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Lesson plan: Results in on mock election

November 2, 2000
Web posted at: 9:12 PM EST (0212 GMT)

Editor's note: If you are planning to use this lesson plan for a homework assignment, please write the URL on the board and have your students copy it. CNNfyi.com updates the site in the early evening, so students may have difficulty finding it without the URL. You can find the lesson plan by going to the Subject Areas page and clicking PREVIOUS in the square for Today's Lesson Plan.

Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Identify their stance on issues.
• Create a fictional candidate that represents the same beliefs they do.

Standards

National Council for Social Studies
X. Civic ideals and practices, grades nine-12

High school students increasingly recognize the rights and responsibilities of citizens in identifying societal needs, setting directions for public policies and working to support individual dignity and the common good. They learn by experience how to participate in community service and political activities and how to use democratic process to influence public policy.

Materials

CNNfyi.com article, "Students elect Bush"
Internet access
Student handout, "Taking a stand -- belief statements"
Backgrounder, "Understanding issues in a presidential election"

Suggested time

One class period

Procedures

1. Have students read the CNNfyi.com article "Students elect Bush." Then ask: Who won the National Student Vote 2000? What is George W. Bush's past political experience? What is Al Gore's past political experience?

• Bush has campaigned on the theme of "compassionate conservatism." What does this mean?
• What happened that interrupted the voting process? How do you think this could have been prevented? How would you improve this process?

2. Discuss the three issues selected by the National Student Vote 2000: improving the country's educational system, reforming criminal justice policies and restoring voters' faith in government. Distribute the student handout, "Taking a stand -- belief statements." Have students complete the handout.

3. Discuss with the students why it is important to determine individual viewpoints on issues. Then ask the students: Did you learn anything about yourself? Was this process difficult? Do you think all voters go through this process of defining their beliefs? Why or why not? Do voters cast their ballots based on the candidate's stand on the issues? What other factors might affect a voter's decision?

Assessment

Have each student create a fictional candidate who represents his or her own beliefs on key issues. Students should then write a brief campaign speech in which the fictional candidate addresses the student's stance on these issues. Have students present their speeches to the class.

Accommodation

Interpersonal: Have each student write a brief essay explaining which fictional candidate they would choose from the student presentations and why.

Challenges

Distribute backgrounder: "Understanding issues in presidential elections." Direct students to read through this essay and answer the following questions:

• Why have the number of independent voters increased in recent decades?
• What types of issues have fundamentally affected previous presidential elections?
• What is the difference between a split and straight-party ticket?
• Which issues are likely to be most important to voters in Election 2000 and why?
• How do these issues compare with those that students found important?

Youth e-Vote
National Student/Parent Mock Election
A Battle of Words

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