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Calderglen High School

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Democracy

Let’s Do It!!What we will learn in this unit

During the next 4 weeks we are going to explore a number of important political and social issues that affect people in Scotland and in the United Kingdom.

In particular, you will look at:

What living in a democracy means and how voting for representatives is important. Differences between the Scottish Parliament and Westminster. The composition and representation of political parties in the Scottish and UK

Parliaments. Develop understanding of issues that are important to people in the UK. The work of the Prime Minister and First Minister. Reasons why voting is important. Arguments for and against the use of First Past the Post.

These issues will be explored using a variety of sources

Source material and booklets Thinking Skills Activities Discussion and debate Individual written activities Collaborative activities PowerPoint Internet Mock Election

These activities will help you identify some key political and social issues in the UK. You will also be able to use this knowledge to interpret evidence and present an informed view.

The class will also participate in a class Mock Election in which you will get the opportunity to peer assess the work/election campaigns of your class mates.

You will also be required to tackle an assessment at the end of the 4 week unit.

S2 Modern Studies Unit 2 2016

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Contents

Lessons 1 & 2 – What is Democracy?Lessons 3 & 4 – What is Politics?Lesson 5 – Who’s Who?Lesson 6 – What are the most important issues?Lesson 7 – What makes the perfect MSP?Lesson 8 – Source Work Lessons 9-12 – Mock ElectionRemaining Lessons – Time for revision and assessment

Lessons 1 and 2


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What is Democracy?What are we exploring?

By the end of this section pupils will be able to:

Explain what democracy is. Explain how democracy works. Explain their own opinions on current issues that affect them or

will in the future.

Democracy is a political system that allows everyone to have a say in how the country is run. People’s rights are very important in a democracy – for example, the right to vote and speak out against the government.

Think – Pair – Share

Read over both of the questions quietly and think about how you would answer them. Once you have done this, discuss them with the person next to you. You will then need to share your answers with the class.

1. Why would some people in this country speak out against the government?

2. Can you think of examples of issues that people may feel strongly about that would cause them to speak against the government?


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WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Individual Activity – S2 Question TimeYou are going to take part in a Kahoot survey in which you will be able to share your own thoughts and opinions on different political issues. (Use your mobile and type kahoot.it into the search bar and enter the game pin) There are 8 questions and you will vote yes or no. You will also have the opportunity to discuss your views for each of the questions. If you don’t have a mobile, pair up with someone in your group.

History of ‘Democracy’Democracy comes from Ancient Greece.


WRITTEN TASK

You should now choose two of your answers from the survey and give reasons why you

hold these views in your jotter.FOR EXAMPLE: if you have chosen YES that the voting age should be reduced to 16 you must give reasons to support your answer. A reason may be that in Scotland if a person can get married at 16 then they should be allowed to vote. Or you may think that it will encourage young people to get involved in politics.

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The word originally comes from two Greek words – demos (people) and kratos (rule): rule by the people. More than 2500 years ago, in the city of Athens, all male citizens voted on all decisions of government. This was called direct democracy.

However, direct democracy would not work in modern Scotland. There are nearly 5.3 million people in Scotland. If everyone tried to have their say directly, it would be very noisy and decisions would take a long time.

This is why we have elections to elect representatives who speak on our behalf. They represent us in Parliament. Parliament is important because they make laws which affect our daily lives.

So Can Everyone Vote?No! There are several people who are not allowed to vote. You are not allowed to vote until you are 18 years old for UK elections and more recently, the Scottish Government has introduced voting for 16 and 17 year olds in the Scottish Parliament elections. People who have been convicted of a S2 Modern Studies Unit 2 2016

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crime lose their right to vote while they are in prison. Members of the House of Lords are not allowed to vote. People with learning disabilities or mental illness are also not allowed to vote.

Show Your Understanding1. What does democracy mean?2. How did direct democracy work?3. Why would direct democracy not work today?

PEER MARKINGOnce you have finished your answers swap with someone who is also finished. Mark their answers – have they answered the question? Put a tick beside the answers they have got right and then add a wee comment if they have missed something out.

Put a comment at the end – what two things have they done well? What could they do to improve their written work next time?

Think about:

Detail – Have they answered in full sentences and with as much detail as possible?

Presentation – Have they taken their time to ensure the work is presented well with a heading, date and using all space in their jotter?

Lessons 3 and 4


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What is Politics?

What are we exploring?


Describe what politics means to them. Explain the relevance of politics to young people today. Explain the reasons why involvement in politics by voting is

important.

Discuss the question below in your groups. Your teacher will ask you to feedback to the rest of the class.

When you think of the word ‘politics’ what comes into your mind? Write down the first 3 words or things that come to mind.

Politics is about how the places we live are run. Democracy is the way we decide who will do the running.

Imagine going into a restaurant and letting a stranger across the other side of the room place your order for you. You wouldn’t have any say in what you are about to eat! It’s the same if you don’t vote – you are letting other people decide for you and you might not find the outcome very appetising.

Why is voting important?Voting is important when we are deciding who to represent us. It is a basic way of making decisions. For example, some of you in the class may have voted in a reality TV show such as Britain’s Got Talent or the X-Factor. If you think about


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it, without people voting for their favourites then there would be no winner!

The people who are voted in at elections make decisions that affect you every day-from what is happening in local schools and what recreational facilities you have, to national issues like healthcare and education, to global issues like defence and the environment.

In some countries such as Australia, voting is compulsory. This means that it is illegal not to vote. In the UK and Scotland, it is your choice whether or not to vote. If you don’t vote however, you are letting other people, who you might not agree with, make decisions about issues that affect you.

Discussion Opinion CornersLook at the following statements. For each you should show whether you agree or disagree with them by going to different corners of the room identified by your teacher.

‘Voting should be compulsory in the UK.’

‘People in prison are not allowed to vote at present and this is the right decision.’

Written TaskPick one of the statements above. Write a paragraph giving your opinion on this statement, giving 3 reasons why you believe this.

Pizza Task

Your teacher is going to order you a pizza. You have the choice of 4 pizzas.

Margarita Pepperoni


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Spicy Chicken Vegetarian

Think about what type of pizza you want. The class will vote and your teacher will count out the votes for each pizza. The pizza that is most popular will be the pizza that everyone gets. This is called ‘majority rules’.

Group/Class Discussion Do you think this system is fair? Give a reason for your answer. Does the outcome of this system reflect what people really want? Give a

reason for your answer. Can you think of a better or fairer way of deciding who gets what kind of

pizza? Explain your answer.

ActivityWatch the clip and identify 2 arguments for and 2 arguments against using First Past the Post to elect MPs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z2yxn39

I Don’t Do PoliticsHave you ever thought about how politics affects you?


Education

The Scottish Parliament make decisions about what you are taught in schools, how much money schools have and also how much you will pay to go to college or university.

Used your mobile phone?

The UK Government sells the licenses that networks use to provide your service. They also regulate and investigate health risks associated with phone technology.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z2yxn39

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All of these things are affected by politics. Everyday people involved in politics are making decisions that affect you, your family and your friends. So even if you don’t do politics……..you do!

ThinkCan you think of any others ways you are affected by politics? Discuss with your group and write down a couple of examples in your jotter.

Activities1. Individual task – produce three questions to ask fellow pupils on their

feelings on whether politics has relevance for young people today. Write them in your jotter.

2. Group Task - Now as a group, decide on your three best questions to present to the class. Your teacher will record these questions on the board.

Class Discussion – As a class you will now decide on the three best questions to use for your first homework task.

After deciding your three best questions asking fellow pupils their feelings on whether politics has relevance for young people today, record them in your jotter.


Listen to the Radio?

The UK parliament says that radio stations need licenses which determine which kind of music they play.

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Homework 1- Class Survey

You are to ask someone from home the three questions agreed by the class. You must record your answers in your jotter. You have until your next lesson to complete the task. Your teacher will record the class findings in class.

Lesson 5

Who’s Who?What are we exploring?


To gain understanding of differences between Holyrood and Westminster

To gain understanding of the representation of political parties in the Scottish Parliament and Westminster.

Holyrood

The First Minister of Scotland is the head of the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Parliament is based in Holyrood, Edinburgh.


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The First Minister of Scotland is Nicola Sturgeon. Ms Sturgeon, who had previously acted as deputy to Alex Salmond, took over as her Scottish National Party was still trying to come to terms with the disappointment of the independence referendum result. However the party has went from strength to strength in Scotland is still on a high after winning all but three of Scotland's 59 seats in May's general election - and appears on course to win another majority at the Scottish Parliament Elections this year.

So far the First Minister has always been the leader of the largest party after an election but it doesn’t have to be. If you are elected you are called an MSP (Member of the Scottish Parliament)

Source 1- 2011 Scottish Parliamentary Election

Party MSPs (total)SNP 69

Labour 37Conservatives 15

Liberal Democrats 5Others 3

The Scottish Parliament is responsible for passing laws on devolved issues. As Scotland is not an independent country, Holyrood is home to a devolved government. This means that the UK government has handed down some powers to the Scottish Parliament and allows them to make decisions on these issues. The table below shows some of the matters which are devolved to Scotland. Issues that the UK Parliament decides on are called reserved matters. The UK Parliament is called Westminster.

Source 2 – Devolved and Reserved Powers


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ScotlandDevolved Matters

UKReserved Matters

Health DefenceLocal Government Equal

OpportunitiesHousing Guns and

WeaponsTourism National Security

Police and Fire services

Trade and Industry

Education AbortionSocial Work BroadcastingEnvironment Drug Laws

Task Copy this table of devolved and reserved powers into your jotter.

WestminsterThe Prime Minister is the leader of the party who wins the most seats after a general election. The Prime Minister is at the head of the UK government. A General Election occurs every five years. The Prime Minister is David Cameron who was re-elected after the 2015 General Election.

Source 3

UK General Election Results 2015

Party MP’sConservatives 331

Labour 232Liberal Democrats 8

SNP 56Others 23

In order for one political party to form the government they must secure a clear majority. This is the amount of MP’s that a party wins an election by. In 2015, the minimum number of MP’s for a party to form a majority government was 326. The Conservatives achieved 331 seats, so they formed a majority government. This was a change from the 2010 election, with the Conservatives only gaining 307 seats, which was not enough to achieve a majority.


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Activities

1. Look at Source 1. Who won the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary elections?2. How many MSP’s go to the Scottish Parliament?3. Look at Source 2. List three differences between Holyrood and

Westminster.4. What is the difference between reserved and devolved matters? Give

examples in your answer. 5. Look at Source 3. Which party gained the most MP’s?6. According to the source, did the winning party have enough MP’s to form a

government?

Lesson 6

What are the most important issues?

What are we exploring?


Develop understanding of issues that are important to people in the UK.

To gain understanding of the work of the Prime Minister and First Minister.

After the 2015 General Election, the Conservative Party, led by David Cameron gained enough seats to gain a clear majority in government. This makes it easier for them to make decisions and pass them through Government without having to create a coalition with another party. In the 2010 election, the Conservatives did not have a clear majority to form the government so they asked the Liberal Democrats to form a coalition government. A coalition means that there are two political parties in government.


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David Cameron is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. George Osbourne is the ‘First Secretary of State’ and is seen as Cameron’s number 2 in Downing Street.

The Prime Minister has a very important role in UK politics and his decisions can often shape our lives. David Cameron often has to prioritise issues that people feel strongly about in the UK.

Collaborative Discussion

What issue in society do you feel strongly about? (For example it could be health care as it affects you or your family)

If it’s an issue which is reserved complete the first sentence starter and be prepared to feedback to class through discussion.

If it’s an issue which is devolved complete the second sentence starter and be prepared to feedback to class through discussion.

Complete the sentence starter below:

1. If I were Prime Minister I would………….2. If I were First Minister I would…………

Group Task

Task 1

Your teacher will give your group an issue worksheet. Decide as a group which issue is the most important and the arguments why you think this.

Your task is to create a short presentation in which your group expresses how they feel about the issue you have chosen and why.

In your presentation you must do the following:

Structure your argument/s Explain how your group feels about the issue.


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Explain weaknesses in some of your arguments. Explain, overall, how you would like to see the issue tackled.

Task 2

The next task will involve some peer assessment of other group’s presentation.

Your teacher will issue you with a peer assessment sheet to complete after each group has presented.

Lesson 7

What makes the ‘perfect’ MSP?What are we exploring?


To describe what makes a good representative To understand the rules before choosing a representative

A representative is someone who speaks on behalf of others. EG your MSP speaks on your behalf in the Scottish Parliament. Your MP speaks on your behalf in Westminster.

Think, Pair, Share

1. In pairs select the TEN most important qualities which an MSP must have in order to be an effective representative of the people of the East Kilbride constituency in the Scottish Parliament.


I’m Linda Fabiani your

MSP for East Kilbride.

I’m Dr Lisa Cameron

your MP for East Kilbride.

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2. Now in your groups you should agree on then write down the 10 most important qualities to create your ‘perfect MSP’ on the blank sheet of A3 paper given to you by your teacher. Your group may be asked to report to the class at the end of the task.

3. In your jotter write down your top 3 qualities. You should write why you have chosen these as the most important.

Skills Building Activity

This is a group activity task. Your teacher will set up the groups. This task is designed to help you develop skills that will be important when you work together during the Mock Election. This is a 20 minute task

Instructions

Using the available A4 paper, sellotape and pair of scissors, build a bridge which can perform the following:

Hold the weight of your teacher’s mobile phone

Be wide enough to allow the phone to be passed under it (by its length, not breadth)


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Lesson 8 - Source Work: Decision Making Exercise

In Modern Studies, an ‘Options’ question will challenge you to decide which option given should be recommended based on the evidence in the sources or fact-file. For example, if a fact-file was to point out that Chocolate was my favourite type of ice-cream and you were then asked whether to recommend whether I should be given Option A – Strawberry Ice-Cream or Option B – Chocolate Ice-Cream, you would state that ‘I would recommend Option B – Chocolate Ice-cream as in the fact-file it states that her favourite type of ice-cream is chocolate, therefore it is the kind she would prefer.’


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Homework 2 – You will be given 1 week to complete the question below.

Evaluating Skills Task – Supporting and opposing a point of view

On 18 September 2014 the Scottish independence referendum took place and Scotland voted to stay part of the United Kingdom. Voters in Scotland were asked to answer Yes or No to the question “Should Scotland be an independent country?” 55.3% voted No and 44.7% voted Yes. 84.6% of the electorate participated in this historic vote to decide Scotland’s future.


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In Modern Studies, the ‘Selective use of Facts’ questions challenges you to use evidence to support (show that it is right) and oppose (show that it is wrong) the view point of a person using evidence from the sources. You did this in S1 – REMEMBER STRUCTURE.


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Every four or five years the country will hold an election. This is when everyone over the age of 16 (with a few exceptions) gets the chance to vote for someone to be the MSP for their town or area which is known as a parliamentary constituency. The Scottish Parliament introduced voting for 16 and 17 year olds after the success of the Scottish Independence Referendum in which for the first time everyone over the age of 16 was able to vote.

We are going to have a mock election involving everyone in our class. Each group will represent a political party. When each group has been allocated a political party they will then work on behalf of their chosen party to compete with the other groups to win the MOCK ELECTION. The candidate whose party gets the most votes wins the election. Each ‘political party’ will be competing against one another to win the election. Each party will be competing against one another to produce best poster, leaflet, powerpoint, logo, rosette and presented speech.

The choice of parties are: -

1. Labour Party2. Scottish National Party3. The Liberal Democrats4. Conservative Party5. Green Party

What each group has to do: -

Each political party will…

1. Choose a candidate and election agent (The agent will be the campaign manager)


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2. Design, and write out an election leaflet – the leaflet should contain the party policies, something about their candidate and why you should vote for them, the party logo and a picture of the candidate.

3. A candidate’s speech – containing policies, why you would be the best person for the job and criticisms of the other parties, not personal attacks on their candidates. The candidate and his/her election agent should work on this.(Maximum length of speech – 3 minutes)

4. A poster and rosettes.

5. Powerpoint

The agent should organise the campaign team by giving each pupil a task e.g. to produce a poster, to research the parties policies, to write the speech…

Some Hints:- Your speech should only last no more than 3 minutes You should try to make it memorable with short punchy sentences Explain what your policies mean. Give examples that will make your party’s policies seem very good. You should be prepared to answer some questions about your policies. Remember to include some statements about why you are the best person for

the job. Focus on what improvements you will make to the school and East Kilbride as

well as improvements to the country.

An Example of a Candidate’s Speech

Hi, my name is …………………………. I am your …………………………… (your party) candidate for this election. I will explain to you why voting for my party would be the right decision for you to make so that you and your family will benefit.To begin with our party will reduce unemployment, spend more on education, health and housing. We will reduce taxes for all families. To pay for better services we will try to raise taxes on alcohol and cigarettes.


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Split your speech into 3 parts – what you will do for the country, the local community and what improvements you would make to local schools.

A leaflet is one of the main ways of getting your message across to the voters.It should show what your party’s policies (ideas) are on some of the areas listed below: - Defence Tax Homelessness Education Healthcare Employment/unemployment It should say who your candidate is and why people

should vote for him/her. Make sure you make enough leaflets so that as

many voters as possible can find out what your party stands for.

Add suggestions such as ‘more funding to improve the school’ ‘more policing in local areas’.

An example of the inside of an election leafletWhat our area needs? What my party will do if you elect us> More policing > Double pensions> More play parks > Raise school leaving age to 18> A swimming pool > Free school > More funding for school meals for

all primary school children

Why I would make a good MP I will see we get these things if I am


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I am honest and hardworking. I own electeda butcher’s shop. I am married with9 children, it is all that meat I eat. I live in the area. I am a lovely person.Vote for ................................. and the .............................. party

INTERNET – Check out the website of your party for info on policies.Conservative www.conservatives.com Green www.greenparty.org.ukLabour www.labour.org.uk Scottish National Party www.snp.org.uk

Posters are an excellent way of getting your message across to the voters.

Plan your poster carefully

Use your imagination Get ideas from the classroom wall and your

booklets Make sure your poster is done in the colours of

your party. Eg yellow and black for SNP

Use Your Party logo Eg. The Labour Party’s is a red rose

Your poster could say something about your party’s policies. Eg Health, Education, Law and order, defence etc

Make sure that you say something about your candidate and why people should vote for him/her

Try to think of a good slogan or catchphrase to put on your poster Eg “Scotland deserves better”, “Putting People first”


Party Logo

Picture of Candidate

Hints for Poster Making

http://www.snp.org.uk/

http://www.labour.org.uk/

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/

http://www.conservatives.com/

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Main Ideas and Beliefs (Your Ideology)Important to you is the idea of equality. You believe that everyone, whether rich or poor, man or woman, black or white should have an equal opportunity to do well in life.

Labour’s plan for Scotland 1,000 MORE NURSES FOR OUR NHS, FUNDED BY

A MANSION TAX MORE POWERS FOR THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

INCLUDING THE FINAL SAY ON BENEFITS GUARANTEE A JOB AND TRAINING FOR ALL YOUNG

PEOPLE £1,600 FOR 18 AND 19-YEAR-OLDS WHO DON’T HAVE

AN APPRENTICESHIP AND DON’T GO TO COLLEGE ORUNIVERSITY, TO INVEST IN THEMSELVES OR STARTA BUSINESS

RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO AT LEAST £8 AN HOURGUARANTEE THE BARNETT FORMULA TO DELIVERBILLIONS OF POUNDS MORE FOR OUR SCHOOLS,HOSPITALS AND PENSIONS

INCREASE THE BURSARIES FOR THE POOREST STUDENTSBY £1,000

NO TUITION FEES FOR SCOTTISH STUDENTS BAN EXPLOITATIVE ZERO-HOURS CONTRACTS END THE NEED FOR FOOD-BANKS WITH £175M TO

TACKLE THE CAUSES OF POVERTY


Labour Party Policies

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Kezia Dugdale – Scottish Labour leader

Your Policies: We are a patriotic party of the Scottish centre-right which stands for freedom, enterprise, community and equality of opportunity.

We are a party of choice, responsibility, localism, low taxation and strong but limited government.

We are a party which champions individual choice. Scottish Conservatives believe that people and not government make the decisions that are best for themselves, their families and communities.

We are a party of responsibility. Scottish Conservatives believe that people must take responsibility for the decisions they make and bear the consequences if they break the law. Freedom cannot exist without responsibility and respect for the rule of law.

We are a party of localism. Scottish Conservatives believe that decisions should be made as close to the people as possible. Big government stifles local action. We believe in re-empowering local communities.

We are a party of low taxation. Scottish Conservatives want to see people keep more of the money they earn and not have it eaten up by excessive government spending. We believe in prioritising the family budget over the government budget.

We are a party of strong but limited government. Scottish Conservatives believe in government that is strong in its guarantee of security, freedom and civil liberties, but limited in its size, cost and ability to interfere in the day to day lives of individuals, families and businesses.


Scottish Conservative Party

Policies

Ruth Davidson

Leader of the Conservative Party.

http://www.scottishconservatives.com/home/index.aspx

Willie Rennie

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Party in Scotland.

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Main Ideas and Beliefs (Your ideology)

Balance the budget fairly through a mixture of cuts and taxes on higher earners Increase tax-free allowance to £12,500 Guarantee education funding from nursery to 19 with an extra £2.5bn and qualified

teachers in every class. Extend free childcare to all 2 year olds by 2020. Transfer more powers from London to Scotland, delivering more powers to local

communities. Invest £800 million in the NHS. Equal care for mental & physical health Five new laws to protect nature and fight climate change.

The six priorities are:Prosperity for allFair taxes Quality health care for allOpportunity for every childOur environment protectedA stronger Scotland for everyone


Liberal Democrats Policies

Scottish National Party Policies

Nicola Sturgeon

Leader of the Scottish National Party.

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Main Ideas and Beliefs (Your ideology)You believe in an independent Scotland. This means Scotland would not be part of the UK. It would be a separate country running its own affairs. You welcome the new Scottish Parliament but this is only a stepping stone on the road to independence. You fronted the Referendum campaign and now campaign for Scotland to get as much power as possible after people voted no to independence.

Main Policies Getting rid of all nuclear weapons. You are angry that all of Britain’s nuclear

weapons (Trident submarines) are based at Faslane in Scotland. Spend money to create jobs. Money spent on improving/building houses creates

jobs. You will give special help to the homeless, particularly the young homeless. Spend more on Health Care and Education. Your party has got rid of prescription charges and it has abolished the tolls on the

Forth and Erskine bridges. More police officers, up to 1000 extra to cut crime. Action to deal with underage drinking. Replace the unfair Council Tax with a local Income Tax. Focus on local needs and requirements in East Kilbride and surrounding area.

S2 Modern Studies Unit 2 2016Scottish Green Party

Policies

Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Green Party.

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Main Ideas and Beliefs (Your ideology)

The Scottish Green Party are concerned mainly with environmental issues and with improving the environment in which we live. They are concerned with climate changed and the risks of GM food.

Main Policies

Promote peaceful alternatives to war and campaign for the scrapping of all weapons of mass destruction, starting with Trident submarines on the Clyde.

Phase out nuclear power in Scotland – support clean, community-owned renewable energy.

End dangerous experiments with genetically modified crops – secure an organic future for our countryside.

Improve health and slash pollution by giving Scotland the highest home energy efficiency.

Support local jobs and industries. Develop public transport alternatives to road construction

and congestion. Focus on local needs and requirements in East

Kilbride and surrounding area.


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