To Vote or Not To Vote

							To Vote or Not To Vote

 Developed By                           Krista Clinton O’Neill
 Suggested Length                       Five 40 minute lessons
 Suggested Grade Level(s)               Nine
 Subject Areas                          Social Studies, Language Arts,
                                        Visual Arts


Overview
The fight for the right to vote, in light of today’s voter apathy, gives students the
opportunity to examine whether the fight was worthwhile, and if it is in fact a right
or a responsibility.

Links to Curriculum Outcomes
Students will (be expected to)
    take age appropriate actions to demonstrate their responsibilities as
      citizens (social studies)
    analyse and evaluate historical and contemporary developments in order
      to make informed, creative decisions about issues (social studies)
    participate constructively in conversation, small group and whole group
      discussion and debate, using a range of strategies which contribute to
      effective talk (language arts)
    work interactively, co-operatively, and collaboratively (visual arts)

Links to Telling Stories: Themes / Key Words
    Collage

Art Works
    Voting in Charlottetown, Robert Harris, CAG H-126

Context
This unit would be especially relevant at the time of an election.




Lesson #1: Was It Worth the Fight?
Objective     This lesson introduces students to the fact that the right to vote did
              not always apply to all citizens, and that many different groups
              within society had to fight for this right that many Canadians do not
              now exercise.
Materials
   internet access

Activities
             1. Introduce the Harris piece by name. Have the students examine the
                picture closely and ask if anything seems to be missing. Guide
                them discover that all of the voters are white, well dressed men.
                Many students will already be aware that women were not allowed
                to vote, but will be unaware that different racial and religious groups
                and the poor were denied this right as well.

             2. Have each student conduct an internet search, using the following
                questions (which can be made into a worksheet):
                 Where in Canada did women first get the right to vote?
                 In what year were women allowed to vote in federal elections?
                 In what year were women in our province granted the right to
                   vote in provincial elections?
                 Find four other groups in Canadian society who were not
                   allowed to vote.
                 In what years were they granted this right?
                 Why do you think these groups were denied the right to vote?
                 What’s been done in recent years to improve accessibility to
                   voting?
                 What were the arguments made for the vote being restricted to
                   white male property owners?
                 Name two other pieces of information about the history of the
                   vote in Canada which you did not know before.

             3. To wrap up, bring the group together and ask for some answers to
                the last question on the sheet. Have the students discuss which
                pieces of information they found to be the most surprising. Discuss
                current voter apathy:
                 Should these groups of people bothered to fight for the right to
                   vote?
                 If it was so important, why do some people not use that right
                   today?

Computer Option
   Keywords for internet search: history + vote + Canada
Lesson #2: The Voter’s Choice
Objective       This debate or “town hall meeting” in this lesson focuses on the
                issue of having the freedom to choose to vote, and looking upon
                voting as a responsibility. Students will have an opportunity to
                improve their speaking and listening skills.

Materials
   chart paper
   markers

Activities
             1. Revisit the previous lesson’s discussion on the right to vote and the
                current problem of voter apathy, especially among young people.

             2. Some countries, like Australia, have laws which force their citizens
                to vote. Is this a reasonable way to solve the problem? Why or why
                not?

             3. Have the students organize in smaller groups. Have half the groups
                brainstorm reasons why we should use our right to vote, while the
                others brainstorm reasons why people don’t use their right to vote.

             4. Bring the groups doing similar topics together to pool their ideas.
                Bring the whole class together to have a debate or “town hall
                meeting” on the issue.

Ideas for Assessment
Have the students provide an individual written response to the following
statement: Some people argue that by not voting, people are sending the
message that they are not happy with the choices they are given. Do you agree
with this statement? Why or why not?




Lesson #3: Use Your Right
Objective       In creating a piece of art using words and images, students can
                build awareness of the importance of using our democratic right to
                vote.

Materials
   magazines
   glue sticks
   Bristol board
      liquid glue and brushes
      half inch thick boards (varying sizes)

Activities
             1. As a whole class, make a list of reasons why we should all make
                use of our right to vote.

             2. Inform students that they are going to create an awareness
                campaign. They might put up posters in school prior to student
                council elections or consider local elections in the community itself.
                Advise them that this can done on an individual basis, or in pairs or
                small groups.

             3. Using words and images from magazines, students to create a
                collage poster that is meant to convey the message that it is
                important to use the right to vote. With each poster they complete,
                the student or students should create a card to accompany it,
                explaining the meaning behind the images, and how it
                communicates the intended message. This could be done simply
                with Bristol board and glue sticks, or, for a more lasting image,
                construct a decoupage.

Ideas for Assessment
Have the students peer review each other’s work by writing on prepared sheet
two aspects of the piece they like and one suggestion for improvement. Prior to
the review, examples of elements to critique should be given and explained to
the class.




Lesson #4: The Missing
Objective       The intent is to show students that meaning in a piece can be
                conveyed not only by what is present, but also by what is absent.

Materials
   large pieces of paper (from a roll)
   markers

Activities
             1. Discuss the Harris piece with the group:
                 What can we learn from what we see in the piece?
                 What, or who, is missing?
                 What does this tell us?
          2. Although today more groups within society can vote, often people
             do not use this right. Therefore, if we were to create a
             contemporary picture, there would still be groups or individuals
             missing.
              What would be an example of one such group?
              How could we create an image which would present information
                 about what’s present, but also make it obvious that there is a
                 group missing?
              Discuss ideas and techniques for creating such a piece.

          3. On giant sheets of paper and using markers, have students create
             an image of a scene from a modern day polling station using some
             of these ideas. There should be no more than 5 students per piece
             of paper.

Ideas for Assessment
Have students do a journal response regarding their own attitude to voting. They
might also respond to questions such as:
    What do you think would happen in Canada if the right to vote were taken
      away?
    Should people be required to be informed about current issues before
      being allowed to vote? Why or why not?