F I V E P O N D S P R E S S

Introduction toHistory and

Social Science

I

The Complete

Virginia Curriculum

TEACHER’S EDITION

48

CHAPTER 3R

A VOTE FORDEMOCRACY

“Never doubt that a smallgroup of thoughtful,committed citizens canchange the world.Indeed, it's the onlything that ever has.”

–Margaret Mead

M A K I N GY O U R V O I C E H E A R D

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CRepublican, Democrat, Independent —no matter your political leanings—getout and vote!

A

The student will demonstrate knowledge ofpersonal character traits that facilitatethoughtful and effective participation in civiclife bya) practicing trustworthiness and honesty;b) practicing courtesy and respect for the rightsof others;c) practicing responsibility, accountability, andself-reliance;d) practicing respect for the law;e) practicing patriotism;f) practicing decision making;g) practicing service to the school and/or localcommunity.

SOL CE.5The student will demonstrate knowledge of thepolitical process at the local, state, and nationallevels of government bya) describing the functions of political parties.b) comparing the similarities and differences ofpolitical parties.c) analyzing campaigns for elective office, withemphasis on the role of the media.d) examining the role of campaigncontributions and costs.e) describing voter registration andparticipation.f) describing the role of the Electoral College inthe election of the president and vice president.g) participating in simulated local, state, and/ornational elections.

SOL CE.2

Chapter Introduction:Partner Discussions

Have students silently read the quotation byMargaret Mead on page 48. Then, they shouldsilently read the blue box at the top of page 49. Askstudents to discuss with a partner how the quoteand the blue box relate to each other. Duringpartner discussions walk around listening to studentviews about the importance of individual thinkingand the power of a single vote.

Chapter VocabularyElectorate • Ballot • Democrat

Republican • Candidate • Political party

Party Platform • Liberal • Conservative

Third party • Propaganda • Bias

Media • Op-ed pieces • Editorials

Political cartoons • PACs • Electoral College

Electoral Vote • Popular Vote • Electors

Swing State • Voter Apathy

Chapter NewsletterTHE SOL HOME CONNECTION: CHAPTERTHREE REPRODUCIBLES 23-24 can be sent homeat this time to keep parents informed and involved.

Chapter Three LiteratureConnections

• VOTE!, by Eileen Christelow, offers anintroduction into voting covering topics such asvoter registration, campaigning, voter apathy, andpolitical parties. Much of the information isdisplayed in dialogue bubbles from storycharacters, making it approachable for strugglingreaders.• Duck for President, by Doreen Cronin, is ahumorous picture book about Duck who runs foroffice to change life on the farm.• See How They Run, by Susan E. Goodman,explains how and why citizens should get involvedin the voting process. Humor is used to dispelinformation about political parties, campaignfinances, and political advertising. Goodman usesprimary source quotes, cartoons, and short textboxes throughout the book.• America Votes: How Our President is Elected, byLinda Granfield, contains 29 short chaptersdetailing the election process, the Electoral College,third parties, and PACs.• The Kid Who Ran For President, by Dan Gutman,is a fiction novel about a boy running for presidentof the United States that cleverly intertwines factsabout the process. This book is also available as ane-book.• It’s Our World Too! Young People Who areMaking a Difference, How They Do It—How YouCan Too!, by Phillip Hoose, features young peoplecontributing to their communities as qualitycitizens.• Friendly Foes, by Elaine Landau, is an informativenonfiction book from the How Government Worksseries. The volume details the Republican andDemocratic Parties, as well as third parties.• Miss Moore Thought Otherwise, by JanPinborough, is a biography picture book thathighlights an independent thinker from the 1800swho had a quest to change her community.• First Boy, by Gary Schmidt, is a fast-pacedmystery novel surrounding a teenager’s familysecrets that lead to the boy running for politicaloffice.• America’s Electoral College: Choosing thePresident, by Theresa Shea, is a short nonfictionbook filled with charts, graphs, and tables designedfor comparison and analysis of presented data.

Places to ContactThe following may be valuable as places to contact, visit,

or access resources as you explore Chapter Three:

• http://www.centerforpolitics.org/The Center for Politics is a nonpartisan unit of the Universityof Virginia with the mission of highlighting civicengagement and the importance of politics in America.

• Explore these local sites for currently electedrepresentatives as well as volunteer opportunities withineach party:Democrats of Virginia http://www.vademocrats.org/Republicans of Virginia http://www.virginia.gop/Libertarian Party of Virginia http://www.lpva.com/Green Party of Virginiahttp://www.vagreenparty.org/

Additional Resources• http://www.generationnation.org/documents/6-8%20Curriculum.pdf is a comprehensive, age-appropriate resource for this unit of study.• http://kidsvotingusa.org/ features curriculumoptions for grades 6-8.• http://www.fairvote.org/ Select “LearningDemocracy” and then “Lesson Plans” to find Active Civicsplans including suggestions on how to hold a mock electionin your classroom.

PAGES 48-49

CE.4 a, b, c, d, e, f, gPersonal traits of a good citizen• Trustworthiness and honesty• Courtesy and respect for the rights of others• Responsibility, accountability, and self-reliance• Respect for the law• Patriotism• Participation in the school and/or localcommunity• Participation in elections as an informedvoter

Effective participation in civic life can include• formulating questions• analyzing information from a variety ofsources• expressing a position• devising and implementing a plan• practicing thoughtful decision making inpersonal, financial, and civic matters (e.g.,voting, civic issues).

SOL Essential Question• How do individuals demonstrate thoughtfuland effective participation in civic life?

SOL Essential Knowledge

Anticipate LearningOpen the lesson by asking students to list

qualities of a “good” citizen. Then, draw attentionto the two famous Americans on the side of page50. Use the following questions to guide a briefdiscussion:• Can you infer why the images are in black andwhite?• Think about Washington’s accomplishments.Would you define him as a good citizen? Why orwhy not?• Think about Franklin’s accomplishments. Wouldyou define him as a good person? Why or why not?• What do you think the students at the bottom ofpage 50 are doing?• Do the students appear patriotic? Explain.• Without reading about these students, can youinfer if they are good citizens? How did you reachyour conclusion?

Learn more about personal traits of good citizensby reading pages 50-51 in the Student Edition.

Read and Discuss• Reread the first paragraph under “Are You a GoodPerson?” Name four personal traits of a good citizen fromthis section. How does this list compare to the one createdin the Access Prior Knowledge lesson?• What good citizen trait are the people in thephotograph on the bottom of page 50 demonstrating?• Can you infer the age of the pictured people?• Turn to a partner and list the steps the student took atthe top of page 51 to create the community garden.• The authors say that because the student presented awell-prepared plan, the representatives decided to “green-light” her plan. What does “green-light” mean?• Use your own words to describe how this student madea thoughtful decision for her community.• Reread “It’s Fun to Run.” Use your own words todescribe how these students are making a thoughtfuldecision for the school.• Do you think the student creating the garden or thestudents running for election will have a bigger impact onthe community? Explain.

PAGES 50-51

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I CAN FIX THAT!Do you have some ideas about ways to make your school

or community a better place? One student was determinedto turn a run-down lot into a great communitygarden. She began by asking a lot of basicquestions. “How do I go about doingsomething like this? Who can offer advice?”She gathered information from a variety ofsources, such as her town hall andneighbors in the area. She spoke to localbusinesses and visited a nearby plantnursery.

When she felt she was well-prepared, she went to a local town

council meeting and proposed her idea alongwith a step-by-step plan to make it happen. She even

wrote a budget for what it would cost. With the support of people in theneighborhood and a careful plan, complete with projected costs, sheconvinced the town’s representatives to greenlight her plan. Today, thecommunity garden is a popular gathering place and a source ofneighborhood pride—not tomention luscious tomatoes.Civics in action!

It’s Funto Run

PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC LIFE!

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• Running for class officer or studentcouncil is a wonderful way to flex yourcivics muscles, but there is more togetting elected than just being popularor putting up clever posters. Try these.

1. Learn more about your school andsome of the challenges it faces.Go to a PTA meeting. Interviewsome teachers or the principal.Think of ways to contribute.

2. Get to know as manyclassmates as possible, butalways be yourself. Don’t be fake!

3. Ask friends to help. Have palshelp hang posters that share yourideas, or hand out fun littlereminders, like popcorn balls orfortune cookies, with your nameon them.

Whateverhappens, havefun and learnfrom theexperience!

Organizing the Information:Identifying the Main Idea

In this chapter, Organizing the Information lessons willfocus on understanding the main idea of a passage. Have avolunteer read aloud the dark blue box at the top of page50. Explain this is the Essential Understanding for the pageand identifies the page’s main idea. Create a blank chartsimilar to this for all to see:

Ask how students on pages 50-51demonstrate thoughtfuland effective participation in civic life. As key words areshared, fill in the first column with a citizenshipcharacteristic from the SOL Essential Knowledge personaltraits of a good citizen, found in the white box on page 50of this Teacher’s Edition. Model how to complete the chartby filling in one row together adding a definition orexample. Students are to copy this chart and complete itwith a partner, using the textbook for guidance.

Organizing the Information(continued from the previous column)

Conclude by having students actively participatein a game of Charades to review these traits. Dividethe class into seven groups. Each group is tobrainstorm a simple way to pantomime each of theseven traits. It is suggested that groups take briefnotes on their ideas to remind them of the selectedpantomimes. When ready, invite a group forward.They are to select a trait of their choice andpantomime it for the class. The audience’s job is toguess which trait is being performed. Groups maybe called forward more than one time to act outdifferent traits.

Supporting the Standard:Civic Responsibility CE.1g. f

The goal of teaching civic responsibility is toproduce responsible citizens and active participantsin community and government. Begin this lessonwith the picture bookMiss Moore ThoughtOtherwise, by Jan Pinborough. This short biographyhighlights the life of Annie Moore, an independentthinker from the 1800s who had a quest to changeher community. Distribute a copy ofWHAT’S MYPLAN? REPRODUCIBLE 25 to each student. Asyou read the book aloud, students are to completethe boxes about Moore. For students needingsupport, project the reproducible and complete ittogether as you read aloud the biography.After reading, invite a student to read aloud the

question under the title “I Can Fix That!” on page51. Review how the featured student engaged in aseries of steps to implement her idea to change thecommunity. Challenge students to select acommunity issue where they would like to seechange. Suggest community recycling programs,bully intervention education, etc. Students can alsovisit one of these sites to locate community serviceopportunities in their area:http://createthegood.org/volunteer-searchhttp://www.volunteermatch.org

Once an idea has been selected, students are towrite it on the top of the chart on theirreproducible. As students think through theirproposal, they are to answer the questions in eachbox. When finished, they are to complete thequestions under the charts to apply their learning.For interested students, let them explore

http://www.missmoorethoughtotherwise.com/The site shares additional background informationabout Moore and features primary sourcephotographs of Nicholas’ treasures.

Are You a Good Person?

Thoughtful and effective participation in civic lifedepends upon the exercise of good citizenship.

Think about the traits that make someone great to hang out with. You want afriend to be honest and trustworthy—someone in whom you can confide—someone who will tell you the truth if you are about to do something foolish.You want a pal who treats everyone with courtesy and respect, even those

with whom your friend might disagree. You want someone on whom youcan depend—someone who takes responsibility for things that have toget done.

What would your friends say about you if someone asked them that question?

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Get involved. Youmay not be oldenough to vote, butyou can work for acause you believe in.As soon as you are18, vote! It’s yourcivic responsibility!

WHAT WOULD GEORGE AND BEN DO?George Washington was a leader with many of those characteristics.

Think about the responsibility he took on when he assumed theleadership of the Continental army and, later, the first presidency of theUnited States under the new Constitution! He was self-reliant. OnceWashington set his mind to something, he usually saw it through.

Ben Franklin would have been an awesome friend. His great sense ofhumor aside, he was a hard worker and respected the ideas of those aroundhim. Wouldn’t it be great to find candidates running for office that havethose same characteristics?

Citizenship Quality Definition/Example

SOL Essential KnowledgePAGES 52-53

53

C

A LEVEL PLAYING FIELDThere is a lot at stake when we elect someone

to represent us, so great care is taken tokeep an eye on the actions of all our electedrepresentatives. Political parties keep a closewatch on the opposing side, making sure that nolaws are broken or inappropriate comments aremade behind closed doors.Running for political office can be a bruising

experience. Every word and action counts.

The Roadto the

PresidencyHOW FIVE PEOPLE GOT THERE

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT• State senator, governor, assistant secretary ofthe navy, vice-presidential candidate (lost)Roosevelt served as a New York statesenator and then governor,but never held an elective office atthe national level until winning thepresidential race in 1932.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN• Shopkeeper, militia captain,lawyer, state legislator, U.S.congressmanThis extraordinary leader neverhad any formal schooling andheld a variety of odd jobs before gettinginvolved in local politics.

DWIGHT EISENHOWER• Five-star general,university president,supreme commander ofNATOA beloved war hero,

“Ike” never held anelected publicoffice before hisrun for thepresidency.RONALD REAGAN

• Radio sports announcer,movie star, governorA famousHollywood filmstar, Reaganwent straight tothe Californiagovernor’s officeand then on tothe WhiteHouse.

BARACK OBAMA• Community organizer, law professor,state senator, U.S. senatorOur nation’s first African Americanpresident started with ayouth church group andeventually servedat the state andnational levels.

There is no one path to the highest office in the land.

How to Get Elected

Political parties play a key role ingovernment and provide opportunities forcitizens to participate in the political process.

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By the time a person runs for mayor or governor, senator orpresident of the United States, they have already put in a lot ofhard work.

CHRIS LEECityCouncil

LEEChrisfor State Senatewww.Chris-knows.com

LEELE

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GOVERNOR

True “Lee-dership”

www.Leetolead.com

Studentgovernment is a greatplace to learn aboutfairness, compromise,and the fine art oflistening.

Are the grown-ups in your life Democrats or Republicans? Do you have apolitical opinion? Perhaps you are neither and call yourself an Independent.When it comes to choosing someone to represent you, the starting point is tofigure out what ideas are important to you. People in both major parties loveour country. Both want America to be a wonderful place in which to live, butthey often disagree on how best to run it.Democrats, Republicans, and Independents try to get their candidates

elected to office, so that their ideas become reality. They support candidateswho share their political beliefs—people who they believe are smart, hard-working, and trustworthy. Then they support them on the path to election.

HOW POLITICS WORKSLet’s say you want to run for political office. How do you begin? Campaigns

and elections are all about letting the people know about your candidacy.That involves a lot of time spent getting your face and your message beforethe electorate. They have something you need—votes. You must get on aballot either with help from a political party or by collecting a certainnumber of signatures from fellow citizens.Your political party might help you with the money needed to get your

message out. They will arrange meet-and-greets and introduce you to thepress. You will shake hands, visit with senior citizens, factory workers, andgo to dozens of picnics. You might even have to kiss a baby or two.

IT TAKES MORE THAN ENTHUSIASMWinning a national or statewide election involves a lot of money. In order to

get their candidates elected, political parties must raise a lot of cash. Thereare some rules involved in how to do this, depending on whether it is a local,state, or national election. We do not want a candidate who is getting wads ofcash from a contributor who might want favors in return.

Words toKnow� Electorate

(ee-lek-tore-ate)A large group ofpeople that areentitled to vote.

� Ballot(ba-lit)

A listing on which avoter will choose acandidate for election.

Some people work their way upfrom local politics to high office.

CE.5aFunctions of political parties• Recruiting and nominating candidates• Educating the electorate about campaignissues• Helping candidates win elections• Monitoring actions of officeholders

SOL Essential Question• What roles do political parties play in theAmerican political process?

Anticipate LearningTo illustrate that political parties want the best for

America but have different viewpoints of how toachieve their goals, create this chart on the board:

Have students contrast the groups and vote onwhich group they support. The goal is tounderstand that both groups love the school; theyjust give priority to different school improvements.

Explain that citizens who share a commonopinion about how the government should runform groups or political parties. Because there ispower in numbers, citizens in these commoninterest groups join together for their cause.

Write “political party” on the board. Explain thata political party is not a dance party or one withpresents, rather it is a group that shares similarpolitical views. The group works together toinfluence the government to support those views.These parties provide opportunities for citizens toparticipate in the political process.

Read and Discuss• Name two political parties in the United States.• What do Republicans and Democrats have in common?• Who can belong to a political party?• Use your own words to define “electorate.”• What do candidates need from the electorate?• How does the electorate know a candidate’s campaignissues?• In an election, what is the biggest goal of a politicalparty?• Why do you think political parties need to monitorpeople who have already been elected?

Supporting the Standard:For or Against

Political Parties? CE.1aExplain that George Washington was the only

President who ran unopposed. He got everyone’svote and did not belong to a political party. In fact,Washington warned America of the dangers ofpolitical parties. ProjectWASHINGTON’SFAREWELL ADDRESS REPRODUCIBLE 27.Read the excerpt of the 1796 Farewell Addresstogether, pausing to paraphrase and analyze. Thevocabulary is challenging, so help students defineunknown words. Complete the analysis chart onthe reproducible together.Then, students are to write a paragraph outlining

if they agree or disagree with Washington’s viewsof political parties. Have them explain if today’spolitical parties impact our government asWashington feared.Conclude by sharing that before Washington was

out of office political groups began to form torepresent varied viewpoints about how muchpower the federal government should have.Challenge curious students to research theFederalist Party and the Anti-Federalist Party tolearn more about early political parties.

Beyond the Standard:Governments Around Us CE.1bReinforce that America has a two-party system

but governments around the word functiondifferently. Some countries have no political partiesand others have multi-parties. Have students visitthe CIA World Factbook:https://cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2118.htmlStudents should create a two-column chart to

reflect the website data. Title Column One:“Countries.” Title Column Two: “Number ofPolitical Parties/ Electoral Lists.”In Column One, list countries including, but not

limited to, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Israel, China, andUnited States. Students should analyze the websitedata to complete Column Two accordingly. Use thefollowing to analyze the data:• What information can you deduct about thecitizen voice in Kuwait or Saudi Arabia? (They’re notdemocracies and citizens have limited influence.)• Infer how complex an election might be in Israel.• Which countries have a single-party system? Doyou think they are under strict rule or have manyfreedoms from the government? Explain.• Which type of system is most popular on thischart? (The multi-party system is the most populararound the world.)

Organizing the Information:Party Time

The content in the Student Edition is broken into sections,which is helpful when organizing the presented main ideas.Tell students there are four main functions of politicalparties. Together, reread the second paragraph of “How toGet Elected.” Students should glean that one function ofpolitical parties is to recruit and nominate candidates torepresent them. Divide the class into three groups andassign each group a different section:(1) How Politics Works(2) It Takes More Than Enthusiasm(3) A Level Playing Field.

Tell each group to read its assigned section anddetermine the party function described. Students shouldwork independently to summarize the described partyfunction. When ready, hold a class discussion to outlineeach function. Then, distribute a copy of POLITICALPARTIES REPRODUCIBLE 26 to each student to applytheir understanding of political party functions as they readshort examples of party activities.

The goal is for students to understand that politicalparties consist of citizens who share political goals andbeliefs. These citizens organize to achieve their goals toinfluence the government by successfully electing theirchosen representative.

GROUP A GROUP BWant longer summerand winter breaks

Want to remove thedress code

Want fast food optionsin cafeteria

Want to use money tobuy new sportsequipment

Want no standardizedtesting

Want a “nohomework” policy

SOL Essential KnowledgePAGES 54-55

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THEODORE ROOSEVELT: THE BULL MOOSE PARTYTeddy Roosevelt was a dynamo—a Harvard-educated Wild-West rancher turned war hero. He

earned a reputation for honesty and fairness while governor of New York, and in 1900 waselected vice president under William McKinley. Ten months after the election, McKinley wasfelled by an assassin and Roosevelt became president. He took on big business and busted upbig corporations that were gaining too much power. After winning reelection easily and servinga full term as president, he left politics behind for a life of adventure. A few years later, hedecided he still had ideas for the nation. The Republicans and Democrats had their presidentialcandidates lined up for the 1912 election so Roosevelt, nicknamed “Bull Moose” for his swagger,ran on the Progressive Party ticket. Roosevelt got 27.4 percent of the popular vote but, becausehe split the Republican vote, Democrat WoodrowWilson won with only 42 percent of thepopular vote. Had Roosevelt not run, the Republicans would have easily won.

Room forDebateThird-party candidatesare usually not invited to take part inthe presidential debates, so they do notget the same chances to talk to thevoters. Do you think this is fair?Why or why not?

Today, the Libertarian and Green parties arethe biggest “third parties” in America.

Although third parties rarely win elections, theycan play an important role in public politics.

ThirdParties

A FORCE FOR CHANGE

ROSS PEROT: AFFECTING POLICYCan Democrats or Republicans change their thinking? They can if they think

it will win votes! Ross Perot, a billionaire businessman, was a third-partycandidate who lost the election but whose ideas were very sound. When heran in 1992, he got 18.9 percent of the vote. When he ran again in 1996 he onlygot 8.4 percent because the major parties had adopted a lot of his ideas aboutdealing with the federal budget.

Libertarians believe in very little governmentalinvolvement. Their current platform calls for arepeal of the income tax and closing publicschools to allow the private sector to run them.

The Green Party works for apeaceful and healthy planet,social justice, and theparticipation of the people, notcorporations, in government.

Why not have a third party? Third-party candidates rarely win but can have ahuge impact. They might push for a new way of thinking, or they may focus onone really big issue rather than a whole slate of ideas. Third parties are often

dominated by one very strong personality and that person can affect an election.

Elephants andDonkeys

A two-party system characterizesthe American political process.

54

The Republican and Democratic parties havea lot in common. Both parties seek peace and prosperity, but they definethose goals differently, and they have different ways of achieving thosegoals. Both parties have to appeal to all their supporters—to find amiddle ground that will satisfy both liberals and conservatives in theparty. Think of a seesaw. On the left side sit the liberals. On the right, theconservatives. The goal is to get the seesaw to balance, but often that isnot an easy thing to do.The Democratic Party’s mission statement says “…this country

succeeds when everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share,and everyone plays by the same rules.” The Republican Party’s platformstates that we must make “profound changes in the way governmentoperates; the way it budgets, taxes, and regulates.”The conflict between the two parties can lead to some very real

difficulties. On over a dozen occasions, party differences have led tostalled budgets. Those in turn have led to the shutdown of thegovernment for all but the most essential departments, such as nationaldefense. The spirit of compromise can sometimes be in short supply.

THE POLITICAL ZOOWhy are Democrats “donkeys” and

Republicans “elephants”? The first donkeymade its appearance in 1828 when DemocratAndrew Jackson ran for president. Hisopponents called him a “jackass,” but insteadof getting angry, Jackson pointed out thatdonkeys were very steadfast and determined.In 1874, Thomas Nast, a brilliant politicalcartoonist, decided that the elephant—a big,powerful creature that tends to frighteneasily—reminded him of the Republicans.Nast’s menagerie struck a chord and thecritters became enduring political symbols.

Think about the last election.The candidates wanted very

different things for the nation,but their political partieswanted exactly the same

thing: to win and take office.

Words to Know� Liberal

(lib-ur-el)A belief thatgovernment action isthe best way to achieveequal opportunity,protect civil rights, andhelp those in need.

� Conservative(cun-ser-vuh-tiv)

A belief that limitedgovernment is best,with little oversight ofbusinesses, plus strongsupport for traditionallifestyle choices.

THE SAME, YET DIFFERENT

T

Nast’s first Republicanelephant cartoon.

L

CE.5bSimilarities between parties• Organize to win elections• Influence public policies• Reflect both liberal and conservative views• Define themselves in a way that winsmajority support by appealing to thepolitical center

Differences between parties• Stated in platform parties and reflected incampaigning

Third parties• Introduce new ideas and/or press for aparticular issue• Often revolve around a political personality(e.g., Theodore Roosevelt)

SOL Essential Question• How are the two major political partiessimilar, and how do they differ?• How do third parties differ from the twomajor parties?

Anticipate LearningProject pages 48-49 of the Student Edition. Ask

students to name the political parties represented inthe image. They will likely point out Republicans andDemocrats.

Allow students to share background knowledgethey have about either party. This conversation willspark interest in the upcoming lesson and provideinformation and possible misconceptions studentshave about these two parties.

If no one points out the Independent partybutton, inform students that America has a two-party system, but Independent parties can form withenough support. Third parties often introduce new,fresh ideas on issues.

Explain that all parties have platforms, which arestatements describing the party’s views on majorissues. They are the set of beliefs the party stands onand represents. Challenge students to name somemajor platform issues in government today. Sharethey will learn more about the differences inplatform issues on pages 54-55.

Read and Discuss• Name two similarities between Democrats andRepublicans.• Read the definitions under “Words To Know” on page54. Use your own words to explain the differencesbetween liberals and conservatives.• Are there liberals and conservatives in both mainpolitical parties?• Explain a fundamental difference between the twoparties in American politics.• How do you think the voters learn about each party’splatforms?• How are third parties different from the two parties?• The authors say “Roosevelt split the Republican vote.”What does that mean?• Explain why Republicans would have won if Roosevelthadn’t run in the election of 1912.• How did Ross Perot affect public politics?• Name two of the largest third parties in Americanpolitics today. Describe their platforms.• Do you think there is a benefit to having a third party?Why?

Organizing the Information:Party Lines

Students should understand that some people thinkgovernment should do a lot for our nation, such asprovide health care for all. Others think less governmentis better. Still others want something in the middle.People make their voices heard by supporting a politicalparty to represent their ideals.

Draw student attention to the bold words in “TheSame, yet Different” on page 54. Point out the words arein bold because they are important and defined on theleft. Have students reread the second paragraph of thesection and apply the bold terms to the Democratic andRepublican parties. Remind them that while parties haveplatforms designed to influence public policy, both reflectliberal and conservative views. Parties represent themajority of the opinion, but people in the party may notagree 100% with the party viewpoints. Distribute a copyof ELEPHANTS OR DONKEYS REPRODUCIBLE 28 toeach student which challenges them to compare andcontrast the American political parties.

Support the learning by showing the first 1:50 of thefour-minute video found atwww.teachertube.comType “political party rap” in the search bar and select theSmartSongs video of the same name.

Supporting the Standard:Third Parties CE.1a

Reread the first paragraph on page 55. On theboard, create a list of third-party characteristics.Display the following questions and instructstudents to participate in a think-pair-share activity.• Why do third-party candidates rarely win?• How might a third-party candidate impact publicpolicy?• How are third-party candidates different fromRepublicans and Democrats?• Are third-party candidates needed in Americangovernment?

After private reflection, have students discuss theirinferences with a neighbor. When finished, hold aclass discussion to share inferences. Use Roosevelt asan example as you discuss. Inform them that in1912 Roosevelt, who had already been president,did not receive the Republican Party’s nomination,so he started a third party, the Bull Moose Party.Have students reread page 55 and summarize howRoosevelt running in the election impacted theelection results.

Project a copy of the political cartoon titled “LatestArrival at Political Zoo.” The Smithsonian NationalPortrait Gallery hosts a copy here:http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/roosevelt/zoo.htmChallenge students to decode the cartoonist’s

message or bias, identify who the dominatinganimal represents and who the background animalsrepresent, and locate and analyze symbols used.They should also explain how words are usedsparingly and symbols do most of the talking.

Conclude by discussing the issues of today’sbiggest third parties found in the red box on page55. Assign students to create their own politicalcartoon about the Green Party or the LibertarianParty. Their cartoon should contain bias, use well-known symbols, and present a clear message.Students should plan their cartoon, sketch a roughdraft, and create a final copy.

Encourage them to focus on the message of theircartoon instead of the precision of the art. Whenfinished, they are to write a paragraph explainingtheir imagery, symbols, and biased message. UsePOLITICAL CARTOON RUBRIC REPRODUCIBLE29 to assess student work.

SOL Essential KnowledgePAGES 56-57

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MASS MEDIAAND OUR ELECTIONS

Each candidate has a core belief. Eachcandidate believes his or her way is theright way to do things. A candidaterunning for political office has to connectwith the voters to get that messageacross. To do that they depend on themedia—newspapers; TV and radiostations; Internet; and nowmore andmore, social networks like Twitter,Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and others.The media have a huge responsibility as well as

a great deal of power. They can publish op-edpieces—articles that do not report facts, but,instead, offer a writer’s personal opinions. Theymight run editorials —writings that reflect theopinion of the newspaper itself. Somenewspapers and magazines feature politicalcartoons that make fun of the candidateswhile sharing razor-sharp observations.

“FAKE” NEWSThese days several TV news networks have a

very strong commitment to one political party orthe other. Make sure you understand who ownsthose TV stations. The owners’ beliefs can oftenlead to bias in reporting of “news.” It’s your job tosort through all the conflicting reports and rootout the truth.

OUR CHANGINGPOLITICAL ADVERTISING

I

� 1952: Eisenhowervs. Stevenson–“I Like Ike”Cute cartooncharacters pranceacross the screen aschirpy music plays.

� 1964: Johnsonvs. Goldwater–“Daisy Girl”A little girl plucksdaisy petals, thena countdown endswith a nuclear bomb blast.

� 1984: Reaganvs. Mondale–“It’s Morning inAmerica Again”The sun rises onbrides, firemen,farmers, andhappy Americans.

� 2004: Bush vs.Kerry–“Swift BoatVeterans”An attack ad called“one of the ugliestsmears in modernU.S. politics.”

Room for DebateMost European democracies,including England, France,Germany, and Switzerland,ban political advertising onTV. Is this a good idea or bad?Why?

FUNNY

SCARY

OPTIMISTIC

DISTORTED

What do you think thispolitical cartoonist wastrying to say?

On the Campaign TrailVoters evaluate information presentedin political campaigns to makereasoned choices among candidates.

The media play an important role inthe political process.

In the weeks leading up to a big election, the phones do not stopringing. Facebook and Twitter go wild. A click of the TV remote turnsup endless political ads. In a country with over 300 million people, howdo you get your message across? How do you know what to believe?

56

"The idea that you can merchandise candidatesfor high office like breakfast cereal…I think isthe ultimate indignity to the democratic process."–Adlai Stevenson Presidential candidate in 1952 and 1956

IS IT A FACT OR AN OPINION?Turn on a TV during campaign season and be prepared for endless

thirty-second ads filled with creepy music, spooky lighting, and a deep-voiced narrator warning of impending doom if you vote for the wrongperson. How can you believe what you are seeing? How do you listen to acampaign speech, read political literature, or look at advertisements andknow what is true and what is simply propaganda?

Words to Know� Propaganda

(prop-uh-gan-duh)

Misleading information,used to promote a politicalcause or point of view.

� Bias(buy-us)

Being in favor of oragainst a person orgroup, in an unfair,one-sided way.

YOUR JOB AS A VOTERCandidate A says that Candidate B is a

crook. Is he really? What source was citedfor the information? Does that particularsource have a bias toward the candidate?Who is actually paying for the ad? Checkseveral sources, such as respected newsagencies. Political advertising is anenormous business. Literally billions ofdollars are spent trying to win eachelection cycle. Using freedom of speech asa shield, people can, and do, create adsthat are misleading and sometimes full ofoutright lies.The donors for more than half of the TV

ads are not fully disclosed. Some of themare billionaires trying to get their candidateelected at any cost. So the next time anattack ad comes on the air, or you see aparticularly nasty billboard, investigatewho paid for it. Research that group. Thatis every voter’s homework.

If Abe Lincoln ran today would we see this? Editorialcartoonist Randy Jones parodied a typical attack ad.

�

America’s founders actually disliked the idea of a two-party system.Instead, they hoped to create a government in which ideas could bediscussed without the interference of power-hungry factions. In 1780,John Adams wrote, “There is nothing which I dread so much as adivision of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under itsleader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in myhumble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evilunder our Constitution.” What would Adams think of our currentcampaign practices?

CE.5cStrategies for evaluating campaign speeches,literature, and advertisements for accuracy• Separating fact from opinion• Detecting bias• Evaluating sources• Identifying propaganda

Mass media roles in elections• Identifying candidates• Emphasizing selected issues• Writing editorials, creating political cartoons,publishing op-ed pieces• Broadcasting different points of view

SOL Essential Knowledge• How do citizens make informed choices inelections?• How do the media play a role in the politicalprocess?

Anticipate LearningReview with students the difference between a

fact and an opinion. Facts can be proven, whereopinions are statements about how a person thinksor feels and cannot be proven. Create a list on theboard of the following information sources:

television radioFacebook pamphletsprint or commercials blogscandidate’s official website Pinterestprint and online newspaper articlescandidate speeches and/or debates

Have a class discussion to rate these sources on ascale of 1-5, with 1 being the most factual and 5being the most opinionated. Students will likelyconclude that some sources are not as trustworthy.Explain that the more opinionated sources aretrying to persuade the voter.

Teacher Note: there will be some sources that containboth facts and opinions. The goal of this activity is forstudents to become aware that not everything in printis true and accurate. These information sources will berevisited in the Beyond the Standard lesson.

Read and Discuss• Define propaganda.• Name two places you might be exposed topropaganda.• Does propaganda offer facts or opinions?• How is Lincoln presented in this cartoon? Would this beconsidered an attack ad? Why or why not?• What is an antonym to bias? (fairness, impartiality,justness)• How can you check for bias from a source?• Explain what the author means by, “That is everyvoter’s homework.”• Explain how the media has power in elections.• Is the media having power always a bad thing?• Reread “Fake News.” Why is it important tounderstand who owns a particular television station?Why is the word “news” in quotes?

Organizing the Information:Campaigning Vocabulary

Divide the class into two groups. Assign students inGroup One to write a main idea statement summarizingthe presented material on page 56. Assign students inGroup Two to write a main idea statement about page 57.When finished, share a few examples from each group.Remind students that the main idea of the page can befound in the dark blue box at the top left of the page. Aska volunteer to read these two statements. Comparestudent-written main ideas to those in the blue box.

To solidify the learning and review vocabulary, distributea copy of ARE YOU FOR REAL? REPRODUCIBLE 30 toeach student. The reproducible presents vocabulary fromthese pages in an engaging puzzle format. Students are tofollow the directions on the reproducible. Encourage themto reference pages 56-57 as they complete it. Provide aword bank for students in need of more support.

Supporting the Standard:Political Ads CE.1a, c, e

Media impact a campaign by identifyingcandidates and emphasizing issues. Ask students toexplain how media influence could be negative to acampaign. Explain that political commercials usewords, images, and music to convey their message.Display the following:• Was the candidate and his/her platformidentified?• Did the advertisement contain facts or opinions?• Was the ad biased? Explain.• Who funded the ad?• Name examples of propaganda techniques used.• Was the ad persuasive? Why or why not?• Was the ad memorable? Did it sway your vote?Return to the advertisements featured on page

57. Project and play all of the named ads by visitinghttp://www.livingroomcandidate.org Usingthe election year tabs on the left, select theappropriate year for each mentioned ad. Afterviewing each one, analyze it by answering thequestions on the board.Students should then explore the same website to

watch and analyze additional ads. Depending uponthe needs of your students, the ads can be analyzedindependently or in small groups. Challengestudents to locate one ad that can be classifiedunder each of the four types of propaganda onpage 57. As examples are found, students shouldrecord the ad title and the election year with whichit is associated. If time permits, allow students toshare their selections. Students will conclude thatvoters should evaluate campaign advertisements!

Beyond the Standard:Media and Politics CE.1b, h

Return to the list of information sources presentedin the Anticipate Learning lesson. Ask which form ofmedia is most influential with older voters. Which ismost influential with younger voters? Ask them topredict the role of social media in future elections.Projecthttp://www.pewinternet.org/2009/04/15/the-internets-role-in-campaign-2008/ andscroll to the line graph titled “Major Sources ofElection News.” After analyzing, ask students topredict what this graph will look like in 20 years.Conclude by analyzing this quote from Doris

Graber: “Media do more than depict the politicalenvironment; they are the political environment.”Ask students to explain what Graber means. Dothey think media have control during a politicalcampaign? Have them explain if technologicaladvances have helped or hurt campaigning

SOL Essential KnowledgePAGES 58-59

59

The PACProblem

POLITICAL ACTIONCOMMITTEES AND

UNREGULATED SPENDING

• PACs are special-interest groups—private organizations, such asunions or trade groups, that spend huge sums of money in the hopes ofinfluencing an election. The FEC monitors a PAC’s spending, but it’seasy enough to simply form new ones to get around the rules. TV,radio, and print campaign ads from PACs will clearly state whopaid for the ad. Some of the nastiest political TV ads have beencreated by PACs.Super PACs are a new way to try to get around the FEC rules.

There are no limits on who can contribute to a super PAC or howmuch they can give. They can raise money frommany sourcesand spend unlimited amounts to get their candidate elected orthe opposing candidate defeated.PACs, super PACs, and 527s have a big impact on our elections,

so it’s nice to know that in the 2012 presidential election, mostof the money raised for each candidate came from individuals.

Billions of dollars are being spent on elections thesedays. In the 2012 election, spending topped 7 billiondollars when the races for president and members ofCongress were added together.

Based on this graph, in which elections did spendingdrop compared to the previous election?

HOW TO SLOW SPENDINGMost people agree that campaign spending has gotten out of

control. There is a big cry for campaign finance reform, andsome states and cities are writing their own laws to rein in thecosts. In 2002 both major political parties got together toset some limits to the spending, but in 2014 the Supreme Courtruled that PACs and 527s can give as much money as they want to acandidate. They ruled that placing limits on donations violated theFirst Amendment when it came to the freedom of political speech.So ignore the ads. Truly listen to what your candidate is saying.Check the facts. After all, a vote is not something to be “bought.”

CAMPAIGN SPENDING:THEN AND NOW

Roomfor

DebateMany super PACs

and 527 groups arebankrolled by America’swealthiest people, some ofwhom have business interestsat stake in the outcome of anelection. Should these groupsbe required to identify theirbiggest donors?

2.3 Billion

Obama vs. Romney

The HighCost of Politics

Running for political office is expensive.

58

Want to run for office? On the local level it’s not impossibleto be an unknown and get elected. But on the state or national levelthe stakes are high and the costs even higher. You need money and lots of it!

THE PRICE OF VICTORYFrom ordering pizzas for the volunteers who work for you, to printing signs

and placing ads on TV, to getting to six cities in one day—every part of apolitical campaign comes with a big price tag. Candidates have to spend hugeamounts of time raising funds. If they already hold a political office, or haveanother career, it means that they are doing two big jobs at once.There is a huge advantage for a candidate lucky enough to be rich.

He or she can personally pay for items needed to create"buzz" without having to ask for donations.It is hard for someone with no money to geta foothold, because running for publicoffice, especially at the national level,can cost millions of dollars. Congresshas enacted laws to regulate spendingin federal elections. States areresponsible for regulating money instate and local elections.

CAMPAIGNING FOR CASHHow do you share your political message with the public?

You need help! You might need to hire people to run yourcampaign and manage your volunteers. You need someone todesign a website and all your campaign literature. It cannot bedone without money. So you attend fund-raising dinners($1,000 a plate and up are not uncommon at the higher levelsof politics). Does someone want a photo with you, thecandidate? That’s going to cost that person a lot more! Theamount of money involved in getting elected at the state ornational level is huge.

WHERE’S THE MONEY?The FEC—Federal Election

Commission—monitors donationsto candidates for federal offices,such as the U.S. Congress andpresident.

• IndividualsAs of 2016 you can donate up to$2,700 per election directly to acandidate.

• Political Action Committees (PACs)You can give $5,000 a year to eachPAC, which are often run bycorporations, unions, etc.

• 527 GroupsVery powerful! A 527 can raiseunlimited funds from anyone. 527smust simply register with the IRS(the tax service) and file fullfinancial disclosures.

LEEChoose

to Lead

$14

perpie

5,000 pins

$980

$13751 round-tripair ticket

Food with thecandidate? Forkover the cash—and in some casesa lot of it!

CE.5dRising campaign costs• require candidates to conduct extensive fund-raising activities• limit opportunities to run for public office• give an advantage to wealthy individuals whorun for office• encourage the development of politicalaction committees (PACs)• give issue-oriented, special interest groupsincreased influence.

Campaign finance reform• Rising campaign costs have led to efforts toreform campaign finance laws.• Limits have been placed on the amountsindividuals may contribute to politicalcandidates and campaigns.

SOL Essential Question• How has the high cost of getting electedchanged campaigning for public office?

Anticipate Learning CE.1b

Students may be surprised to learn how much acampaign costs. Project the Media Price List datafrom The Teaching Educators About Media (TEAM)Project found here:https://www.edb.utexas.edu/resources/team/Lesson_3_Media_Price_List.pdf

Have students review the statistics to begin tounderstand the expense of a campaign that couldrun for many months.

Ask students where candidates get enoughcampaign funding to cover these expenses. Askthem why a donor may want to contribute to acampaign. Learn more about the cost of acampaign and who funds it on pages 58-59.

Read and Discuss• Why do candidates need to spend a great deal of timefund-raising?• Look at the price tags on the items shown on the leftside of page 58. Why did the author include these?• Explain why being wealthy is an advantage whenrunning for office.• If you are not wealthy, how does that limit youropportunities when running for public office?• What is a PAC? Why are they developed?• Why are super PACs developed?• Name two special interest groups.• How do rising campaign costs give these groupsincreased influence?• Why do you think it is important to reform campaignfinance laws?• Analyze the chart at the bottom of page 59. Why doyou think elections since 2004 have been some of themost expensive? Do you think it is a wise use of moneyto spend over six billion dollars on an election? Why orwhy not?

Supporting the Standard:Citizens United v. FEC CE.1g

In this lesson students will formulate their ownopinion on the 2014 Supreme Court decision toallow PACs to give as much money as they want toa candidate. Explain to students that CitizensUnited is a PAC that was the Plaintiff in theSupreme Court case. Share two brief video clipswith opposing views about the case’s decision. Visitwww.c-span.org In the pull down boxes for thesearch feature, select “clips” and type “Q & A withJustice Antonin Scalia” in the search bar. Select andplay the two-minute interview clip from August 14,2012.

Then, select “clips” and type “Impact of CitizensUnited” in the search bar. Select and play the one-minute interview of the same name with MelanieSloan.

By viewing these two clips, students will observediffering views on the same issue. Now it is time toform their personal opinion on this topic. Write,“Do you oppose or support this Supreme Courtdecision?” on the board. Students are to write aneducated opinion statement answering thisquestion.

Beyond the Standard:Show Me the Money CE.1a

Politicians are forced to fund-raise large sums ofmoney to run for an office. Ask students to predictsome of the local organizations associated withpolitical money contributions.

The Virginia Public Access Project is a nonprofit,nonpartisan information source about Virginiapolitics. Project http://vpap.org/money/ andsearch for donors in your area by typing yourlocality in the search box. Have students analyzethe types of donors listed.

Ask the following to prompt discussion:• Are there any donors listed that surprise you?• Were some of your predicted organizations listedas contributors?• Can you infer why healthcare or bankingagencies may be listed?• Do you think incumbents are able to raise moremoney? Why or why not?• Do you think donors are influenced because ofindividual candidates or because of their politicalparty affiliation?• How are late starters at a disadvantage in acampaign?

Organizing the Information:Campaign Cost Main Ideas

Ask a student to reread the title of this page. They havelearned there is indeed a high cost to politics. Studentsshould create a chart like this on a sheet of paper:

Have them reread each section and summarize its mainidea. Once the chart is complete, analyze what the mainideas have in common. Students should be able to concludethat each main idea is a result of rising campaign costs. Seethe Essential Knowledge in the white box on page 58 of thisTeacher’s Edition for these specific results. Ask students ifthey think the high cost of getting elected has changedhow candidates campaign over the years.

After this discussion, add another row to the chart with“How to Slow Spending” in the Section Title column. Havestudents read and summarize this final section. Conclude bydiscussing if students agree or disagree with the SupremeCourt’s ruling.

SECTION TITLE MAIN IDEA

The Price of Victory

Campaigning for Cash

The PAC Problem

SOL Essential KnowledgePAGES 60-61

• Can you win the popularvote and still lose theelection?That very thing happened

in 2000. And it was not thefirst time.

THE PROBLEMWITH SWING STATESIn 48 states,* being an elector means that if your party’s candidate wins the popularvote, you must vote for that person. It’s winner-take-all. Sometimes there can be problems.Some states, such as New York and California, generally vote for Democratic candidates,while Texas is a Republican stronghold. Recent elections have seen a smaller and smallernumber of “swing states” such as Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Virginia determine theoutcome of an election. The electoral votes from just one swing state may changeeverything, so a great deal of attention is paid to swing states in presidential elections.

T

Who ReallyWon?

THE BIZARRE ELECTION OF 2000

Al Gore, the vice president at the time, had more popularvotes than George Bush—the governor of Texas. No onedisputed that fact. But in Florida, a swing state, the vote was soclose that no winner could be declared. Whoeverwon the state would get all of its 29 electoral votes.At that point Gore had 266 votes to Bush’s 248. Theresults of the popular vote were so close that apartial recount was ordered. The ballots weregathered and recounted. But that was not the endof the story.

WHO DID I VOTE FOR?In Florida, each county designed its own ballot, and in Palm Beach county—a

place with many older voters— the ballot was particularly confusing. It was quiteeasy to think you were voting for the Democrats when in fact you were voting forsomeone else. In addition, the technology used at the time involved punching outsmall holes called “chads” in a piece of cardboard, and sometimes the punch didnot work. It was, to put it bluntly, a mess. In the end, the Supreme Court declaredBush the winner by under 600 votes in a state with a poorly designed ballot, whereover a million people had voted. But the law is the law. The Electoral Collegevotes went to the winner, and with it the presidency.

Room for DebateIn the 2000 presidentialelection, the Electoral Collegeof one state decided the outcome of the election.The victorious candidate had not won the popularvote. Should the Electoral College be eliminatedand only the popular vote be counted?

DOES THE SYSTEMWORK?Swing states have become a focal point in close

elections, but candidates still must pay attentionto the less-populated states to gain electoralvotes. The requirement for a majority vote to winthe Electoral College vote also favors a two-partysystem. Third-party candidates might get asizeable popular vote, but not get the winner-takes-all electoral votes of any state.

T

61

Word toKnow� Popular

voteThe people’svote

*Only Nebraska and Maine allow delegates to split votes

The Electoral CollegeThe Electoral College process is used toselect the president and vice presidentof the United States.

It’s not a place you go after high school, not a group of buildings, not a place for more schooling. It’s a process!

The very first presidential election took almost four weeks.George Washington, running unopposed, won. The general publicdid not get to vote. But who would be vice president? Nine peoplewanted that job. Electing our leaders was not a simple task, so theConstitution tried to tackle the problem.

BIG STATES, SMALL STATESThe framers of the Constitution tried to find acompromise between Congress choosing a president andthe general population making the decision. Theyworried that if only members of Congress chose a

president, it could get very clique-y. If thecitizens got to vote, large regional populationareas might easily overpower smaller regions.

Our president andvice president winas a result of acombination of votesfrom voters andelectors.

THE SOLUTIONWhen people vote in a presidential election theyare telling the state how they would like it to useits electoral votes. The number of electors in eachstate is based on the size of the state’scongressional representation which, in turn, isbased on the state’s population which is countedevery ten years by the U.S. Census.

A state's number ofelectors equals thenumber of itsrepresentatives andsenators inCongress. Virginiacurrently has 13.

WHO ARE THE “ELECTORS”?Generally each political party nominates a group of loyal, hardworking

people to be electors. They do this at their state party conventions or bya vote of the party’s central committee. The electors, in turn, get to castthe official vote for their candidate, based on the popular vote in theirstate. These folks have been chosen because of their service anddedication. They hold all sorts of jobs, but they are passionate aboutpolitics and have worked for their party’s candidates with great energy.

Being an elector is an honor and a reward.

The Electoral College doesnot officially make itsdecision until the Mondayfollowing the secondWednesday of December.

The 2012electoral

results. Youneed 270votes to be

elected.

60

= 332= 206

*

CE.5fElectoral College process• A slate of electors from each state is chosen bypopular vote.• Most states have a winner-take-all system.• The electors meet to vote for president andvice president.

The winner-take-all system leads to the targetingof densely populated states for campaigning,although candidates must pay attention to lesspopulated states whose electoral votes maymake the difference in tight elections.

The number of electors of each state is based onthe size of the state’s Congressionalrepresentation, which is based on the state’spopulation.

The requirement for the majority vote to win inthe Electoral College favors a two-party system.

SOL Essential Question• How does the Electoral College select thepresident and vice president of the UnitedStates?

Anticipate LearningConduct an informal poll to gauge background

knowledge students have about the election process.Begin by asking students to discuss with a partnerwhat happens on Election Day and how a newpresident is selected. After discussion time, askvolunteers to share what they think happens when acitizen votes.

Ask students to agree (thumbs-up) or disagree(thumbs-down) to the following statement: Whenpeople vote, they are directly casting a vote for thepresidential candidate they want to win. Poll theresponse of the class. Then, show them a thumbs-down!

Tell them that citizens who vote do not directlyvote for the president and vice president. Instead,they are voting for representatives from thecandidate’s political party called electors. Write“elector” on the board and explain that an electorrepresents a political party and votes for their party’scandidates. It is this electoral vote that decides thepresidency and vice presidency.

Read and Discuss• Who is an elector and how is his/her vote determined?• How is the number of state electors determined?• Use the map at the bottom of page 60 to answer thefollowing:—How many electors does the state of Virginia have?—Texas appears larger than California, but California hasmore electors. Explain why.—Do you think more campaign money was spent inFlorida or North Dakota? Explain.—Which side of America is more densely populated?—One place on the map is not a state but has electoralvotes. Name that place.—It appears a larger portion of America voted forRomney; however, Obama won the 2012 election. Readthe caption beside the map and explain how Obamawon.• The people vote for president in November but he/sheisn’t sworn in until January. Can you infer why thishappens?• Use your own words to describe a “swing state.”• Explain why swing states are important.

Supporting the Standard:Electoral College

Before the lesson, create five slips of paper, eachone listing a state and number like the following:Idaho-4, Oklahoma-7, West Virginia-5, Alaska-3,Delaware-3. Begin the lesson by writing “MoreHomework or Less Homework” on the board. Havestudents vote which idea is their favorite. Make sureyou vote also. Tally and total the votes. Explain thisdata represents the popular vote, the people’s vote.Divide the class into 5 groups. A member from

each group should select a pre-created slip ofpaper. Tell each group to conduct and record itsvote again. Invite a speaker from each group toreport the winner-take-all vote for his/her group. Aseach speaker reports the group’s majority vote, tallythe number of electoral votes their assigned state isgiven. Total the number of electoral votes.When tabulated, explain that you also represent a

state, California. Students are to analyze the mapon page 60 to determine the number of electoralvotes you can cast. Cast your vote for “MoreHomework” and add in your electoral votes. Totalall electoral votes to determine the winner. Explainthis represents the electoral vote.Share how this classroom simulation mimicked

the process of the Electoral College. Our votingonly accounted for 77 electoral votes, where a realelection has 538 electoral votes. Allow students toshare reactions to the exercise. Conclude bysharing data about the 2000 election. Project thenumber of popular votes Bush and Gore receivedusing this table:http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2000/prespop.htm Discuss who won the popular vote.Project http://www.270towin.com/ and

select the “historical interactive maps” link. Selectyear 2000. Explain that red states representRepublican states and blue states are Democratic.Point out the total electoral votes above the mapearned by both candidates. Tell students thatFlorida’s vote decided the election outcome. Clickon Florida once to remove its electoral votes andclick on it again to move its votes to Gore. Pointout the changing electoral vote totals.For more information about this election, watch a

7-minute video from Disney EducationalProductions: http://dep.disney.go.com/itt-electoralcollege.htmlAfter viewing, prompt students by asking:• Do you think the Electoral College is fair? Does itrepresent what the people want?• How might you reform the process?• Does the process prevent a third-party fromwinning?

Organizing the Information:Electoral College

Tell students the Electoral College is not a place; it is aprocess of how our president and vice president areelected. Project THE ELECTORAL COLLEGEREPRODUCIBLE 31 and distribute a copy to eachstudent. Together, analyze the graphic organizer toensure understanding of the electoral process. Studentswill complete the bottom of the reproducible followingthis conversation:Invite a volunteer to reread “The Problem with Swing

States” from page 61 and use his/her own words todescribe what “winner-take-all” means. Students shouldunderstand that the majority vote wins a state’s vote.For example, if 51% of Virginians vote for Candidate Aand 49% vote for Candidate B, because of the winner-take-all rule, Virginia’s state electors vote for CandidateA. Ask students how 49% of Virginia’s population wouldfeel about that. Is this a fair representation of the peopleof Virginia? At this point, students should independentlycomplete the bottom of the reproducible.

For an additional Electoral College resource visit:http://ed.ted.com/lessons/does-your-vote-count-the-electoral-college-explained-christina-greer

SOL Essential KnowledgePAGES 62-63

63

Who Votesthe Most?

MORE PEOPLE SHOULD!

J

VOTE RIGHT NOW!Even if you are too young to vote, you can still be a part of the

democratic process. Is there a candidate who inspires you? Volunteer tohelp. Stuff envelopes, hand out literature, pick up pizzas for thevolunteers—any help will be welcome. As elections draw near, learnabout other issues on the ballot. Often there are propositions to votefor—proposed changes that might impact your community or yourschool. Voting is about more than just picking a person to represent you!Some schools hold mock elections after studying the candidates and

issues. In some Virginia voting districts, children can go to the polls withparents and cast their ballot. It does not count, but it serves as a “dressrehearsal” for the democratic practice of voting. Do it! Research thecandidates and issues. Then see how your “votes” compared to theactual results.Unfortunately, too many people squander one of their greatest

rights—the right to vote in free elections. Our nation’s foundersrisked their lives and fortunes to earn a say in how they weregoverned, yet 20 percent of eligible voters cannot be bothered totake the time to register to vote. We must do better! So when youare 18, go register! Then VOTE!

OLDER? WISER?Age, income levels, education—all these things affect

who takes the time to go to the polls. Hot-topic issues,from new taxes to Social Security to healthcare reform,can also send people to the polls in greater numbers onelection days. Study these graphs from the 2012presidential election. What conclusions can you draw?

Vote by Age Vote by IncomeVote by Education

WHY CARE?Voter apathy—a seeming lack of interest in the

running of our communities, state, and nation—is a very real danger to our democracy. Andwhile presidential elections tend to engagemost of us, what does this graph tell you?

Word to Know� Proposition

(prop-uh-zi-shun)A suggested idea or plan ofaction.

When you do not vote, or failto get involved in the electionprocess, you have silencedyourself. You might as welltape your mouth shut!

201436%

195041%

75%

50%

25%

201255%

194851%

Off-Year Elections

Presidential Elections Midterm Elections

Please Vote!

Voting is a basic responsibility ofcitizenship.

Voter registration is required beforea citizen may vote.

The number of citizens who registerand vote is related to how importantelection issues are to citizens.

All citizens can learn the importanceof the individual’s participation inthe political process either throughdirect involvement in campaigns orthrough simulations.

62

In the 2000 election, the presidency ofthe United States came down toabout 600 votes. Every voteDOES count. Every vote matters!

JUST A FEW MORE YEARS…When you are 18 years old you will be able

to do something really important. Vote! Youhave to register to participate in primary andgeneral elections, but it’s easy to do. Simplycomplete a voter registration application andproduce these documents:• Proof that you are a U.S. citizen—a birthcertificate, U.S. passport, or naturalizationcertificate will do.• Proof that you are a resident of Virginia—such as a school ID card or driver’s license.• Proof of age—you must be over 18 on theday of the election.

WHERE TO REGISTER?In Virginia you can register to vote in

person at designated sites, such as a localvoter registration office or the Division ofMotor Vehicles. Sometimes a civic group orpolitical party will hold a voter’s registrationdrive. You can even mail in an application orregister online at the voter registration siteoperated by the Virginia State Board ofElections. Just be sure you register no laterthan 22 days before the general election.

You might have to wait In line, especiallyduring a presidential election. It’s worth it!When it’s your turn, show your voterregistration card and photo ID. Now vote!

Casting your ballot in an election is apowerful right and a great privilege.

CE.5eOnly citizens who register may participate inprimary and general elections.Qualifications to register to vote in Virginia• Citizen of the United States• Resident of Virginia and precinct• At least 18 years of age by day of generalelection

How to register to vote in Virginia• In person at the registrar’s office, at theDivision of Motor Vehicles, or at otherdesignated sites• By mail-in application • Register onlineVoter registration is closed 22 days beforeelections.

Factors in predicting which citizens will vote• Education • Age • Income

Reasons why citizens fail to vote• Lack of interest • Failure to registerThe percentage of voters who participate inpresidential elections is usually greater thanthe percentage of voters who participate instate and local elections.Every vote is important.

CE. 5gStudent participation in the democraticprocess can include• participating in campaigns• participating in classroom and onlinesimulations

SOL Essential Question• What are the qualifications for voterregistration in Virginia?• What factors influence voter registrationand turnout?• How can students under 18 participate inthe democratic process?

Anticipate LearningBefore reading pages 62-63, ask students if they

think every vote is important. To generate interest,project http://pbskids.org/democracy/ andselect “Step Inside a Voting Booth” to explore howone vote can make a big difference! Conclude bywriting the following League of Women Voters quoteon the board and ask students to analyze it:“Democracy is not a spectator sport.”

Read and Discuss• How old do you need to be in order to vote?• Name two other qualifications to register to vote inVirginia.• How can a citizen register to vote?• Which registration method do you think is most popularwith new voters? Explain.• Study the bar graphs on page 63. Does it surprise youthat the voter turnout is lowest amongst younger voters?• According to the graphs, which factor has the largesteffect on voter turnout?• Could information about the types of citizens who arevoting shape a candidate’s campaign? How?• Define voter apathy.• Do you think election issues and a candidate’s platformaffect who decides to vote?• If someone is too young to vote, how can he/she beactive in the democratic process?• According to the Constitution, voting is a citizen’s mostimportant right. Do you agree or disagree?

Supporting the Standard:Voter Demographics CE.1b, f

Ask students to recall three factors that can be usedto predict who will vote, as outlined on the graphs onpage 63. Tell students they will research how (1) age,(2) education, and (3) income levels can influencevoter registration and turnout. Students should countoff by threes and research a respective demographic.In addition to using the information on page 63,

students should gather data to analyze by typing“Voter Turnout Demographics” in the search bar of• http://www.electproject.org

Additional research sites could include:• http://www.civicyouth.org/Information about Youth Voting at “Quick Facts.”• http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/votingSelect Tables under “Historical Voting Visualizations.”• http://elections.virginia.gov/ Find and reviewa Virginia voter registration form to infer ifeducational level could be a factor.When research is complete, share the results. After

each demographic is presented, discuss voter apathyin the demographic. Ask students if they thinkaggressive campaigning directed to the demographicwould change voter turnout. Have them predict andexplain whether or not this demographic datachanges from election to election based on platformtopics. Also ask why citizens in the demographicmight not register.Conclude by asking if there is anything they can do,

as students, to motivate uninterested or unregisteredcitizens to vote. Assign students to write a persuasiveletter to a reluctant voter in a reluctant demographic.Extend the lesson by having students interview 5-7

registered voters. They should ask each person if theyvoted in the last presidential election and if theyvoted in the last state or local election. If they did, askwhat motivated them to vote. If they did not, askwhat prevented them from voting. Students may besurprised to learn that a larger number of votersparticipate in presidential elections as opposed tolocal or state elections. Encourage dialogue aboutcampaign issues that were important to them and ifthey plan to vote in the next election.

Beyond the Standard:Voting Rights Timeline

https://www.icivics.org/ hosts an excellentlesson on the history of voting rights. To access thelesson, type “Voting Rights” in the search bar andselect the lesson plan link of the same name. The sitedoes require teachers to register for a FREE accountto access lessons.

Organizing the Information:Double-Entry Notes

Tell students they have a right to attend public school;however, they can’t just walk into a classroom. Theymust register first. The same is true for voting. Citizensmeeting certain requirements have the right to vote,but they must register first. Instruct students to create abumper sticker to advertise the qualifications to registerto vote in Virginia and/or how to register. Remind themthat bumper stickers are designed to make a quickstatement. It should be bold and easy to read withbulleted key words. Information for the bumper stickercan be found on page 62. Reinforce that they are notexpected to have all the qualifications or requirementson their bumper sticker. Instead, they should pick one ortwo to highlight. Students should sketch a draft of theirbumper sticker. When ready, provide supplies and allowstudents to create their design.

Display the bumper stickers to review thequalifications for voter registration in Virginia and howto register. To assess student understanding of theseconcepts, distribute a copy of CAN I VOTE?REPRODUCIBLE 32 to each student. The reproducibleoffers a variety of scenarios and asks students todetermine whether or not the presented individuals areable to vote in Virginia.

PAGES 64-65

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C Apply Your Learning• To win a presidential election you must have at least 270 electoral votes.Look at this map.

What is the fewest number of states you could win in order to get to 270 electoral votes?

Why isn’t it likely that a candidate could win with just those states?

• Over seven billion dollars were spent in the 2012 presidential election. Howmuch is abillion dollars? Think about this! If you could spend one dollar every second it would take youroughly 31.7 years to spend a billion dollars. It is a tremendous amount of money.

Why is so much money needed for political campaigns? How are campaign funds used?

Name some of the different sources supplying that money. Do you believe it is okay for thesuper rich to spend their own money campaigning for candidates?

A CHECKLIST FOR VOTERS• Design a poster or create a flyer to educate the public about one or more of these issues.

• Register at least 22 days before an election.• Pay attention to political party platforms to be an informed voter.• Evaluate your sources! Don't believe everything you hear or read.• Volunteer for campaigns.• Understand the FEC guidelines on campaign financing. Howmuch can you donate?

WHERE DO YOU STAND?America’s two major politicalparties used to have a lot incommon. Now they seem to havepulled greatly apart. What coulda responsible third party offerto Americans to appeal to votersfrom both sides?

Liberal Moderate Conservative

?????

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Chapter 3 ReviewUse pages 50–51 to answer question 1 in complete sentences.1. What character traits and actions make someone a good citizen?

Use pages 52–53 to answer questions 2–3 in complete sentences.2. What is the ultimate goal of political parties? How can they achieve this goal?3. After an election, what role do political parties play?

Use pages 54–55 to answer questions 4–6 in complete sentences.4. Explain, in your own words, the differences between liberal and conservative.5. Copy and complete the chart by sorting the following words into two categories:

liberal • conservative • elephant • personal responsibilitylimited government • help those in need • protect civil rights

donkey • government services provide equality

6. What role do third parties play in elections?

Use pages 56–57 to answer questions 7–8 in complete sentences.7. How can candidates use the media to help them get elected?8. As a voter, how could you determine if a political ad is truth or propaganda?

Use pages 58–59 to answer question 9 in complete sentences.9. What rules has Congress put into place in an attempt to control the influence ofmoney in federal elections?

Use pages 60–61 to answer question 10 in complete sentences.10. Write a paragraph explaining the Electoral College process.

Use pages 62–63 to answer questions 11–12 in complete sentences.11. What are three qualifications to vote in Virginia?12. List and explain three factors that determine which citizens are likely to vote.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICAN

Performance Assessment:Keeping Them AccountableFor this Performance Assessment, students will

investigate how political parties should monitor the actions ofthose in office. Distribute a copy of CHAPTER 3 PERFORMANCEASSESSMENT: KEEPING THEM ACCOUNTABLEREPRODUCIBLES 36-38 to each student. Together, read thequestion and the background information. Answer any questionsstudents have about the background information.

Students should then read the scenario, which details theassignment, and work independently to complete the PerformanceAssessment. Encourage students to use the rubric as they completethe assignment to ensure they follow all guidelines andexpectations.

Remind students that persuasive writing is designed to influencethe reader to believe or do as the author suggests. As studentswrite their persuasive essay, encourage the use of a variety ofprewriting strategies such as graphic organizers that generate andorganize ideas. Remind them to establish a central idea to theiressay and construct a multi-paragraph composition, whichelaborates on that idea.

To incorporate content specific vocabulary, encourage students toreference pages from the Student Edition chapter as well as wordsfrom the glossary. Once a draft has been composed, studentsshould revise their essay for clarity of content and edit forcapitalization, punctuation and spelling.

If time permits, allow students to use computer technology topublish their essays. Remind them to properly cite any sourcesreferenced.

Literature ConnectionDuck for President

Read aloud Duck for President, by DoreenCronin. This picture book tells a story of a farmduck that is ready for new leadership. With help ofhis farm friends, Duck finds himself winningelections and poised for change. As the story isread, use these questions to informally assesschapter learning:• Why did the animals conduct an election?• Who was the candidate? How did the animalsspread the word about their candidate?• Before the animals voted, what did they do?• When the mice didn’t like a registration rule,what did they do to voice their opinion?• What happened on election day? Did theposted results represent a popular vote or anelectoral vote?• Did Duck have a political party supporting him?What evidence supports your answer?• Would you say Duck belongs to one of the twomajor American political parties or to a thirdparty? Why?• How did Duck inform the electorate about hiscampaign issues?• When Duck gave his speeches, did he showbias? Explain.• How did Duck’s campaign use mass media?• If Duck needed money for his campaign, becreative and name a fictitious PAC he might turnto.

Conclude the lesson by watching a short videofrom the book’s publisher. Visithttp://videos.simonandschuster.com/Cronins-Duck-for-President/27796548001Project and play the video. When it is finished, askstudents to identify any propaganda techniquesused. Ask them to cite who paid for the ad.

Chapter 3 Review Answers (p.64)1. Being trustworthy, honest, and a hard worker, participatingin community service.2. To influence public policy, by winning political campaignsand serving in elected office.3. Political experience, military service, community service,education4. Answers will vary—liberal; government involvementnecessary to help social issues; conservative; governmentshould protect traditional values and a strong economy.5. Democrat: *liberal *help those in need *protect civic rights*donkey * government services provide equality; Republican*conservative *traditional values *personal responsibility*limited government *elephant6. Introduce new ideas and press for change for a particularissue.7. They can do interviews, use social media to connect, takeout ads in newspaper, run TV and radio commercials.8. Investigate who paid for the advertisement and recognizebias in the ad.9. Limits on individuals donations to $2700 a campaign and$5000 for PACs.10. A slate of electors within the Electoral College11. U.S. citizen, resident of VA, 18+ years of age12. Age: people who are older vote more than those under30; Income: people of low income do not vote as often aspeople who are more financially secure; Education: the moreeducation someone has, the more likely they are to vote.

Vocabulary Strategy:Getting to 270

Students will play a vocabulary game usingCHAPTER THREE VOCABULARY CARDSREPRODUCIBLES 33-35. Before the lesson, cutthe cards apart to create a deck of 24 cards. Youneed one deck of cards for every two students. It isrecommended that you place the decks in zip topbaggies to keep the cards from mixing together.

To begin the game, divide the class into partnersand give each pair a baggie of pre-cut vocabularycards. They are to place the cards facedown. Aseach card is drawn, Player One reads the definitionlisted on the card. If Player Two can correctlyidentify the vocabulary word, he/she earns that cardand the number of electoral votes on that card. Playresumes with Player Two selecting a card to read toPlayer One. The first player to earn 270 electoralvotes wins!

AssessmentsCHAPTER 3 TEST APages 11-13

CHAPTER 3 TEST BPages 14-16