THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN AMERICA

1
THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN AMERICA

• BY
• WHITNEY CARLTON
• NIKKI DADEY
• TRACEY POOLE

2
INTRODUCTION

• THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDED IN THE
• FOLLOWING PRESENTATION WILL INTRODUCE THE
  DEMOCRATIC PROCESS TO FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS. IT
  WILL COVER THE SIX STRANDS PRESENTED IN THE OHIO
• COMPETENCY-BASED PROGRAM.

3
RATIONALE

• Although many nations recognize the need for and
  extol the value of civic education, this vital
  part of the students overall education is seldom
  given sustained and systematic attention. Our
  students will learn the democratic process first
  hand through a series of activities such as
  performing a mock debate, learning Presidential
  history, and other authentic experiences.

4
AMERICAN HERITAGE
5
OBJECTIVES

• The student will explore cause and effect
  relationships by creating or examining a time
  line of state events, and devise cause and effect
  explanations.
• The student will explore sources of information
  about Ohio history.
• The student will identify significant individuals
  and events in state history and explain their
  importance.

6
ACTIVITIES

• The student will create a timeline.
• The student will construct a model of the first
  registration card.
• The student will compile research on voter
  eligibility over the past century.

7
ACTIVITIES (CONT.)

• The students will create a chart that illustrates
  requirements for voting eligibility in the first
  election compared with current requirements.
• The students will diagram the steps in the
  democratic process.

8
WEB SITES

• http//www.kids-space.org/vote.
• www.americanpresident.org/homes6.htm
• www.fvap.ncr.gov/
• http//government.aol.com/mygov/
• http//aolsvc.election2000.aol.com/news/election/

9
PEOPLE IN SOCIETIES
10
OBJECTIVES

• The students will examine how Ohios government
  deals with the needs an demands of various
  cultural groups.
• The students will compare customs, traditions,
  and needs of Ohios various cultural groups.
• The students will describe how the customs and
  traditions immigrant groups brought with them
  have influenced the American way of life.

11
ACTIVITIES

• The students will choose a particular issue
  affecting our society and write a persuasive
  speech to convince others of its importance.
• The students will create a wish tree.
• The students will re-enact the first Independence
  Day.

12
ACTIVITIES (CONT.)

• The students will research and gather current
  events from newspaper articles that focus on the
  democratic process.
• The students will construct a multicultural
  poster that supports a specific issue affecting
  our society.

13
WEB SITES

• http//www.supersurf.com/menu.htm-WorldSafari
• www.city-net.com/imann/women/history/timeline.html
  -WomensSuffrage
• http//www.kidsvotingusa.org/
• http//www.govspot.com
• http//www.freedomchannel.com/almanac/almanac_of_a
  mer_p...

14
WORLD INTERACTIONS
15
OBJECTIVES

• The students will compare the government
  differences between the U.S. and other countries.
• The students will use maps to highlight locations
  all over the world.

16
ACTIVITIES

• The students will compare Englands government
  and how a country leader comes into power with
  the U.S. government and how a president comes
  into power.
• The students will identify the locations of five
  different countries governments.
• The students will compare the United States
  democratic government to a country who does not
  have a democratic government.

17
ACTIVITIES (CONT.)

• The students will write a story from the
  standpoint if they were president, what countries
  they would help and why.
• The students will participate in an activity that
  centers around registration cards.

18
WEB SITES

• http//www.inpolitics.com
• http//www.rockthevote.org
• http//www.chooseorlose.com
• www.dareware.com-U.S.Dateline
• http//www.pbs.org/tal/un/classroom.html-UnitedNat
  ions-

19
DECISION MAKING AND RESOURCES
20
OBJECTIVES

• The students will use current resources and
  technology to gather information.
• The students will demonstrate curiosity,
  open-mindedness, skepticism, and ethical behavior
  in inquiry based with regard to the voting
  process.

21
ACTIVITIES

• The students will participate in the following
  activities
• Two Ballots
• Processing information through the
  decision-making chart
• Counting the returns
• Voting simulation
• Voting chain

22
WEB SITES

• http//www.korrnet.org/kidsvote/
• http//www.connectforkids.org/content7850/content.
  htm
• http//www.activedayton.com/community/groups/kidsv
  oting/How_
• www.kidsvotingusa.org/
• http//www.govspot.com

23
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS
24
OBJECTIVES

• The students will be able to identify the purpose
  of a National Government.
• The students will recognize some of the actions
  taken by the National Government.
• The students will discuss the different
  characteristics of American Democracy.
• The students will identify the main function of
  the three branches of government.

25
ACTIVITIES

• The students will learn about the past
  presidents. The students will pick one president
  and write a short paper on why they feel they
  were an effective president.
• The student will create a bulletin board showing
  their understanding of political language.

26
ACTIVITIES (CONT.)

• The students will identify the characteristics of
  the two main political parties and divide the
  class into the appropriate groups.
• The students will elect a student to represent
  their candidate and lead an effective political
  campaign.
• The students will hold a mock presidential
  election in the classroom.

27
WEB SITES

• http//www.mc.org
• http//www.2000GOP.com
• http//www.democrats.org/index.html
• http//www.civicmind.com/
• http//www.govspot.com

28
CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS RESPONSIBILITIES
29
OBJECTIVES

• The students will differentiate between fact and
  opinions and between relevant and irrelevant
  information when examining national issues in the
  political arena.
• The student will acquire, interpret, and analyze
  information regarding national political issues.

30
ACTIVITIES

• The students will follow a local political
  campaign and look at the validity and integrity.
• The students will choose a particular issue and
  write or email the appropriate representative.
• The students will look at the important local
  issues and compare them to national issues.

31
ACTIVITIES (CONT.)

• The students will listen to a guest speaker from
  the Board of Elections explaining the importance
  of voter participation. They will invite members
  of the community to attend.
• The students will look at voter participation
  results for the last two Presidential elections.

32
WEB SITES

• www.kidsvoting.com
• www.whitehouse.gov
• http//www.mpelectric.comkidsvoting/
• http//www.kidsvotingusa.org/
• http//www.vote-smart.org/candidates issues and
  more

33
CONCLUSION

• Through the six strands of Ohios Competency
  Based Social Studies Programs, the students will
  learn the important role that democracy and
  politics have played in creating the World and
  America that we live in today.