Students need to learn about the real-world issues our nation faces. They need to understand how concerned individuals gather information, consider opposing opinions, come to conclusions, and act on their beliefs. Background information, resources, and classroom activities are provided to help students understand the importance of voting. (DF)

Most of the material for this issue of the "Goldfinch," which explores the life of Carrie Chapman Catt, came from the archives of the State Historical Society of Iowa. Carrie Chapman Catt (1859-1947) was an Iowan who advocated woman suffrage and spent 26 years actively working for that cause. The issue contains a biography of Catt, and…

A class project that involved three sixth-grade classes in holding a mock presidential election is described. Students manned registration booths, held rallies, made speeches to explain the issues, and actually voted. (RM)

This classroom guide instructs secondary school students about the registration process, the voting process, and the importance of the American electoral system. The goal is to encourage students to participate in the electoral process. Although the guide focuses most heavily on the specifics of voter education in Rhode Island, it is also…

Presents an activities package designed for teachers to use in teaching elementary or secondary students about political processes in an election year. Includes topics such as voting procedures, political parties, political campaigns, issues, and rating the candidates. (CK)

Designed to provide direction to secondary teachers involved in citizenship education, this guide focuses on citizenship responsibility in electing public officials and on legal obligations of members of a democratic society. The material is divided into nine sections. Introductory letters and acknowledgements are followed by a detailed curriculum…

This Oregon curriculum resource guide about elections is intended for use by secondary social studies teachers who may already be teaching about elections, but need additional information and ideas to integrate into their classes. The guide is organized so that teachers may select individual lessons and activities to use in the existing…

This basic voter resource book can be used as the basis for a self-contained unit or as a supplement to the Young Voter Campaign of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Materials, which are suitable for use in secondary social studies, government, and history courses, are divided into five parts. Following an introduction, Part…

Lessons to help K-12 students in Indiana learn about elections are provided. Indiana educators are required by law to provide for all students in grades 6-12 within the two weeks preceding each general election five full recitation periods of class discussion concerning the U.S. system of government, voting methods, party structures, and election…

Designed to introduce the responsibilities of citizenship to children between 2 and 6 years of age, this 2-week lesson plan aims to ensure that children can explain the importance of voter registration and voting to their parents. It is also designed to develop in children a sense of the importance of exercising their citizenship rights.…

This guide will help secondary teachers use the 1984 elections as a tool to teach about American government and politics. Students use their town, county, or city as the classroom. Newspapers, community resources, campaign materials and activities, and the broadcast media are their textbooks. (RM)

Describes a one-week lesson in which gummy-bears candy was used to illustrate sampling procedures and to generate discussion and questions. Reports data results and students' reactions to problems of representation after holding an election. (MKR)

A voter education package was developed to aid institutional personnel in educating the residents from state mental health facilities in the methods of registering to vote, developing the necessary skills in the voting process, and the use of the voting machine. The curriculum was taught to 38 residents in the Harrisburg State Hospital who had…

Describes learning activities to be used in conjunction with a facsimile of the 92nd Congress's joint resolution passing the 26th Amendment extending the voting franchise to 18-year-olds. These activities include document analysis, time lines, class discussions, and storytelling. Briefly reviews the amendment process. (MJP)

These activities are intended to acquaint elementary students with the voting process. Students in grades K-4 are introduced to vocabulary concerning voting through games and classroom discussions. A voting area is simulated in the classroom. Students are given the opportunity to vote for their favorite dog, bird, and wild animal. So that they can…