exchange papers.

Each student should select their favorite idea

from the other person’s list.

 Make a master list of suggestions on the board.

 Ask your students if there are any suggestions

on the board that they can do now; they can

act on one of the suggestions, depending on

its feasibility.

 Display the papers on your Kids Voting bulletin

board, labeling them with the children’s last

names: “Mayor Smith,” “Mayor Johnson,” etc.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What are the qualifications you need to be the

real mayor of our town? (Review these for your

community. Generally, you must be a resident

for a specified time and a registered voter.)

# In what ways can you help to make the plans

for our community come true? (Choose some

of the students’ plans and brainstorm children’s

roles in bringing them about. Example: “Make

our town cleaner” can translate into “We will

never throw litter in the streets.”)

MORE!

Students can send their papers to the mayor or

they can summarize their plans in a classroom

letter. Mail the letter to the mayor’s office or

send it via e-mail.

THINGS TO DO ON MY FIRST DAY IN OFFICE

(20-25 minutes)

Thanks to Carol Sharkey of Providence Day School, Charlotte, North Carolina, for this activity.

14ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

THINGS TO DO ON MY FIRST DAY IN OFFICE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

15ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Having an Impact

OBJECTIVE

Students send letters, postcards, and/or e-mails

to an elected official.

MATERIALS

Paper or cardstock; writing implements: pens,

pencils

GET READY

 Students can write letters or prepare

“postcards.” To create postcards, cut sheets of

cardstock in half on a paper cutter.

 Gather pens and/or pencils.

 If your school has e-mail capability in your

classroom, through a technology classroom or

media center, schedule your class there during

the week you would like to compose the letters.

E-mail is a great alternative to paper mail.

 If your PTA has a special budget for the Kids

Voting USA program, you might buy a postcard

stamp for each student. If not, the students

can deliver or mail the postcards personally.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Say, There are lots of people who work for us

in our country: our mayor, our senators, our

representatives, our president, etc. It is

important that they understand how we feel

about the job they are doing as well as what is

important to us.

 Ask your students to think about something

they would like to share with an elected

official. Have the mailing addresses/e-mail

addresses of various elected officials available

for your students.

 Tell your students to compose a letter to the

official and sign it. They should use the proper

letter format. Tell them to write the address of

the person they are contacting on the envelope

as well as their return address. Alternatively,

make your visit to the technology classroom or

the media center, if your classroom is not

equipped with the Internet. Ask the technology

or media specialist, if there is one, to explain

what e-mail is and how it works. Students can

always send messages electronically as well as

by “snail mail.”

 Explain the term “snail mail” — the post office

is as slow as a snail, compared with the speed

of e-mail.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Why is it important that we share our

opinions with our elected officials?

# What are other ways we can contact our

elected officials?

# How can we encourage other students to write

their elected officials?

# What can we say to people who tell us

“You are not making a difference?”

MORE!

Write letters to other prominent persons, such

as judges and the state and national secretaries

of education.

E-MAIL, SNAIL MAIL

(30-40 minutes)

16ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Having an Impact

OBJECTIVE

Students allocate their “dollars” toward the

improvement of the community priorities they

deem most important.

MATERIALS

Kids Voting Dollars handout

GET READY

 Duplicate a page of four “dollars” for each

student. Cut the dollars apart.

 Label five boxes:

 CRIME FIGHTING

 TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION

 REDUCING AIR & WATER POLLUTION

 ARTS AND RECREATION

 SCHOOLS

INSTRUCTIONS

 Explain to your students that local

communities obtain money to provide services

in several ways: they use taxes (example: sales

tax); they issue bonds (investments in the city

that are paid back years later); they receive

money from state and national governments.

 Say, Today each of you will decide how to

distribute extra money to fund programs in

our community. You have four dollars to give

and five kinds of services to choose from. You

may distribute your dollars any way you want,

depositing as many dollars as you wish in

each box.

 Ask your students to identify the greatest

needs of their town, and then to walk up to the

boxes and spend their dollars.

 After the first round, count the allocations.

Write the results on the board.

 Instruct your students to create graphs

representing the total number of dollars that

went to each area.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Why did you give out the money the way you

did? Which programs seemed most important

to you?

# What have you heard in the news about those

five areas? Is anything good happening?

Anything bad?

# Is it important that we know what is going on

in these different areas? Why or why not?

# What can we do to have an impact in these

different areas?

MORE!

Invite a city planner to address your class.

Send this lesson to his/her office beforehand.

Ask him/her to plan his/her talk around how

he/she would spend the four “dollars” in your

simulation. Encourage your students to bring

to class any election paraphernalia they find

for a bulletin board. Ask them to look in

magazines, newspapers, and mailed brochures.

DOLLARS AND SENSE

(20 minutes)

17ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

KIDS VOTING DOLLARS

DOLLARS AND SENSE

18ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

GATHERING AND WEIGHING INFORMATION

# What are sources of information? Are these all good sources of information?

# What makes one source of information better than another?

# Is everything you hear true? How do you decide if something is true?

# What goes into making a good decision?

# Tell me about a decision you have made? Do you think it was a good decision, why or why not?

COMMUNICATING YOUR POSITION

# When are times that you need to share an opinion?

# Is it always easy to say how you feel?

# What do you think is a good way to share an opinion with someone else?

# Do people always agree with you?

# What do you do when someone disagrees with you?

# What does it mean to communicate?

# What makes a good communicator?

WORKING TOGETHER

# What does it mean to work well with others?

# Is it always easy to work with others?

# What sometimes makes it hard to work with others?

# What does it mean to be a good listener?

# Can it be fun to work with other people? How?

# Is there a time when you had to work with other people? How did it go?

# What advice would you give someone who needs to work with other people?

HAVING AN IMPACT

# What is a community?

# Are there any problems in your community?

# Do you think adults are the only people who make a difference in your community? Why or why not?

# Are there things that you can do to help out in your community? What are some ideas?

# Do you think it would be hard to create change in your community? What do you think would

be hard about it?

# Was there a time that you did something good for your community? Describe that time.

OVERARCHING QUESTIONS

19ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

OBJECTIVE

Students plan and implement service projects

to create positive change in their communities.

MATERIALS

The Kid’s Guide to Social Action - Barbara A. Lewis

PRE-READING ACTIVITY

 To engage your class in the book, read aloud

pages 50 and 51. These two pages comprise a

section called “Kids in Action.” The passage

shares the story of a girl who created a

program to help the homeless.

 Ask your students, What do you think inspired

Amber to create Happy Helpers for the

Homeless? What did Amber accomplish in her

service? What do you think Amber got out of

her volunteer work?

 Tell your students that they are going to learn

about a group of students who, like Amber, set

out to create positive change in their community.

 Have your students read the story of Jackson

Elementary School students found on pages 7-11.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# Was it easy for the Jackson Elementary School

students to solve their problem? What made

it challenging?

# How did the students educate themselves

about the problem they were confronted with?

# Wouldn’t it have been easy for the students to

give up on their project? Were people eager to

help them? Why do you think they kept at it?

What did this story teach you about being

persistent?

# These Jackson Elementary School students

inspired other students at their school to do great

things. Have they inspired you? In what way?

# What can you do to have an impact in your

community?

ACTIVITY

 Make copies of the What’s the Problem

handout found on page 16 of the book. Make

enough copies so that each of your students

has one.

 Copy the Brainstorming I: Come Up With

Ideas and the Brainstorming II: Choose Your

Main Idea handouts found on pages 177 and

178 so that you have a two-sided handout for

each of your students.

 Inform your students that they are going to

create positive change in their community,

much as did the Jackson Elementary School

students they read about — they will identify a

problem and plan a service project that helps

address the problem.

 Divide your students into small groups of four

or five.

 Distribute the What’s the Problem handout

and have the small groups identify topics of

interest to them.

 With topics from the handout in mind, have

the groups decide what problem they would

like to address. (Students can always choose a

topic/problem that is not on the handout.)

LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY

The Kid’s Guide to Social Action

by Barbara A. Lewis

20ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

 Once the groups have chosen a problem to

address, have them come up with service ideas

to address the problem. They can use the

Brainstorming I: Come Up With Ideas handout

to come up with service possibilities and they

can narrow their search to one option using

the top section of the Brainstorming II:

Choose Your Main Idea handout.

 The groups should next complete the bottom

of the Brainstorming II: Choose Your Main

Idea handout in order to create a plan of action

for their selected service project. Before

students do this, however, encourage them to

learn more about their selected problem by

surfing the Web, by reading magazines articles,

and so on.

 Give the groups time to present their plans

of action.

 Have your students vote on the service project

idea that interests them most. (Have each

student vote twice so that they do not vote

solely for their own idea.)

 Have your class implement the selected project.

(Your students can use the book to help them

identify the resources and tools available to them.)

 Have your students use journals for reflection

as they implement the service project.

 Celebrate the success of the service project.

LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY (continued)

21ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

OBJECTIVE

Students learn about different problems in the

local community, choose one, and brainstorm

ways they can make a difference.

MATERIALS

Newspaper articles; additional materials

determined by the nature of the service project

GET READY

 Prepare newspaper articles that discuss

community problems: trash, hunger, etc.

 Arrange to have someone from the community

come to your class to speak about local

community needs and problems.

 Consider things that will determine the nature

of a service project: money, transportation,

supervision, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

 For homework one night, ask students to talk to

their parents/guardians about what they think

are the biggest problems in their community.

The next day, have students share in class and

add these ideas to a list of community

problems on the board.

 Have your students come up with additional

ideas to add to this list by having them read

through the newspaper articles you collected.

(You may want to distribute entire newspapers

if your students are familiar with reading them.)



Have your students add any additional community

problems they can think of to the list.

 The next day, have someone from the

community come to your class to speak about

local community needs and problems. This

could be a public official such as the mayor or a

city council member or someone who works for

an umbrella social service organization such as

United Way. Ask the speaker to talk with the class

about current community problems. Encourage

students to ask questions about the problems

to learn more about how they originated and

what solutions might be effective.

 Tell your class that they are going to address

one of these problems, but first they need to

decide which problem. Have your class vote to

decide which problem to address.

 Now that you have a problem for your class to

consider, ask your students to come up with

possible solutions to the problem. List these

ideas on the board.

 In order to identify the correct project for your

class, encourage the students to think about

which of these activities would be most feasible

and desirable to execute. The following

questions will be helpful to consider:

 How much time do we have for the

service activity?

 What kinds of support do we need

(money, transportation, adult

supervision) and where can we find

this support?

 Which ideas are likely to have the

greatest impact on the problem?

 Which ideas do we most want to do?

Note: It is important as the teacher that you

“veto” any ideas at this point that the students

are advocating for that you find unacceptable

or unreasonable. Be sure to explain to the

students why that idea will not be included in

the final list.

CULMINATING ACTIVITY: LEARN AND SERVE

(1 hour in class; time varies out of class)

22ACTIVE CITIZENSHIPGrades 3-5

3–5

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP



Vote on one project idea for the class to complete.

 After completing the service activity, have

students reflect on their experience in writing

or discussion.

 To conclude the experience, celebrate students’

efforts to make a difference. This could be as

simple as a popcorn party, extra recess, a pizza

picnic, or as involved as a public event in the

community with student awards.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

# What are some of our community’s needs and

problems? Why do you consider these

problems? How do you know these are needs

and problems in our community?

# Was it hard to come up with a service project

for the class? Why or why not?

# What was hard, easy, fun or difficult about the

service experience?

# Did the class make a difference?

# What did we learn from this experience and

how could we apply that learning to future

efforts to improve our community?

MORE!

If the service project the class undertook is not

one that involved influencing public opinion,

you might also consider one of the following

activities for your class:

 Write a letter about the problem to a

newspaper editor or a public official in

the community

 Organize a public display with facts,

artwork, and any other information you

can think of

CULMINATING ACTIVITY: LEARN AND SERVE (continued)