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The Issues

October 16, 2000
Web posted at: 5:55 PM EDT (2155 GMT)

Objectives

Students will identify the issues that concern them and determine where they stand on each of these issues.

Standards

National Council for the Social Studies Themes

I. Individual Development and Identity
II. Individuals, Groups and Institutions
III. Power, Authority and Governance
IV. Civic Ideals and Practices

Materials

Backgrounder: The Candidates and the Issues
Computer with Adobe Acrobat (or can download)
Clarifying Issues 2000 Guides (www.Publicagenda.org)
Student Handout: Defining Your Perspectives
Student Handout: Taking a Stand-Belief Statements
Additional Internet Resources
Election terms
Video Clip: Young Voters (this video is available in Quicktime, if you need the plugin, please take a moment for downloading).

Suggested time

Depending on student access to computers, this lesson could take between three and six class periods. The research will take approximately one to three days, the preparation for the presentations can take one to two days and the presentations themselves can take between one and two days. The belief statements can be done for homework. If computer availability is limited, the teacher may want to download and print copies of the Clarifying Issues 2000 Guides for each topic chosen by student groups.

Procedures

Set-up: Now that students are eligible to vote, they must decide what issues concern them and where they stand on those issues. Before they make a decision on a candidate, they will need to understand their own perspectives and beliefs about issues such as education, the environment, gun control, etc.

Step One: The Research

1. Have students brainstorm a list of issues that concern them the most. Show Video Clip: Young Voters. Then use the discussion questions and activity from the March 7, 2000 CNN NEWSROOM curriculum guide to discuss further the issues relating to young people. In addition, have students read through a recent Youth Survey at http://www.vote-smart.org/yip/ and the National Youth Platform at http://www.youthlink.org.

2. Provide students with a list of the current issues as listed on http://publicagenda.org/clarifying_issues/clarifying_issues.htm. The list includes abortion, alcohol abuse, America's global role, crime/gun control, economy, education, environment, family, health care, illegal drugs, Internet free speech and privacy, and race relations. There are additional topics listed at publicagenda.org. From that list, students should choose the top 5-7 issues that concern them the most.

3. Write each of those issues on a piece of paper, fold it up and drop it into a hat. Divide the class into small groups of 3 or 4 students. Have one representative from each group pick one topic out of the hat.

4. Either distribute the appropriate copy of Clarifying Issues-2000 to each group or have each group gather around one computer and call up www.publicagenda.org. Their job is to search the materials to research and take notes on the following for their assigned topic:

• Overview of the issue
• Fact File on the issue
• Framing the Debate around the issue
• People's Chief Concerns about the issue

As they search the materials, students should design a presentation to share their group's findings with the rest of the class. They will need to summarize their issue and the facts relating to the issue, and present the different perspectives, including the pros and cons for each perspective.

Step Two: The Presentations

1. Before groups present, distribute one copy of Student Handout: Defining Your Perspectives to each student. As students listen to each presentation, they will take brief notes on each perspective. After the presentation is over, students will determine with which perspectives they most relate. In the right column, have them rate each perspective from one to four, one would be assigned to the perspective with which the student least related and four would be assigned to the perspective with which the student most related.

2. Distribute Student Handout: Taking a Stand -- Belief Statements. Based on their results from Student Handout: Defining Your Perspectives, students will define what they see as the issue and write a belief statement that summarizes their perspective on each issue.

3. Discuss with students why this process is important. Did students learn anything about themselves? Was the process easy or hard? Do they think all voters go through this process of defining their beliefs? Why or why not? Do voters cast their ballots based on just the candidate's stand on the issues? What other factors might affect a voter's decision?

4. 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 students found important?

Explain that this is only a brief introduction to the candidates' stands on the issues. Now that your students have defined their beliefs, they are ready to pursue a candidate that will represent their beliefs in offic (Weeks 3, 4 and 5).

Homework:

Download and distribute copies of http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000/resources/where.they.stand/index.html. Have students compare each candidate's stand on the issues with their own belief statements. Do students agree with one candidate more than another? If students have access to the Internet at home, have them examine additional third party candidate web sites. Are there any issues that immediately stand out? Students should keep these comparisons in mind as they search further for a candidate in The Debates and The Media.

OPTIONAL ASSESSMENT

In addition to completing presentations and worksheets, each student could create a fictional candidate who represents his or her own beliefs on key issues. Students should write a brief campaign speech (no more than one page) in which the fictional candidate addresses the student's stance on these issues.

Challenge: Students can present their speeches and classmates can decide whether or not they could consider voting for that candidate. Students should display a strong knowledge of the issues -- including the facts, the sides to the debate and the pros and cons for each. Speeches should reflect the students beliefs on the issues.

INTERNET RESOURCES

Project Vote-Smart's Youth Inclusion Project: This section includes information on the issues, avenues for being heard, key links and other political information relevant to young people. Includes Project Vote-Smart's national survey of younger voters (18-25) and potential voters, and reveals what issues concern them, what sources they depend on for political information, and why they don't participate in, or trust, government at any level. Complete survey and executive summary available on the Vote-Smart Web.
The Global Youth ACTION Network (GYAN) is a collaboration among youth and youth-serving organizations to share information, resources and solutions to promote greater youth engagement. The GYAN creates the opportunity for every young person to be heard, leverages their voices to impact national and global agendas and provides tools, recognition and financial support for youth who take positive action to improve the world -- community by community.