Young and Elected

Title: Young and Elected
Subject: Civic Education, Government
Topic: Campaigns and Elections
Grade Level: 10-12
Time: 90 minutes

View how this lesson plan fits state standards

View the video or read the transcript

Materials:

• Computer with internet access, external speakers, and a LCD projector OR access to a computer lab with Internet access and headphones for each student
• Updated Media Player recommended. Download QuickTime. Problems playing? Check our Media Help page.
• Student Worksheets (MS Word, PDF)
• 2 Transparencies (MS Word, PDF)
• Survey Results (MS Word, PDF)
• Colored stickers (optional)
• Lesson Plan (MS Word, PDF)

Learning Objectives:

Students will:
1. recognize the challenges and opportunities associated with young leaders running for office;
2. prepare a short persuasive speech; and
3. interpret survey results.

PRE-VIEWING (45 minutes)

1. Begin the class by generating a discussion on or about the following questions, eliciting as many answers as possible:

• Are your politics like those of your parents? In what ways?
• What influences your politics? What makes your politics they way that they are?
• Some people believe that it is especially valuable to increase the representation of particular groups, such as women or people of color. Should more young people run for elected offices? Why or why not?
• As the students respond to the last question (“Should more young people run for elected offices? Why or why not?”) document their answers on the board. Students will need to refer to them later during the class.

3. From an overhead projector, present profiles of 3-4 ‘mock’ candidates running for the office of city mayor (TRANSPARENCY 1). Feel free to adjust the descriptions below to fit your local context.

• Candidate A: a 46-year-old, male, owner of a small business. Native of the town. Married with three kids. Would like to invigorate the entrepreneurial spirit of the community.
• Candidate B: a 67-year-old, female, former city mayor. Runs on the promise to improve health care and to attend to environmental issues.
• Candidate C: a 25-year-old, female, law student. Campaigns on issues of education, community development and fighting crime.
• Candidate D: a 50-year-old, single male, recently retired famous chess player. Seeks a challenging new career in public sphere.

4. Ask students to ‘vote’ for a candidate, tally the results and announce a winner. Discuss the factors the students took into consideration while ‘voting.’

NOTE: A traditional way of classroom voting with dropping slips of paper into the box may slow down the class dynamics as one has to count the ‘ballots’ manually. Alternatively, write down the names of candidates on the board and have students put a sticker or a check mark next to the candidate of their choice.

5. The voting results should yield some obvious groupings. Use it to divide the class into discussion groups for the next activity. Should there be one large group, break it into smaller (5-6 people) discussion groups. Ask the groups to prepare a verbal portrait (or a profile) of their ideal candidate. Allow 7-8 minutes for a discussion and then ask groups to present the profile of their ideal candidate to the whole class.

6. Keeping the same groupings, ask students to consider the following questions:

• Are young leaders treated differently from older leaders because of their age? How do other factors play into this treatment?
• A survey of young elected leaders shows that 29% of them are from families with members who have held political office. Does this figure surprise you in any way? Why do you think that this is the case?

7. Ask students what life experiences best prepare young people for political office. Elicit several answers. Give each group a copy of the WORKSHEET and ask them to rank the in-school and out-of-school activities in order of their helpfulness in developing leadership skills. Allow three to four minutes for the groups to do the ranking.

8. Meanwhile, put up TRANSPARENCY 2 with the list of activities. As soon as the rankings are complete, ask a volunteer from each group to present the results. Go over the results quickly and ask groups to share their reasoning. Present the ranking from the SURVEY RESULTS. Discuss any striking differences and/or similarities.

VIEWING & DISCUSSION (20 minutes)

1. Tell the students that they are going to watch a short video about a young person, who runs for a city council seat. Ask what expectations they have about his age, occupation, and/or socioeconomic status.

2. As a class, watch the brief Charles Clymer video about his run for city council in Round Rock, Texas. The video can be accessed online at www.americantrusteesproject.org. If you have difficulties accessing the videos, please visit our Media Help page. Discuss whether the students’ expectations were correct. Why and why not?

3. Using the summary of the main points of the video, expand the discussion along the following lines:

• What kind of young person has the best hope of competing for office successfully?
• Do young candidates face any special problems? Do they have any advantages?
• What barriers, if any, do you see for young people in raising money, campaigning, dealing with political parties, and holding office?

APPLICATION (25 minutes)

1. Ask students to imagine that they have been asked to help a young candidate write a speech to deliver at their school. With their existing knowledge of community concerns and issues among their age group, ask them to work in teams to write a stump speech for a candidate. Remind the students that political candidates pursue different goals in their speeches, such as to inform, to inspire, to motivate, etc, and that they have to be clear on the goal before starting to write the speech.

2. If time allows, have the students present their speeches to the class. If not, allow the students to take the speech home for fine-tuning and polishing. The final product may be presented either in written or oral form.

ASSESSMENT

The students may be assessed on:
1. writing/delivering a persuasive speech; and
2. the ability to provide argumentative support of their positions.

• Voice & Action: Active or Passive
  
  Trustee: Barbara Brown, Amy Wong Mok, or Charles Clymer
  Grade Level: 10-12
  Time: 65 minutes
  Description: Students analyze and describe the concept of political participation.
  
  
• Nominate An American Trustee
  
  Trustees: All
  Grade Level: 9-12
  Time:5-6 45 minutes classes
  Description:The students will define community leadership, conduct library and internet research, write a report on a community leader and submit the nominee on the website.
  
  
• Young and Elected
  
  Grade Level:10-12
  Time:90 minutes
  Description: Examine challenges and successes young leaders face when campaigning, fund raising, and dealing with potential voters.
  
  
• Civic Engagement for Us?
  
  Trustee: Charles Clymer
  Grade Level: 10-12
  Time: 90 minutes
  Description: Examine forms of civic engagement and responsibilities of government at various levels.
  
  
• A Matter of Age
  
  Trustee: Charles Clymer
  Grade Level: 9-12
  Time: Two 45 minute class periods
  Description: Students will investigate, research, and give a presentation about young elected officials in their local, state, or national community.
  
  

AND if desired,
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