Adrienne WoolleyGrade: 6Topic: Voting and ElectionsLearning Objective: Students will be able to understand the voting process in the United States and obtain information about the 2012 election.

Directions: Each question will have a corresponding website to visit to obtain information about voting and elections. Answer each question in the space provided. You will be given 2 class periods to complete this.

1. http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/government/civics.htm-Read the article “What is the definition of Citizenship” and answer the followingquestion.

What is a citizen and why is citizenship valuable?

2. http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/citizenship/responsibilities.html

a. In your opinion, why is it important for citizens to vote?

b. Where can citizens find information on current issues in Congress?

c. Where can citizens find information about candidates and their political platforms?

3. http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/election/registration.html

a. How old do you have to be to vote?

b. Name 3 locations where you can register to vote.

4. http://www.gallopade.com/client/electionsForKids/ElectoralCollege.html

How does the electoral college work?

5. http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/about.html

a. How many electors are in the Electoral College?

b. How many electoral votes are required to elect the President?

c. What day is the President sworn into office?

6. http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html

What happens if no presidential candidate gets 270 Electoral votes?

7. http://magazines.scholastic.com/election-2012

Scroll down to The Electoral Challenge under the “election maps and games” heading. Play the election game with the computer or a partner and try to become president by getting 270 electoral votes. Write down 10 states that you choose and their corresponding number of electoral votes. Did you win?

8. http://kids.usa.gov/president/index.shtml

a. What are the requirements for a presidential candidate as written in the U.S. Constitution?

b. Name and explain the four steps to becoming president.

9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kADLPNZGy4

a. What amendment to the Constitution allowed every race to vote?

b. What amendment to the Constitution gave women the right to vote?

c. What amendment to the Constitution gave citizens of Washington D.C. the right to vote in national elections?

10. http://magazines.scholastic.com/Election-2012/vocab

Pick 5 words from the election vocabulary page and write down their definitions.

11. http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/donkeyandelephant.html

a. What animals represent the Democratic and Republican parties and where did these representations originate?

Democrat:

Republican:

b. Do you think the donkey and elephant were the best choices to represent the Democratic and Republican Parties? Why? Why not? What animals would you have picked and why?

12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hqme4X1b7E

Watch this video made by students at the Ron Clark Academy and answer the following questions. What are two policies of the Democrats and two policies of the Republicans that the students included in their song?

Democrats:

Republicans:

13. http://theweek.com/section/cartoon/93/227894/2012-elections

Look at the political cartoon entitled “The Two-Headed Election Monster.” What do you think this cartoon is trying to say about the relationship between President Obama and presidential nominee Romney?

14.http://elections.utah.gov/Media/Default/VIP/2012%20Voter%20Information%20Pamphlet.pdf

a. What are the names of the political parties represented in Utah?

b. Go to page 72 and read about how to use the Electronic Voting Machine. List the 8 steps of how to vote electronically.

Answer Sheet

1. A citizen is a participatory member of a political community. The value of citizenship varies from nation to nation. In some countries, citizenship can mean a citizen has the right to vote, the right to hold government offices, and the right to collect unemployment insurance payments.

2. a. civic duty, maintain voice in government b. GPO Access (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/) c. pamphlets, brochures, newspapers, radio, television, magazines

3. a. at least 18 years oldb. Answers vary. Some could include public library, post office, unemployment office, public high schools and universities, state department of motor vehicles, armed forces recruitment offices.

4. The people in each state vote for the president. The results in a state determine which electors are selected for that state. All the electoral votes for that state go for the candidate that gets the most votes in that state. The electoral votes for all 50 states are added and the candidate with the majority of the votes wins!

5. a. 538 electorsb. a majority of 270 electoral votesc. Jan 20th in the year following the presidential election

6. If no candidate receives a majority of Electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the President from the 3 Presidential candidates who received the most Electoral votes. Each state delegation has one vote. The Senate would elect the Vice President from the 2 Vice Presidential candidates with the most Electoral votes. Each Senator would cast one vote for Vice President. If the House of Representatives fails to elect a President by Inauguration Day, the Vice-President Elect serves as acting President until the deadlock is resolved in the House.

7. Answers vary. Some examples include California – 55, Texas – 38, Pennsylvania – 20, Tennessee – 11, Indiana – 11, Ohio – 18.

8. a. natural born citizen, minimum age: 35 years, U.S. resident at least 14 yearsb. 1. Primaries and Caucuses: Candidates from each political party campaign throughout the country to win the favor of their party members. Caucus: In a caucus, party members select the best candidate through a series of discussions and votes. Primary: In a primary, party members vote for the best candidate that will represent them in the general election. 2. National Conventions: Each party holds a national convention to finalize the selection of one presidential nominee. At each convention, the presidential candidate chooses a running-mate (vice presidential candidate). 3. General Election: The presidential candidates campaign throughout the country in an attempt to win the support of the general population. People in every state across the country vote for one president and one vice president. When people cast their vote, they are actually voting for a group of people known as electors. 4. Electoral College: In the

Electoral College system, each state gets a certain number of electors, based on each state's total number of representation in Congress. Each elector casts one electoral vote following the general election; there are a total of 538 electoral votes. The candidate that gets more than half (270) wins the election.

9. a. 15th amendmentb. 19th amendmentc. 23rd amendment

10. Answers vary. Some examples include ballot – a list of candidates and proposals for which citizens can vote, conservative – a person who tends to uphold tradition and resist major changes in law and institutions, dark horse – a candidate that who unexpectedly wins a party’s nomination, elector – a person chosen by the voters of each state to cast a ballot for president and vice president, exit poll – an Election Day poll based on interviews with voters who have left polling places.

11. a. Democrat: DonkeyRepublican: Elephantb. Answers vary.

12. Answers vary. Democrats – wealthy pay more in taxes, build up Medicare and Medicaid, make cuts to military spending (diplomacy instead of war), creating government programs to help poor Republicans – increase funds to the military, support large businesses, trickle-down economics

13. Answers vary. Some answers could include: They don’t agree politically. This election has turned into a mud-slinging event. Both of the candidates are trying to discredit each other.

14. a. Constitution Party, Libertarian Party, Democratic Party, Republican Party, Justice Party, Green Partyb. 1. Start 2. Read instructions screen 3. Vote for candidates/issues 4. Record “write-ins” (optional) 5. Review your ballot 6. Print your ballot 7. Cast your ballot 8. Remove your card