Jessica Bulzomi

Online 604
Grade: 4th
Unit: Local Government (Campaign and Voting Process)

Rationale:
Students will participate in an ongoing project to create a campaign and voting. Through
virtual lessons, hands-on posters, promoting candidates, speeches, and voting students
will gain knowledge and understand the process of campaigning and voting. They will be
able to create their own campaign and voting process to hold their own classroom
elections.

Standards: New York State Social Studies Standard

Standard 1 History of the United States and New York: 1.1b understand the basic ideals
of American democracy as explained in the Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution and other important documents.
Standard 2 World History: 2.3a: understand the roles and contributions of individuals and
groups to social, political, economic, cultural, scientific, technological, and religious
practices and activities.

Objective(s):
Students will understand what it means to live in a democratic society
Students will be able to list the steps needed to conduct a campaign.
Students will understand and perform in the voting system.
Students will increase ability to work in group settings.
Students will build upon campaign and election vocabulary words.

New Vocabulary:
1. Campaign
2. Political Candidate
3. Ballot
4. Voting

Materials/Technology:
• Internet access
• Computer Lab (2visits)
• Poster board
• Markers
• Scissors
• Button Materials
• Colored Paper
• Tape
• Newspaper/Magazines (examples advertisements)

Websites:
 • www.Discoveryeducation.com Videos: Class President, Campaign Begins, and
Final Debate and Election Day
• www.EHow.com: How to write a class president Speech (Steps & instructions)
• www.makebutton.com (free select: color, text, size, print out)
• http://www.wackybuttons.com/studio.htm (paint shop setup)
• www.speech-topics-help.com: Student council speech ideas (Top 10)

Day One: Introduce Unit Classroom Campaign

Motivation:
Teacher will show a short video clip called “Class President” by Scholastic.

Procedure:
1. After video, teacher will have students individually brainstorm important qualities
that a class president should have and what they should offer. Teacher will walk
around the room to make sure students are on task and if necessary remind them
of the video they watched.
2. Teacher will meet with the whole group and each student will give one item from
their list that they feel is the most important.
3. Teacher and students will create guidelines for the campaign using the list they
have derived (The teacher will make copies for each group to reflect on and using
for their homework assignment).
4. Teacher will ask for 5 to 6 volunteers that would like to run for class president.
5. The rest of the students will be divided into equal groups to form the campaign
groups. These groups will develop a platform for their candidate to run.

Homework:
Each member of the group has to brainstorm and research (at least 3 ideas) what their
candidate has to offer and what they can do for the class if they were to be president.
Students will use the list created in class to guide their thoughts and ideas.

Day Two & Three: Campaign Begins

Motivation:
Teacher will show the next video clip called “Campaign Begins” by Scholastic. Students
will be sitting in their groups and jot down any campaign ideas they might like to use.

Procedure:
1. Teacher will ask students to break into their campaign groups and discuss their
homework assignment.
2. Teacher will give the groups guidelines to follow and include in their work. Each
member of the group has to be responsible for at least one part of the project.
 Designers (two students)
 Writer
 Editor
 Speaker (Candidate)
Jobs Responsibilities
Designers Poster and buttons
Writers Slogans and announcements
Editor Review all writing work (slogans speeches,
and announcements)
Candidate Speech and over seeing products and
representation

3. After teacher reviews jobs and project ideas, students can start with their poster
designs, slogans, and buttons.
4. Teacher will assign groups computer timeslots. Using Photoshop, windows paint,
and Microsoft Publisher the web to design posters. Design buttons at
www.makebutton.com (free select: color, text, size, print out),
http://www.wackybuttons.com/studio.htm (paint shop setup).
5. Checklist for buttons and posters…
• Candidates name presented on each poster and button created
• Select group colors (be consistent)
• One slogan on each posters
• Creative design and placement of pictures and slogans
• Use at least one picture on poster
• Reason why to vote
6. Also they will start to work on speeches and debate questions and answers.
Using www.speech-topics-help.com: Student council speech ideas (Top 10) and
www.EHow.com: How to write a class president Speech (Steps & instructions)
7. On Day Three the groups most have a speech ready to announce in tomorrows
morning message. (30sec to 1min)
8. Day Three posters and buttons should be complete. Students at the end of the day
can start hanging up poster around the building.

Homework:
Day Two & Three
Research any ideas they would like to include in their campaign run, come up with a
catchy slogan, complete posters and button designs, and have their first speech ready.
(Teacher will make sure that all students are signed one part so that one student doesn’t
get stuck with all the work)

Day Four: Speeches and Debates

Motivation:
Each group will make an announcement on the loud speaker during the morning message.
The campaign group will present a 30seconds to a minute commercial.

Procedure:
1. After morning messages student will continuing working on the issues of their
campaign group.
 2. Students will have their first debate. Each group will get to ask the candidates’
two questions each that they prepared previously.

Day Five: Final Speeches

Motivation:
Students will present another commercial in the morning for their candidate and
campaign. Teacher will show a short video clip called “Final Debate and Election Day”
by Scholastic.

Procedure:
1. Prepare their candidate to make his/her last speech.
2. Students will make two questions they would like to counter their opponent.
3. Candidate will make their last speech on way they should be class president.
4. Teacher will place number 1-5 in a hat and groups will select a number. Number
one will be the first to present and so on.
5. Student will present speech and in numerical order groups will be aloud to ask
their questions.
6. After question candidate can close is final speech. Each candidate will have five
minutes to present their cause and reasons.

Homework:
Students will have to reflect on the speeches and write at least two pros and cons for each
group on why/why not to vote for the candidate.

Day Six: Voting

Motivation:
Student will take out their homework assignment and review it before making any voting
decisions. The teacher will discuss the significance of the voting process and will
encourage students to vote for who they believe will do a great jobs as class president
(and not just vote for their group).

Procedure:
1. Candidate will leave the room. (unable to vote)
2. Each student will be given a sheet with all candidates on it and a space to write a
short written reason on why they chose that candidate.
3. Teacher will call on rows to place their ballet in the voting box on the teacher’s
desk.
4. Teacher will tally votes when students are on lunch and will review their reason
why (reviewing if its justified).
5. Teacher will announce new class president and student will give a short speech.

Day Seven: Debriefing

Procedure:
 1. Teacher will ask student to gather together their favorite poster, button, and
speech. Each student will have an area in the room to display their work.
2. Groups will also take picture and display it on the classrooms website for parents
to see all their hard work.
3. Teacher will hand out peer evaluation forms.

Adaptations:
When grouping keep in mind which student needs a strong peer to help them. Assign
them a job that challenges them but that they can also achieve. (Maybe creating the
porters and slogans) Depending on the disability and IEP giving them a graphic organizer
to explain and organize the work and questions. Have a box where they can put in an
anonymous question if they feel embarrassed so the teacher could go over it before class
starts.

Assessment:
Peer evaluation forms of their groups. The teacher will use a rubric involving the criteria:
cooperation, campaign design, speech drafts, commercials, speeches, and questions.

Peer evaluation form Yes No… Why

My group worked well
together.
I understood groups
speeches and reasons why
My candidate listened to my
thoughts and opinions.
I felt I had a voice in
creating and designing.
I enjoyed listening to other
group’s speeches
I am confident in the
decision I made for class
president.

Rubric:

Criteria 1 2 3 4
Supported members of the group and contributed to group
work.
Picture accurately represent run for class president objective.

Sentence structure (spelling, grammar, and punctuation).

Spoke so everyone could hear.

Stayed on topic and explained ideas clearly.

Actively participated in voting process.

1: Area of difficulty (Achieves objective partially and only with assistance)

2: Acceptable (Achieves objective partially without assistance)
3: Very Good (Achieves objective)
4: Excellent (Achieves objective at high levels of proficiency)

Sample Work: (Not actual size)

Used in Day Two and Day Three Poster and Flyers

Button Sample: