One Week Unit
Monday:
Take 10-15 minutes to really reflect on what you already know about elections in general, as well as this specific election. Set a timer if you need to. Use these questions to guide your thinking:
What do you know about elections?
What do you know about this specific election?
What do you think is missing from what you know?
What do you want to know?
Add a new column to your Padlet. Title it "Election 2020"
Take a picture of your writing, or record yourself reading/talking about your reflection, and add it to the new Padlet column.
Tuesday:
Watch Season One Episode Seven of Adam Ruins Everything's, "Adam Ruins Voting." (previously available on Netflix but it looks like they've taken it down. Can purchase for $1.99 on Amazon Prime)
Add a note to your Padlet: what did you learn from this episode? What was shocking?
Wednesday & Thursday:
Adam brought up several issues with voting and elections in the United States. Choose one of these issues to research more about.
Please collaborate with each other so that you each select a different topic. We want to be able to teach each other on Friday.
the electoral college
gerrymandering
voter suppression
disenfranchisement of people with felony convictions
You can access all of the resources Adam used for his episode here.
Write down why this is an issue and what you think we should/could do to change it.
Watch: https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/lessons/the-true-history-of-voting-rights
Friday:
Be prepared to discuss what you learned this week!
Our big questions will be:
Are elections fair? If not, what do we need to do to make elections more fair?
Despite all of the issues with our current political system, is it important to vote? Why?
Being a "good citizen" is framed around the responsibility of voting. What other civic actions can people, and especially young people, take to be "good citizens"?
We will revisit your original Padlet post to see how your thinking has changed.
Bonus movie night: watch Knock Down the House on Netflix.
Questions to think about as you watch:
How do you feel? Hopeful? Frustrated?
Why is it so hard for people in power to be removed from their positions in government?
Why is it so hard for women and people of color to be elected into positions of power? Why is it important that they are?
Can we change our political system by voting alone? If not, what else needs to be done?