CITIZEN ADVOCACY
CENTER
YOUNG VOTERS &
CIVIC PARTICIPATION
LESSON PLAN AND ACTIVITIES
Subject(s):
Description: Most individuals fail to participate in their communities because they feel like they do not have anything to add, they do not think that their voice matters, or that they will look stupid. This lesson aims to show students that they have a voice, and that an organized student voice can be powerful. Even if students are not old enough to vote, they can still participate in their local communities in many ways. This lesson will demonstrate the myriad of manners of civic participation, and will demonstrate a successful grass roots organizing strategy.
Goals:
ISBE Standards:
1. Social Science
· 14C: Understand election processes and responsibilities of citizens.
Objectives:
Young Voters Handout Series
Instruction and Activity
I. Start with teaser true/false questions regarding young voters (See handout).
1. False. The voting age was changed in 1971 to accommodate younger citizens who felt that if they were old enough to die in service for their country, they were old enough to vote.
2. False. The 2000 presidential election was an all-time low for young voter turnout. Only 36% of eligible voters under the age of 24 voted.
3. True. Volunteerism is on the rise, but only in direct service, social service organizations.
4. False. Youth volunteerism is at an all-time low for good government organizations, political organizations, etc.
II. Use the second handout (“Question”) to spark discussion regarding students’ expectations for government in their lives.
III. Do you think that government officials should listen to your opinion as young people? Do any issues affect you as students in particular? See handout (“Issues”).
IV. Do politicians and government officials listen to students? Why? Why not?
A cycle has occurred in today’s world: politicians do not listen to young people because young people do not vote; young people feel disenfranchised because they are not being listened to, so they do not vote. Who is going to break this cycle? Never leave something this important to someone else. It is YOUR responsibility.
V. Activity: Have everyone in the class stand. They represent all of the people who are eligible to vote in the U.S. who are under the age of 30. Have half of the class sit down. The people standing represent eligible people under the age of 30 who actually register to vote. Have a little less than half of those people sit down. The remaining people who are standing represent the number of eligible people under the age of 30 who voted in the last presidential election. Only a third of the eligible voters under the age of 30 actually voted in the last presidential election. Ask people standing what they like to eat for lunch. Get a couple of options. Have the people standing vote on which one they like best. Ex: Pizza. Now tell them that everyone is going to have pizza for lunch every day for the rest of the year because these 6 people voted on it, and decided it was so.
§ Is it fair for those 6 people to decide what everyone is going to have for lunch? Why/why not?
§ Do they represent what everyone wants?
§ How could the rest of the people who were sitting made a difference in the election? A: If they had voted.
VI. Why should young people vote? See handout (“Why Bother?”).
Imagine the impact if all eligible people under the age of 30 organized and voted. It could turn an election on its ear.
VII. Even if you can’t vote, you can still make a difference. See handout (“How Do I Participate?”).
1. Showing up is half of the battle for any organization.
2. You are smart, young, and full of energy. If you don’t like how something is being done, you can do it better. Do it.
3. Under the Open Meetings Act, you have the right to testify at any school board meeting. Check with your school board to see when public comment is given. Pick an issue, and let your elected officials know how you feel. Other public meetings are also open to the public. Check with each public body to see if they allow for public comment.
Activities:
1. Imagine that you are running for governor of Illinois.
A. Where would you visit in the state of Illinois?
B. Where would you stop to talk with people?
C. What issues would you focus on in your speeches and debates?
D. Who would you be most interested in pleasing if you were elected?
E. Why do you think that young Americans are not voting?
F. How would you increase young voter participation?
· Have students create their own “Take Action Guide” for increasing young voter participation and send it to a public official. How would your guide differ if you were targeting state, county or local public officials? See the Citizen Advocacy Center’s Take Action guide at www.citizenadvocacycenter.org
2. Is there something about your school you want to change? Generate a brainstorming list of issues that are a problem in the school. Pick one or two to discuss.
A. Who are the decision-makers in the school/school district who are in charge of that issue?
B. Why are they in charge of that issue?
C. To whom are they accountable? The superintendent? The voters?
D. Develop an action plan to make your voice heard on this issue. See handout (“Political Action Plan”).
1. The Op/Ed page is the most read section of the newspaper. While it is generally more effective to work as a group, a single person can have a great deal of effect.
E. Identify which freedoms of the First Amendment are involved with each element of your action plan (i.e. Freedom of Speech, Press, Assemble, Petition Government).
©Copyright
2004 Citizen Advocacy Center. All
rights reserved. No part of this lesson
plan may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior, written
permission of the Citizen Advocacy Center. The Citizen Advocacy Center is
a 501(c)(3) non-pofit, non-partisan community based legal organization. For
information about the Center, or to make a tax deductible contribution, visit
www.citizenadvocacycenter.org,
call 630.833.4080. The Center is located at 238 N. York Rd., Elmhurst IL 60126