It's Time to Vote!
Before we know it, Election Day (November 2) will be here. Whether your students are already voters or voters-in-training, now's the time to connect classroom learning about civics and government with current events in the world.
Encourage your students to keep informed by reading local and national newspapers, watching television debates and campaign commercials critically, and discussing issues thoughtfully. If you've not yet organized a formal debate in your class, this is an ideal time to start. Take advantage of the October excitement to energize your students about the democratic process! Several Internet resources are listed below.
American's Role in the World www.choices.edu/twtn.cfm?id=49
A CHOICES online lesson plan to open discussion on the international policy of the United States now and in the future. Concludes with a student ballot on future policy.
Citizen I Am
Citizen I Am connects civic awareness and civic engagement to the NC Standard Course of Study. For more information contact Sharon Pearson at Sdugspur@aol.com , or Pamela Myrick at PamelaSMyrick@juno.com
Commission on Presidential Debates www.debates.org/
The web site of the organization responsible for the televised debates between presidential candidates. Offers a lively commentary on presidential debates in the past and publishes the dates and times of the 2004 debates.
Kids Voting www.kidsvotingusa.org/
Classroom ideas and lesson plans leading up to Election Day. The national organization supports state initiatives to involve young people in voting. For more information, contact Kids Voting NC at kvnc@bellsouth.net or (336) 370-1776.
Buncombe County : www.kidsvotingbc.org
Cumberland County : www.kidsvotingcc.org/
Guilford County : www.greensboro.com/kidsvote
Mecklenburg County : www.kidsvoting.org
Wake County : www.kidsvotingwake.org
LEARN NC Election 2004 http://vote.learn.unc.edu/
A great starting point for any teacher wanting to “teach the elections”! This site provides links to lesson plans, activities, election history and process, and even international perspectives on the elections.
NC Civic Education Consortium www.civics.unc.edu/index.html
Another site with a wealth of information for election resources and politics.
Project Vote Smart www.vote-smart.org/resource_classroom.php
Classroom resources and lesson plans for middle school and high school.
“The 2004 presidential election in historical context: A conversation with historian William E. Leuchtenburg” www.learnnc.org/Index.nsf/doc/leuchtenburg0611?OpenDocument
An informative and enlightening background discussion with UNC-Chapel Hill's foremost presidential historian.
The Art of Persuasion www.learnnc.org/index.nsf/doc/persuade-caucus-0702
A series of election-related lesson plans by two master North Carolina middle school teachers. Available on LEARN NC's web site.
The National Forensic League www.nflonline.org
An organization supporting debate in middle schools and high schools. The web site includes the current list of debate topics in competition as well general guidelines on successful debating. A good way to familiarize yourself with the basics of forensics as you begin debates in your classroom.
The People Speak Youth Circles www.choices.edu/peoplespeak/
Free classroom resources (order before October 15) to promote youth discussion on the United States in the world. The People Speak is a nonpartisan coalition of organizations including the UN Foundation, ABC News, and the American Enterprise Institute.
Federal Government Web sites:
The U.S. Supreme Court www.supremecourtus.gov/
The U.S. Senate www.senate.gov
The U.S. Congress www.house.gov/
The White House www.whitehouse.gov/
The Electoral College www.fec.gov/pages/ecmenu2.htm
A web site sponsored by the Federal Election Commission featuring an explanation of how the Electoral College works and the background on its history.
Political Party Headquarters
The Democratic National Committee www.democrats.org/
The Republican National Committee www.rnc.org/