EGP 335.

535 Lesson Plan

Dr. Leaman, Spring 2017

Lesson Plan Details The Ballot is Stronger than the Bullet, Lesson #3, Katalina Nguyen
Expected Duration (90-120 minutes, two possibly three class periods)
Social Sciences
History
Civics
Government
Concepts
Importance of voting as a responsible and active citizen
History of voting and how citizens demonstrated activism to support equality
Current trend of a lack of interest from the younger generation (and the population as a whole)
in regards to voting and elections
Vocabulary and operational definition
Amendment
Equality
Trend
Discrimination
Segregation
Skills
Persuasive writing skills
Graph analysis skills
Interpersonal skills
Group communication skills
Goals of Lesson
How to research and use evidence to support an opinion
How to interpret graphs and charts from different perspectives
Learning different methods to becoming an active citizen

Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives

Students will explain on paper how voting rights have changed over the course of Americas
history and why they believe it is important.
Students will describe the importance of voting by writing a persuasive letter to eligible
unregistered voters.
Students will compare graphs/charts of recent voter turnouts to determine trends in voting rates.

Standards PA Civics, History, Economics, Geography & NCSS Themes I - X with

subthemes
Social Studies Standards
Standard - 5.3.4.F: Explain how different perspectives can lead to conflict.
Standard - 8.3.4.C: Explain how continuity and change in U.S. history have influenced personal
development and identity.
Belief systems and religions
Commerce and industry
Technology
Politics and government
Physical and human geography
Social organizations
 Standard - 8.3.4.D: Distinguish between conflict and cooperation among groups and
organization that impacted the history and development of the United States.
Ethnicity and race
Working conditions
Immigration
Military conflict
Economic stability
NCSS Themes
II. Time, Continuity and Change
NCSS 1.2.a
NCSS 1.2.b
VI. Power, Authority, and Governance
NCSS 1.6.a
NCSS 1.6.c

Anticipatory Set
Begin the lesson by asking if any of the students know someone who voted in a presidential
election. Call on them to give examples. Then ask why they think these people vote for a
president.
Teacher: Do any of you know someone who has voted in a presidential election before?
Student: Mom and Dad, Grandpa, my older sister, you, Ms. Nguyen, my neighbor, etc.
Teacher: Why do you think these adults vote for a president?
Student: Because its important., The President leads the country so adults get to pick who
leads it., etc.
Begin a large group discussion about the students general knowledge of voting. Also establish
a general opinion that voting is important by relating it to the students lives. The teacher will fill
out a KWL chart (1. what we know, 2. what we want to know, 3. what we learned) on a sheet of
easel paper. Ask the questions:
Teacher: What do you know about voting? Have you ever voted on class decisions in your
previous classrooms? What examples of voting have you seen in books, on TV, etc? (general
ideas, voting in informal settings)
Students: Voting helps people decide on a choice.
Students: Last year, my class voted by raising our hands on what movie we wanted to watch
for movie day.
Students: In iCarly, the school voted for a school president.
Teacher: What do you know about voting in presidential elections? (voting in official elections)
Student: You have to be an adult to vote., You have to be 18 years old to vote.
Teacher: Lets quickly talk about that. Why do you think you have to be an adult to vote?
Student: Were not mature enough?
Teacher: Many adults do seem to think that. I think the main reason is that most of you lack a
lot of the fundamental background knowledge needed to make an informed vote. Do you know
how the informed right to vote came to be? Do you think the voting process has been the same
for hundreds of years? Its important to first build an understanding for why and how we vote
which is why citizens must wait until they are 18, when they are mostly done with high school, to
be allowed to vote. (make this point whether or not students mention it as something they
know)
Student: You have to register to vote in presidential elections
Student: You have to be an American citizen to vote
 Student: Just because more people vote for you, doesnt mean you win. Theres an electoral
college
Teacher: Do you think voting is important? Why?
Students: Voting helps us come to a decision that most people like., It allows us to give our
opinions., etc
With those answers, fill in the What We Know section.
Next, the teacher will ask the students about what they want to learn. As the students answer, fill
in the What We Want to Know section. If students cannot come up with some suggestions, you
can ask the questions:
Do you know how voting was like hundreds of years ago?
Do you think everyone had the right to vote?
Come back to the What We Learned section during the Closure
Teacher: Once we have learned about the actual history of voting and compare and contrast
what voting was like throughout history compared to now, we can then fill out the What We
Learned Section. To help us better understand what voting is like now, we will also be looking
and analyzing graphs and charts of voting rates in the past to see if we can find noticeable
trends, or patterns.

Procedures
The Ballot is Stronger Than the Bullet Storytelling/Presentation
(have a hard copy for individual learners)
(Address and explain each picture after each page)
Objective: Students will explain how voting rights have changed over the course of Americas
history and why they believe it is important.
1. Present teacher made book (created with the Book Creator App for Windows) titled The Ballot
is Stronger Than the Bullet. Explain quote.
Teacher: We could talk about the history of voting for days, but to help condense some of the
knowledge. Lets start off with this quote by Abraham Lincoln
Teacher: Does anyone know what this title means or would like to take a guess?
Student: Whats a ballot?
Teacher: A ballot is an anonymous, or secret, vote. For example, to vote for our class president,
we have to mark a sheet of paper with our choice for who we want to elect and hand it in. The
votes are counted in the end but no one other than you knows who you voted for. That sheet of
paper is known as a ballot or sometimes called ballot paper
Student: So the paper used to vote is stronger than a bullet?
Student: Could it mean that the effect of the ballot is stronger than the effect of a bullet.
Teacher: It can definitely be interpreted as so! A ballot can have an enormous effect on who
gets to be elected in a position of power. Thats why candidates campaign relentlessly in order
to try to get people to vote for them. Peoples ballots determine who gets to be someone like the
President who will change America for four years. The ballot, or your voice or opinion, is
stronger than a bullet. A bullet can be interpreted as violence and is less effective in getting your
voice heard or in achieving a goal.
2. Page 2
Teacher: :Here are the table of contents for this book. This is to help you navigate this book if
you choose to reference it later during individual work time or at home.
3. Page 3 (read aloud)
 Teacher: What events do you remember from previous classes that took place in the colonial
period?
Student: Revolutionary War!
Student: Civil War?
Student:Declaration of Independence.
Teacher: Those certainly did happen and most if not all of those events affected how voting
was practiced during that time.
4. Page 4 (read aloud)
5. Page 5 (read aloud)
Teacher: So if we apply these restrictions to todays government elections, only those who are
white males, own property or land, are Protestants, and are 21 or older can vote for becomes
our President. Almost all of the teachers and staff of this school wouldnt be allowed to vote. I
wouldnt be allowed to vote because Im a woman, I am not white, I do not own land, and I am
not Protestant. The only qualification I do have is the fact that Im older than 21.
6. Page 6 (read aloud and stop after #3)
Imagine all the people you know and raise your hand if you know someone whos a woman, a
person of color, or an adult whos older than 18 but younger than 21? These people, who I
imagine, there are a lot of in your lives, wouldnt be granted the fundamental right to vote which
allows their voices or opinions to be heard. They were not seen as equal to white males so they
did not deserve the same rights.
(continue reading)
Teacher: So state governments had the power to choose who could vote and since these state
governments were only made up of white males, they saw no need to give everyone the right to
vote. If they give everyone the right to vote then they could also vote to have women or people
of color in positions of power and there was no way they wanted someone as inferior as them to
lead a city, state, or country.
7. Page 7
(before reading aloud) Teacher: We discussed the Constitution and what it does during our first
day of the unit but lets refresh our memories for a bit.
(reads page aloud)

8. Page 8
(before reading aloud) Teacher: But the Constitution was never perfect and in fact had many
flaws which was why many amendments, or changes, were made to it. One in particular, came
into law as a result of the Civil War.
(read page aloud)
Teacher: This amendment states that people of any color or race can not be denied their right
to vote. However.... (turn to next page)
9. Page 9 (read page aloud)
Teacher: So for example, John, whos an African American citizen, goes to vote at a polling
station but is told to leave. He is told that he must pass a literacy test. But John had never gone
to school because he had been a slave most of his life. Although the people of the polling
station did not say you cant vote because youre African American they are still preventing him
from voting for a reason he could not control.
(go back to page 8) Teacher: Also, if we take another look at the 15th Amendment, it does not
specify the voting rights for women or men. So states were still allowed to refuse women the
right to vote which we will discuss in this next chapter.
10. Page 10 (read aloud)
Teacher: Are any of you familiar with the Womens Suffrage Movement? If you are, what do you
know about it?
Student: Not really. What does suffrage mean?
Student: Yes. It was when women had to fight so they can vote.
Teacher: Suffrage is a persons right to vote in elections (turn to next page). So yes, the
Womens Suffrage Movement is about women, and also men, fighting for not only their right to
vote but for equal human rights for all genders.
11. Page 11
Teacher: Can anyone tell me why women werent allowed to vote? We briefly talked about it
before, but see if you can come up with some reasons as to why.
Student: Women werent seen as equal to men.
Student: Women didnt work and had to stay at home.
Student: Women did have a proper education.
Teacher: Those are all very plausible answers. Home and social life for women during the
1700s and 1800s were very different compared to now. It didnt help that many women followed
the societal belief that women should stay home and take care of the family and house.
12. Page 12 (read aloud)
13. Page 13 (read aloud)
Teacher: Protests for womens right to vote started as early as the late 1700s because during
that time, womens right to vote had been taken away by all states. The battle for womens rights
continued for another hundred years. Women across the country organized marches, led
hunger strikes where women refused to eat, and went to jail for their actions just so they could
have equal voting rights.
14. Page 14 (read aloud)
15. Page 15 (read aloud)
16. Page 16 (read aloud)
Teacher: Can someone tell me anything about the Civil Rights Movement or could take a
guess? Or are there any questions you want to ask?
Student: Yes. It was when people of color fought for their right to vote.
Student: What are civil rights?
Teacher: Civil rights by definition are the rights of citizens to political and social freedom and
equality. They protect citizens from discrimination, or when someone is treated unfairly based on
things like their race or gender, and ensure that they can practice their political rights like the
freedom of speech, the ability to openly voice your opinion. However, African Americans were
not allowed to practice these rights until about 50 years ago.
17. Page 17 (read aloud)
Teacher: So imagine if you taking the school bus to school. Students who are Caucasian can
sit in the front seats. People of color have to sit in the back seats. If the bus is full and a
Caucasian student wanted to get on, an African American student would either have to stand in
the aisle or get off and walk to school even though they were there first. Does that sound fair?
18. Page 18 (read aloud)
19. Page 19
(before reading aloud) Teacher: During this time, there were many important figures who
contributed to the success of the movement. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X
may be some you are familiar with.
(read aloud)
 Teacher: Although their methods of protest differed, they all had the fundamental belief that
African Americans were being treated unjustly and should be granted to equal rights they
deserved as human beings.
20. Page 20 (read aloud)
Teacher: This was another momentous event as it finally outlawed discrimination for all citizens
and provided them their civil rights. But it is important to note that this is only by law. Even today,
some people see others as inferior for simply being who they are. You may see someone one
the street yell mean things because someone else is a girl, because they are a boy, because
they are African American, or because they are Jewish. As citizens, it is our job to rise to action
when those things happen and defend those who are being discriminated against.
21. Page 21 (read aloud)
22. Page 22 (read aloud)
23. Page 23
(before reading aloud)Teacher: We mentioned the poll tax earlier and how it was unfair for
people to have to pay a tax. Eventually the government figured that out too.
(read aloud)
24. Page 24
(before reading aloud) Teacher: We also talked about how old someone has to be to vote. We
switched from 21 years old to 18 years sometime after the Civil Rights Movement.
(read aloud)
25. Page 25 (read aloud)
Teacher: Do you think these restrictions are fair?
26. Have each student fill out an index card with the question, What is the importance of voting?
Each student must write at least three sentences about one aspect of the history of voting
referencing the history they just learned. The teacher can extend the question on the index card
for those who need to be challenged (ex: provide an example of how voting personally affects
your life)
Graph Analyzation Activity
Objective: Students will compare graphs/charts of recent voter turnouts to determine trends in
voting rates.
27. Introduction
Teacher: Now that we have a basic understanding of how voting has changed over time, we
can start thinking about how many people vote today, what types of people vote more than
others, and the reasoning behind it. Were going to be looking for trends, which are patterns we
notice when we collect data, in voting over the past few years.
28. Begin graph analyzation activity with graphs of voting rates. The class will analyze the given
graphs on various voting rates to identify current trends in voting and why they might occur.
Hand out worksheets with graphs on them to the students.
Key trends of the lesson: Younger population has a lower voting rate compared to older age
groups, Caucasian/white population has the highest voting rate compared to other racial groups,
the amount of registered voters actually voting is decreasing overtime
29. First, split the classroom into groups of 4 or 5. Go over each graph and explain their
characteristics.
Teacher: What type of graph or chart is the one titled Presidential Elections?
Student: A number table.
 Teacher: This table shows an estimated totals and percentages on how many are eligible to
vote (regardless if they are registered or not), how many are registered voters, and how many
votes were cast for each presidential election.
Teacher: What type of graph or chart is the one titled Voting Rates Over Time for the Voting-
Age Population: 1964-2012?
Student: A line graph.
Teacher: This graph shows the estimated percentage of people who voted when they are
grouped by age. The x-axis, or the bottom row of labels, show the year the presidential election
took place. The y-axis, or the labels on the side, show the amount in percentages.
Teacher: What type of graph or chart is the one titled Citizen Voting-Age Population Turnout
Rates by Race and Ethnicity?
Student: Another line graph.
Teacher: This graph shows the estimated percentage of people who voted when grouped into
racial groups. So take the Non-Hispanic Black group for example. The red line show that out of
all the citizens that identify as this group, this many of people from this group voted during this
year.
Teacher: Any questions regarding how to read the graphs?
30. Next, hand out two index cards to each groups and have them write down at least two
observations about the graphs and what they think it could mean.
Student: The blue line in graph three is almost always higher on the graph than the the other
ones.
Student: In graph two the 18-24 year olds line is always below the other lines and has the
lowest voter turnout rate.
31. Collect the index cards and read them aloud, asking other groups whether they agree or
disagree with the reasonings or if they can expand on it.
32. Create a T-chart with one side being Observations and the other side being Inferences and
write down each observation made and the different inferences the small groups and the class
as a whole have made for each observation. (teacher talk examples below are in reference to
the ones in step 30)
Teacher: Why do you think the blue line (Non-Hispanic White group) is consistently higher?
Student: This means that more Non-Hispanic Whites vote compared to other groups.
Student: It could also mean that this group is smaller in size compared to other groups so the
percentages might be higher but the actual number of people voting might be less.
Teacher: Why do you think the 18-24 year old line seems to be decreasing over time?
Student: I think it shows that less 18-24 year olds vote or less are registered.
Student: People of this age might be less motivated to vote or might think their vote doesnt
matter. Maybe more people of this age care less about politics.
33. If students do not fully hit on the key trends intended for the lesson (as listed in step 28), the
teacher will make observations to help narrow the students focus and encourage students to
make inferences.
34. As an additional exercise for students who need to be challenged, they can pick one of the
columns in graph one and create their own graph (line, bar, graph) from the number table.
Persuasive Letter
Objectives: Students will describe the importance of voting by writing a persuasive letter to
eligible unregistered voters.
35. Introduce persuasive letter writing. Students will write a letter to an unregistered voter on why
its important to be an active citizen and vote. Recipients will be picked beforehand by the
 teacher and will consist of unregistered school staff and faculty who volunteer to receive a letter.
(Another population to consider would be high school seniors in the district or college students
from local colleges/universities who are in the process of registering.) Students will practice the
writing process of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
Teacher: As we said before, voting is an important right all of us have and is part of being an
active and engaged citizen. But how can we be active citizens if the whole class is too young to
vote? Well, if we cant vote ourselves, I think trying to encourage others to vote will help us fill
our responsibilities as citizens.
Teacher: It is also crucial to practice persuasive writing and backing up your opinions with facts.
When we are given the freedom to voice our opinion, we need to be ready to defend them and
give them validity.
Writing process for this letter: Prewrite, draft, revise, second draft, edit, publish
36. Provide students a brainstorming sheet, as shown at the end of the lesson plan. Given the topic
of you should vote because.., they will determine what three ideas they will use to persuade
their reader to vote. For each idea, students must come up with two details/facts that they
learned from previous activities to support it. This will make up the three body paragraphs. If
students have a lower writing level, they may switch from 5 paragraphs to a 3 paragraph style
format. If writing is difficult (especially for ELL students), students may verbally tell the teacher
what they want to say and the teacher will help them write out their sentences. If the students
need to be challenged, they may use other resources (after teacher approval) they have
individually researched to use in their persuasive letter.
37. After prewriting (prewriting sheet), students will meet with the teacher to discuss those ideas
and how to write them before drafting. If students struggle with writing, help them create their
first draft. The teacher may also offer students alternative ways to write their persuasive essay
such as making the details into bullet points, have students create a story instead of a letter, or
use pictures to represent their details.
38. After drafting, students will have both the teacher and one peer revise their paper before the
student self-revises. Student will create a second draft with revisions.
39. Student will then have another peer edit the second draft before self-editing.
40. Teacher will do a final check before students publish their drafts.

Differentiation
For students who need to be challenged:
The teacher can extend the question on the index card (ex: provide an example of how voting
personally affects your life) for the post-presentation index card
They can pick one of the columns in graph one and create their own graph (line, bar, graph)
from the number table.
The students may use other resources (after teacher approval) they have individually
researched to use in their persuasive letter
For students who are struggling:
The teacher can provide one-on-one instruction guidance after the class presentation if they had
difficulty understanding,
Provide guiding questions if they are having difficulty coming up with observations or inferences
on the graphs (help narrow the focus for the student)
Help students create their first draft
 If students have a lower writing level, they may switch from 5 paragraphs to a 3 paragraph style
format.
Offer alternative ways to write their persuasive essay such as making the details into bullet
points, have students create a story instead of a letter, or use pictures to represent their details.
For ELL students:
The presentation will also have a translated version in the students first language which they
can look at after the initial presentation.
Provide step by step directions in written form so students may reference them
If writing is difficult, students may verbally tell the teacher what they want to say and the teacher
will help them write out their sentences
A hard copy of the presentation will be provided in class if the students need it.

Closure
Finish publishing letters and prepare to send them (envelope, stamp, etc).
Complete the what we learned section of the KWL chart with the class using the T-chart and
index cards the students had filled out. Review the whole chart with the class and contrast the
sections.
Teacher: This chart will hang on this wall so all of you may refer to it whenever you need to.
Teacher: As a class weve learned the history of voting, what voting is like currently, and most
importantly, the importance of voting and its significance. You practiced your persuasive writing
skills and graph interpretation skills. With this knowledge we can practice our responsibilities as
active citizens. We can show our presidents and governments that we care and that they stand
for us. And We can take action and defend those who are being treated unjustly.

Formative/Summative Assessment of Students (P-12)

Formative Assessment: The teacher will observe the students during group work and large
discussion to see how well students are making connections between the history content and
their own real life experiences. The teacher will also observe to see if students can makes
inferences about graphs in small groups. The teacher will ask questions throughout the
presentation to gauge prior knowledge of topics. The teacher will ask critical thinking questions
throughout the presentation and graph analysis activity to encourage higher thinking.
Summative Assessment: The persuasive letter will indicate how well each student is able to
retain and apply what they learned and use it to make an argument. Through this, the will also
display their level of writing. The observation and inference chart from the graph analysis activity
will show how well students can read graphs/charts and find trends. The KWL chart and post-
presentation index cards will display growth in understanding from the beginning of the lesson to
the end of the lesson.
Objectives:
Students will explain how voting rights have changed over the course of Americas history and
why they believe it is important.
Students will describe the importance of voting by writing a persuasive letter to eligible
unregistered voters.
Students will compare graphs/charts of recent voter turnouts to determine trends in voting rates.
Materials/Equipment
- The Ballot is Stronger than the Bullet Presentation
- Envelopes (at least 30)
- Stamps (at least 30)
- At least 6 sheets of easel paper (in case you need extras) and marker (KWL chart and
observation & inferences chart))
Student Materials
- Graph worksheets (at least 30 copies) (see attached document for the worksheets)
- Index cards (at least 35)
- Prewriting worksheets (at least 30) (will be at the bottom of lesson plan)
- Lined paper (have a stack of over 300 prepared in the classroom)
- Pencils
Teacher note sheet with references
Colonial America - Declaration of Independence
The act of determining government positions through voting began in the 1600s in colonial
America. Although, elections were much less formal compared to now. Voting rules and the
types of elections used varied in different regions (towns and colonies)
There were many restrictions on who could vote. Voters were primarily white male property
owners. Religion also played a role with the Protestant majority maintaining the right the vote
while those of Catholic and Jewish faith were denied. Women, children, and people of color
could not vote at the time as they were not seen in equal standing.
This belief carried onto the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Campaigning was done in person and candidates were expected to greet and speak with voters
By the mid 1800s, the tax and property requirements for voting disappeared in order to broaden
the voting pool and
15th Amendment of the Constitution (1869-1870)- states that all men regardless of race, color,
or previous condition of servitude were legally allowed to vote
But since many African-Americans could not afford the poll taxes or adequately complete the
literacy test, many still couldnt vote anyway.
Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement was a social and political movement that aimed to end racial
segregation and discrimination enforced by the laws of the Jim Crow Era. The ideology of white
supremacy disabled many of the rights of African-Americans (including the right to vote) as their
socio-economic statuses and educational levels were inherently lower due to racial segregation
in work, school, and society.
Jim Crow laws - state and local laws that enforced racial segregation in many Southern US
states
The movement is widely known to have begun in 1954 after the decision of the Brown v. Board
of Education court case that stated that separate educational facilities were inherently
unequal. Schools for African-American students had a lower quality of education and were
poorly funded in comparison to schools for Caucasian students. This decision allowed African-
American students and Caucasian students to attend the same schools.
Although known for beginning in 1954, earlier events of activism (ex: movement against
lynching) had built the foundation and helped set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement.
Civil Rights Act of 1964 - made discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, gender, or
religion in voting, public areas, the workplace, and schools illegal
Voting Rights Act of 1965 - prohibits any election practice that denies the right to vote to
citizens on the basis of race and forces jurisdictions with histories of voter discrimination to
 submit any changes to its election laws to the government for federal approval prior to taking
effect
Important Figures
Rosa Parks
Martin Luther King Jr.
Malcolm X
Womens Suffrage Movement
Seneca Falls Convention (1848) - 68 women and 32 men created the Declaration of Sentiments
that addressed the (right to vote, right to equal education, right to own property)
Women continued to hold conferences on the issues of womens rights and launched
campaigns to push for them, however the Civil War effectively halted further progress.
Used peaceful demonstrations and militant direct tactics (ex: mass marches, hunger strikes) as
forms of protests.
19th Amendment (August 20th, 1926) - gave women the right to vote in both state and national
elections.
The National American Womens Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was created in 1890 after
combining the National Women Suffrage Association (headed by Susan B. Anthony and
Elizabeth Cady Stanton) and the American Women Suffrage Association (headed by Lucy
Stone). The NAWSA took on the stance that women were still inherently different from men and
that rather than transforming their role in society, they would be conservatively extending it with
the right to vote. The NAWSA also excluded women of color from their group as they still
followed the ideology of white supremacy.
The Congressional Union was formed in 1914 in support of the movement but took on more
radical and violent forms of protest (Ex: picketing at the White House, hunger strikes, mass
marches, burning property) which garnered a lot of attention and publicity towards the
movement. It was headed by Alice Paul.
The National Association of Colored Women was created to support voting rights for women of
color (headed by Mary Church Terrell)
Important Figures
Present Day Voting Rights
Who Cant Vote? - Convicted felons, people without ID, residents of US territories, resident
non-citizens, citizens with severe mental disabilities (Anyone who cannot manage their own
affairs financial, medical or family-related qualifies for the restriction.)
Physically disabled citizens can vote but voting rates have been low
Only about 30 percent of polling stations are fully accessible, according to a Rutgers study, and
transportation, voter ID laws and voting hours also disproportionately disenfranchise disabled
people.
Importance of Voting
Voting allows for citizens to choose who represents them in different levels of government
These representatives can make decisions that affect the wellbeing of the physical world and
the lives of the citizens.
By voting, you can show what values you prioritize, what issues you find most pressing, and
what kind of actions you want to see take place.
Individuals can choose not to vote but lose the chance to push for
Trends in Voting
Lower voter turnouts compared to other democracies
 Low rates of voting among 18-24 year olds and 25-30 year olds
Only about half of registered voters are voting

References:
https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/rightsforwomen/SenecaFalls.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/eleanor-suffrage/
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/suffrage/history.htm
https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/progressiveera/suffrage.html
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/womens-suffrage/
http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/TheDataWeb_HotReport2/voting/voting.hrml
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Who-Cant-Vote-in-the-U.S.-Elections-20160218-0032.html
https://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/Spring07/elections.cfm
http://massvote.org/voterinfo/history-of-voting-rights/
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/freedom/1917beyond/essays/crm.htm
http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-civil-rights.html
http://www.annenbergclassroom.org/page/fifteenth-amendment
https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/instructors/setups2012/voting.jsp
http://www.electproject.org/home/voter-turnout/demographics
https://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p20-573.pdf
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/01/27/the-demographic-trends-shaping-american-
politics-in-2016-and-beyond/
http://civicyouth.org/quick-facts/youth-voting/

Technology
The Ballot is Stronger than the Bullet Presentation
Projector/Smartboard

Reflection on Planning
Developing the plan was extensive. Just the amount of history that I decided to include in the
lesson seemed a bit much since the topics themselves were so broad. However, I think the
activities of my plan provide a variety of different work environments (individual work, class
discussion, and small group work) and work methods (persuasive writing, collaboration, graph
reading). I could include more student interaction during the presentation but I worry about
making the lesson plan overly scripted. Also I could try to incorporate more physical action as I
realize that my lesson is mostly discussion and writing based. This way the students can be
more involved and engaged.

Some concerns I have mostly deal with the self-made presentation. The lesson content itself
may be too brief and vague. However, I have concerns with overloading the students with too
many facts since the topics of the history portion of the lesson are so large. Also, the
presentation may not be as engaging as I hope it would be. I could later go back and add video
or audio to the book so that it doesnt seems so presentation like. I would also be concerned
about providing enough differentiation. Some students may not respond to any of the
alternatives I have so I may have to come up with another one on the spot. I had difficulty
coming up for alternatives for gifted students as I tried not to simply increase the workload. I
also struggled with developing accommodations for ELL students as their level of English can
range greatly. The differentiation section overall was difficult for me honestly speaking.

Prewriting Worksheet Name:______________________

Introduction
Opening Sentence:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Thesis:______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Three Main Ideas:______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Body
Idea #1:______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Detail #1:______________________________________________________________
Detail #2:_______________________________________________________________

Idea #2:______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Detail #1:_______________________________________________________________
Detail #2:_______________________________________________________________

Idea #3:______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Detail #1:_______________________________________________________________
Detail #2:_______________________________________________________________

Conclusion
Three Main Ideas:______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Ending Sentence:______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Current Event
Elections for the next president of France are underway but with mixed reactions and
general disinterest from the public.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-03/19/c_136140617.htm

News Analysis: With 11 presidential hopefuls, French voters disoriented by

chaotic campaign

PARIS, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Eleven candidates will vie for the French presidency in the
first round of voting in April, announced the President of the French Constitutional
Council Laurent Fabius on Saturday, after the verification of the full list of political
sponsorships.

Beyond the uncertainties which always loom over potential voting outcomes, the
campaign has already promised a reconfiguration of the political landscape in France.

Three candidates -- Philippe Poutou of the New Anticapitalist Party, Jacques Cheminade
of Solidarity and Progress, and the unaffiliated centrist representative Jean Lassalle
were qualified at the last minute and will join the list of the first eight candidates that
have each collected a minimum 500 signatures necessary to run.

The eight contenders are Francois Fillon of The Republicans, Benoit Hamon of the
Socialist Party, Emmanuel Macron from En Marche!, nationalist Nicolas Dupont-
Aignan from Stand up France, Jean-Luc Melenchon of Unsubmissive France, Nathalie
Arthaud from the Worker's Struggle, extreme-right candidate Marine Le Pen of the
National Front and the euroskeptic Francois Asselineau of Popular Republican Union.

Rarely has a vote been so undecided less than five weeks before the first round of voting.
There is one certainty: The 10th presidential election of the Fifth Republic of France will
be written into history. Never, in fact, has a campaign experienced so many shocks since
General de Gaulle made the vote central to French political life.

The decision by current President Francois Hollande not to stand for a second term, and
unexpected primary campaigns that concluded with the elimination of the seemingly
uncontested favorite Alain Juppe are just some of the events which have contributed to
plunging political observers into circumspection and public opinion into disarray.

It is important not to forget that it is also the first time that a presidential election is
being held in France under a state of emergency.
A few hours before the publication of the final list of candidates, a man was killed in the
Orly airport in Paris after trying to wrest a gun away from a defense soldier.

Undoubtedly, propositions from the candidates in terms of security and the fight against
terrorism will return to the forefront of the campaign.

All the polls predict the arrival of the extreme-right National Front party in the second
round of presidential voting for a second time in history thanks to a score definitively
higher than that achieved in 2002 by Jean-Marie Le Pen, president of the party and
father of Marine Le Pen.

No matter who will be her opponent in the second round, it is believed that Marine Le
Pen will be beaten soundly. Despite everything, the scenario of a possible victory for the
extreme right, leading to a potential Frexit from the European Union, continues to fuel
all sorts of more or less irrational conjectures.

According to an Ipsos Sopra Steria poll conducted for the Le Monde newspaper and
CEVIPOF (Political Sciences Institute) published Friday, Marine Le Pen (27 percent)
and Emmanuel Macron (26 percent) would be neck and neck in the first round, ahead of
an easily outpaced Francois Fillon (17.5 percent).

In the second round of voting, Emmanuel Macron would win with 61 percent of the
votes, beating Marine Le Pen's 39 percent, according to the poll.

Several signs remain, however, that voters are generally uncertain and disinterested.
Among people certain to vote, 41 percent say they could still change their minds.

Voter participation, as well, is projected at 66 percent of eligible voters, a relatively

feeble level for a first round of voting in a French presidential election.

The formal investigation of Francois Fillon in a scandal around fake jobs that are alleged
to have benefited his wife and his children will leave deep wounds among conservatives,
even if the Republicans seem to have closed ranks for the moment.

According to an Odoxa poll published Friday, however, three quarters of French voters
believe that Fillon is wrong to stay in the race.

The candidates of the two traditional political parties that have structured the French
politics for decades, the Republicans and the Socialist Party, could both be eliminated in
the first round of voting. This would be a historic event in the Fifth Republic.

Part of the voting base for the Republicans could be tempted by the extreme-right
National Front.

Above all, the ascendance of the "catch-all" candidate Emmanuel Macron confuses the
issue. The 39-year-old former investment banker and his "En Marche!" movement are
seeking to propose a break with the traditional right-left divide.
 Macron presented himself Thursday in Berlin as the most European candidate, and as
the defender of the Franco-German alliance, during a visit to German Chancellor Angela
Merkel.

Lesson Plan Element Point Value

40 points total

Lesson Plan Details 2

Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives 3

Standards PA Civics, History, Economics, Geography & NCSS 3

Theme/subtheme

Anticipatory Set 2

Procedures 6

Differentiation 2

Closure 2

Formative/Summative Assessment of Students (P-12) 3

Materials/Equipment , Citation of Sources 2

Technology

Reflection on Planning

Teacher Content Notes 10

Global Current Event 5