Who will be President?
How does a person become President? How do you make your choice?
Complete this project to become an expert on the Presidential Process and on Your Choice of Candidates!
Use the Table of Contents below to read about your role, goals, products, project reflections, activities with resources to complete, and rubric for requirements.
NOTE: Grade K-3 Resources: Click Here.
Table of Contents for This Page
Role:
You are an informed citizen volunteer whom others will call upon for information. You volunteer at your candidate's headquarters. As a volunter, you must thoroughly research the election process and the issues supported by your candidate and his opponent. You must create the information that voters need to make their choices. These are the types of information needed:
- Election Process
- Guide to Presidency Booklet
- Diagram of steps to become president
- Commercial (slides) for public understanding
- Essay Explanation
- Poster for display
- Speech to organizations
- Recipe for creative display
- Website (wiki) for future candidates
- Diorama for schools
- Issue Information for Informed Choice
- T-charts of the pros/cons of your candidate (and opponent)
- Venn Diagram of the pros/cons of your candidate (and opponent)
- Collage/symbols of the pros/cons of your candidate (and opponent)
- Essay Explanation of the pros/cons of your candidate (and opponent)
- Table list of the pros/cons of your candidate (and opponent)
- Speech of the pros/cons of your candidate (and opponent)
- Campaign poster of the pros/cons of your candidate (and opponent)
- Skit or 3-D presentation for schools of the pros/cons of your candidate (and opponent)
- Prediction of results of your candidates actions next year (news article prediction)
- Log of your daily learning and sources (as credit for your work)
- Outline of main idea and sources
- Scrapbook (paper or wiki) of Images explaining issues
- Voice recordings for the blind
- Daily diary of sources and information found
- Poster of references and main ideas
- Daily sketch or comic of sources and information
- Did you know booklet
- Illustrations and captions of daily learning
- Daily jingles of learning
See the Product Section below for which choices fit your needs. What you prepare for presentation may determine whether or not your candidate wins. Good Luck.
Goal:
Understand the path to choosing a president, including analyzing the issues in order to vote your own informed choice and provide information for others to make informed choices.
Can you explain the process of becoming the President of the United States?
Can you expain the candidates' platforms on the issues important to you?
Can you explain which candidate best fits your ideas?
Can you show your research and reflection evidence to support your explanations?
Due Dates and Requirements
Daily Work
Take notes daily. Reflect on what you learned daily. Your daily notes and reflections will be checked twice weekly.
Notes Requirements:
Name
Date
Class
Target Notes
CRT Notes
Venn Diagram Explanation Online Venn Diagram Maker Venn Diagram Sample Blank
T-Chart How to Make a T-Chart -Wiki How to Make and Use T-Chart
Reflection Requirments:
Name
Date
Class
What did I do?
What are your sources?
I learned that...
My thoughts on the candidates are...
Projects
Project work from notes and reflections begins 10/27.
For Printable Version, click here: Election Product Projects
For How To Links on each project, click here: Election Product Links
Choose from the "Informed Choice Chart;" Issues Projects Due Monday, November 3 or earlier for extra credit.
Choose from the "Choosing A President Chart;" Election Process Due Tuesday, November 4 or earlier for extra credit.
Voting
Weekly Reader Vote Friday, October 24
Mock Election Vote Wednesday, October 29
Activities for The Election Process
Research the steps that a person must take to become President. Take notes so you can create your product to share the process with others. Due 11/4.
1. Videos
Watch the Brain Bop videos
The Presidential Election Process
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgovernmentandlaw/presidentialelection/
You can play and pause the video. You may want to take notes. Many of your main answers can be found here.
Ask for these study pages: Presidential Election Questions, Presidential Election 5Ws&H, Presidential Election Vocabulary, Quiz
Primaries and Caucuses
The following information will help you understand primaries and caucuses, the "playoffs" to choose the presidential candidates for each political party.
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgovernmentandlaw/primariesandcaucuses/
Ask for these study pages: Primary Questions, Primary/Caucus Comparison, PC Vocabulary, Quiz
Political Parties
What are political parties?
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgovernmentandlaw/politicalparties/
Ask for these study pages: Party Lists, Party Questions, Party Vocabulary, Quiz
Why Vote?
Why do we vote? Why is it important?
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgovernmentandlaw/voting/
Ask for these study pages: Voting Questions, Voting Reasons, Voting Vocabulary, Quiz
What is a democracy?
What is the difference between democracy and a representative democracy?
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/democracy/
Ask for these study pages: Democracy Word Scramble, Democracy Two Kinds, Democracy Vocabulary, Quiz
2. Election Information for Informed Choice--- Read All About It
Issues of Informed Choice due 10/29.
Weekly Reader Research Pages
Search the Weekly Reader site (http://www.weeklyreader.com/election/)for information on:
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What's There:
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Which links you to:
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 |
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Election Home:
http://www.weeklyreader.com/election/ Includes the latest "Hot Topic"
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| Meet the Candidates: Meet the Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates with links to their home pages. |
| How It Works: Learn the following: The White House; Who Can Be President; How does the electoral college work; debate rule; voting information; voting matters; conventional wisdom |
| Election Fun: Two president quizes; voting rights quiz; election word search; election crossword |
| Ask Us Anything: Find answers to --- why have elections; why are swing states important; why only two terms; difference between Democrats and Republicans; other parties; counting votes; ask to send your question |
| Election Word Wheel: Glossary |
| Election Issues: Find out what each candidate thinks about the issues |
| Hot Topic Archives: All hot topics are listed |
| Subscriber-Only I will show you these pages. |
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Activities on the Issues
Election Issues A page with issue links only.
Research All About It
What issues are important to you? Which issues are important to you and our country?
The Economy? Energy? The Environment? Health Care? Taxes? Iraq? Afghanistan? Security?
Read and take notes about what is important to you. Which candidate supports what YOU do? Choose your candidate based on the issues important to you. Explain why. Create your products to explain your ideas and your candidate's ideas so others will understand. Will you convince them?
Weekly Reader Research Pages
Search the Weekly Reader site (http://www.weeklyreader.com/election/)for information on the issues.
Scholastic Issues Pages
Chart: http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/election2008/games/candidates_stand/issues.htm
Game: http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/election2008/games/candidates_stand/
McCain: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collection.jsp?id=395
Obama: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collection.jsp?id=398
Parents Guide to Election News: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collection.jsp?id=238
Parents Guide to News Online: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=5228
Scholastic News Online
Scholastic's Vote
MSNBC
Issues: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23294239/
Issues in Brief: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26424187/
The Candidates Issues Pages
President
John McCain, Republican: http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/issues/
On the Issues Site: http://www.ontheissues.org/John_McCain.htm
Barack Obama, Democrat: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/
On the Issues Site: http://www.ontheissues.org/Barack_Obama.htm
House of Representatives
Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, Republican: http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Cathy_McMorris-Rodgers.htm
Mark Mays, Democrat: http://www.votemarkmays.com/vmm_issues.php?z=the-environment&q=A; this was the only issues site I could find for this candidate.
Governor
Dino Rossie, Republican: Issues ; this was the only issues site I could find for this candidate.
Christine Gregoire, Democrat, Current Governor: http://www.chrisgregoire.com/
CNN Politics On the Issues
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.environment.html
Choose the "Select Another Issue" menu on the right side of the information area to choose another issue.
C-Span Road to the President Podcasts
http://www.c-span.org/podcasts.aspx
The Budget
Play a Budget Hero
NPR Candidates and The Issues
Click here.
American Public Media
Widget of Voter Issues: https://whatelse.pbwiki.com/Political-Ideals-and-You
The Why Files
Science Issues: https://whatelse.pbwiki.com/Why-Files-Candidate-Issues
Rubric of Expectations
Assignments:
In Class:
Note-Taking on Issues
Notes on issues; Family Homework: Target or CRT Share issues with family; write summary on note page. Add your own opinion/connections.
Essay
Election Assignment:
Use transitions to write to compare the issues of the two candidates. You may express your opinion and include the comparison of facts to prove your opinion.
Use one of the essay formats provided in class.
Format 1:
Introduction Statement;
First Paragraph: Explain one candidate's issues;
Second Paragraph: Explain the other candidate's issues;
Third Paragraph: Explain similarities of the two candidates;
Summary Statement
Format 2:
Introduction Statement;
First Paragraph: Explain one candidate's issues;
Second Paragraph: Explain similarities of the two candidates;
Third Paragraph: Explain the other candidate's issues;
Summary Statement
OR, Format 3 (if you are expressing an opinion on your choice of candidate):
Introductory Statement;
First Paragraph: Explain similarities of the two candidates;
Second Paragraph: Explain the issues of the candidate you do not agree with;
Third Paragraph: Explain the issues of the candidate you choose for President
Summary Statement
More Resources
Your Ideas
Add comment at:
http://news.scholastic.com/scholastic_news_online/2008/09/general-electio.html
Game on the Issues:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/election2008/games/candidates_stand/
Prompt Discussion
Artistic Ideas
An open typewriter: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90880340
News
Click on Get the Scoop! at: http://pbskids.org/newsflashfive/
Scholatic News
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3750314
Hydrogen Car Toys
Hydrogen Cars--BMW
New York Times on BMW Hydrogen
Alternative Energy
Alternative Energies
Alternative Energy Institute, Inc
American Petroleum Institute
British Petroleum
CIA World Factbook
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Energy and World Energy Statistics
U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Climate Global Warming
Audio News: http://campaignaudio.prx.org/
which can be listened to on our pages at: Campaign Radio
Understand the Budget Widget
Our ideas and issues need facts to add to our understanding: http://www.kqed.org/w/youdecide/
Look at the issues: http://www.votebyissue.org/election2008/
Choose a Candidate based on the issues that concern you.
Map and News updates: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/primaries/states/
Science Issues
Miscellaneous Science and Geography: Interactive Expedition Museum
War and Peace: Afghanistan Aftghanistan Iraq Iraq
History
Political Party History
McCain Life Map
Obama Life Map
Maps
Election Map
US Senators Map
US House Map
Political Party HQ
Primary Results
campaign donors
McCain Life Map
Obama Life Map
twitter election map
Statistics
http://www.infoplease.com/
Lots of facts can be found here.
Issues
http://www.publicagenda.org/
Check out the issues here.
http://www.factcheck.org/
Check the facts
http://www.americanpressinstitute.org/pages/toolbox/
For journalists, even beginners like us
Google News and Power Readers
http://news.google.com/?ned=us&topic=el
http://www.google.com/googlereader/powerreaders/index.html
Explore news sites read by McCain, Obama and political journalists.
See articles the campaigns and political pundits are sharing with Google Reader this election season.
Research Links
The League of Women Voters 
A nonpartisan political organization that provides information about campaign issues, voter registration support, and a citizen's guide to the electoral process. Its mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government and to increase understanding of major public policy issues.
OneVote 2008
Provides a teen-oriented guide to the election that includes profiles of the candidates, reports on campaign issues, and interactive features that allow students to express their opinions. OneVote 2008 is produced by ChannelOne.com , an award-winning youth news site.
VoteGopher
Founded by a nonpartisan team of college students, VoteGopher aims to empower and inform young voters by presenting material about 25 pertinent election issues. For each of the issues, students can view the candidates' main arguments, watch video summaries, read posted blogs, participate in forums, and cast their own ballot.
Rock the Vote
Aims to motivate young voters and teens through its content and visual style. Rock the Vote uses music and popular culture to engage young people to register to vote and also provides tools to learn about issues that affect their lives.
Extreme Election 2008
USA Today provides aggregations of its daily coverage of the presidential election campaign as well as interactive tools that allow students to build election scenarios and study past election outcomes.
Googlitics
Contains links and lessons to help students participate and learn about American political elections with online tools from Google. Featured on the site is a link to a Google elections video search that allows you and your students to easily find YouTube political videos.
The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement
CIRCLE conducts research on the civic involvement of Americans ages 15 to 21. The site provides a context for the political youth activism that Letters to the Next President student-authors are engaging in—students can find data about youth voting and demographics and gain insight into how young Americans are affecting today's politics.
Resources for Teens About Issues in the News
These websites provide pertinent information about current issues, news, and culture, written with a teen audience in mind. These nonpartisan sites also provide aggregations of news and editorials from various content partners.
FactCheckED
FactCheckED aims to equip students with reliable sources and the skills they need to obtain trustworthy information on the Internet. Students will find links to credible informational sites under "Straight from the Source," "Lesson Plans" and "Tools of the Trade" to help guide their analysis of current events. The site provides a "Dictionary" to help decode political jargon.
NewsHour Extra
A comprehensive news source that provides national and international stories for young people. The site features videos as well as traditional text and graphics, and includes a section titled Student Voices—essays and editorials written by students.
OpinionSource
The "Today's Newsletters" feature at OpinionSource allows students to explore diverse—and international—perspectives on the latest political news. The site provides summaries and links to some of the day's top editorials from renowned news sources in the US, the UK, China, the Middle East, and India.
Pop+Politics
A nonprofit blog that provides a forum for discussion and debate among young people on current politics and culture. Based at the USC Annenberg School for Communication, Pop+Politics is one of 150 blogs officially credentialed to cover the upcoming Democratic National Convention.
Think
MTV's Street Team '08, comprising of select young journalists from around the nation, reports on local issues that are important to youth and the election. Students can navigate the site's peer-produced video clips, commentaries, and forums by topic.
WireTap
The Webby-winning national news and culture magazine whose targeted audience is young people. In addition to providing daily content to over 60,000 monthly visitors, WireTap's articles and youth commentary are syndicated weekly by its partners at The Nation, Rock the Vote, the Chicago Sun-Times, and various college newspapers.
Extra Credit
Extra Credit When Your Project is Completed
Constitution
What do you know about our Constitution?
Create a user account to save and remember your studies about the Constitution and Bill of Rights of the United States.
http://www.constitutionbee.org/user/
I will check with you on your new learning for credit.
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