Voting Today!
Directions
The twenty example texts have been sub-divided thematically into five sections for more focused review. Your group is looking at materials which would likely be used to make modern connections to the topic of the text set, women's voting rights. You can assume students will have previously been introduced to voting and election basics, as well as the women's suffragist movement (nationally and internationally) and later events which expanded voting access such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and amendment in 1975.
Potentially Relevant Standards from the C3 (College, Career, & Civic Life) Framework for Social Studies State Standards include:
- D2.Civ.2.3-5. Explain how a democracy relies on people’s responsible participation, and draw implications for how individuals should participate.
- D2.Civ.12.3-5. Explain how rules and laws change society and how people change rules and laws.
Within your group, decide who examines which of the four texts. (Note: If you have more than four group members, put multiple people on whichever text(s) seems the most complicated. If you have fewer than four group members, choose which text(s) not to review).
After reviewing your text(s) reflect on the following questions and take notes on your thoughts:
- How is your text related to Women's Voting Rights, and more specifically how those rights are exercised today?
- How does the text address issues of diversity, equity, & social issues?
- What would students already have to know or understand to engage with your text? What would students be able to learn from your text?
- How do you imagine using such a text instructionally when designing a unit on Women's Voting Rights?
Reconvene with your group members and report back on your text, sharing answers to the above questions. This verbally models the annotations you will do when constructing your own text set when completing the Integrated Multicultural Unit Reflection assignment.
- How could your texts work together or complement each other instructionally?
Be prepared to share out your group's thoughts with the larger class after reviewing this section of the larger example text set.
Text 17 - Activity
Neprud, E., Kline, K., May, B. (2005). Kids voting USA 3-5 classroom activities. Kids Voting USA. (pp. 10-11). https://www.ccsoh.us/cms/lib/OH01913306/Centricity/Domain/202/3-5%20Kids%20Voting%20Activities.pdf.
Text 18 - Video
Discussion questions and a video transcript are also available from Learning for Justice!
[Learning for Justice]. (2018, October 2). Having the Talk | Story Corner | Classroom Video [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf2gnHQ1ldk.
Text 19 - Online Game
Gerrymander: A Voting District Puzzle Game
GerryMander is a simple puzzle game designed to show how gerrymandering can be used to rig an election. In GerryMander, you draw voting districts to favor your party and win the election. Players can use real-world strategies like packing (Squishing opposing voters into a single district) and cracking (Breaking up key voter groups into separate districts) to beat each puzzle. With these strategies players can see how Gerrymandering works while learning about how it happens in the real world.
GerryMander [Online game]. (n.d.). Game Theory.
Text 20 - Fiction Picture Book
I Voted by Mark Shulman (TMC 324.6 SHU)
I Voted explains the concept of choosing, individually, and as a group, from making a simple choice- "Which do you like better, apples or oranges?", to selecting a class pet, to even more complicated decisions, like electing community representatives. You may not always get want you want, but there are strategies to better your odds!
Shulman, M. (2020). I voted: Making a choice makes a difference. Holiday House.