Get Free Access for 10 Days!
Lesson Plan

Citizenship and Elections: The Importance of a Ballot

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Citizenship and Elections: The Importance of a Ballot lesson plan also includes:

Approximately 58 prcent of those eligible voted in the 2016 US Presidential election. In an attempt to impress upon learners the importance of voting and voting rights, class members examine primary source documents related to the eligibility requirements for residents of New Your City. Individuals then consider ways the voting procedures could be improved and ways they could get involved in the process.

26 Views 22 Downloads
CCSS: Adaptable
Concepts
the voting rights act, voting, voting rights, voter registration, women's suffrage, suffrage, the suffrage movement, reading comprehension
Show More Show Less
Additional Tags
social studies
Show More Show Less
Instructional Ideas
  • Have groups research the attempts made in all states since 2011 to restrict voter registration, including the US Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder
  • Have groups research the voter requirements in their city  and collect images of primary source documents relating to voting and voting eligibility
Classroom Considerations
  • While the resource focuses on elections in New York City, the approach could be easily adopted to other states and other cities
  • The information is dated and considers only New Your elections through 2013
Pros
  • The 17-page packet includes a timeline of voting rights in the US, images of primary source documents, worksheets, and background information about the New York City Department of Records and Information Services
Cons
  • Rather than focusing on the importance of voting, the resource looks at eligibility requirements and some of the impediments to voting