Introduction
Where do you fit in? Your task is to explore the two major U.S. political parties and some third parties.
Do you know which party the elepant symbolizes?
Which party does the donkey symbolize?
Task
Your task is twofold: to find your place on the political party spectrum, and to select a party to represent, as if you were a campaign manager.
You will first brief yourself on third parties by reading an article and answering some important questions. Then you will take a quiz to find out what party most closely matches your beliefs and values. This task will also introduce you to the spectrum of parties and ideologies, including those you don't agree with. Fill out the Party Spectrum sheet with the 6 parties on the website. In each pie slice, write 3 positions of that party.
After that, your team will select a party. Use the web links to find 5 party planks (action plans). Select at least one domestic issue and at least one foreign affairs issue. As a campaign manager, you are tasked with publicizing your party's positions on key issues. Toward that end, you will create 2 publicity pieces: a campaign poster & a bumper sticker.
Process
Step One: Read the article and fill out the questionnaire. The article is "Outside the Mainstream." Newshour. 10 Aug. 2000.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/spc/extra/features/july-dec00/thirdparties.html
Step Two: Take a quiz to find your place on the political spectrum. When you make your poster and bumper sticker, use one of these parties.
http://www.selectsmart.com/plus/select.php?url=ideology
As the campaign manager for your chosen party, you need to know the issues that each party uses to put together a platform of official positions. Use these websites to fill out the "Party Spectrum" sheet. Write at least 4 policy positions of your party. One should concern foreign affairs; one, economic policy; and two, domestic issues.
http://http://www.constitutionparty.com/
http://socialistparty-usa.net/
Step Three: Design and create your campaign materials. The poster needs to reflect at least one domestic platform position, at least one economic position, and at least one foreign policy position. The other two positions are your choice. You want the voters to have a good reason to vote for your ticket, so give them a total of five reasons (party positions).
The bumper sticker is simpler, but it should reflect your interpretation of the best, most important, reason to vote for your ticket.
Evaluation
(See your teacher)
Conclusion
You have found your place in American politics. You have also discovered that informed voters (you) should know a few things about where the other voters from other parties stand on the issues. You may decide to work on a campaign, actively promoting your party's platform, or simply participate as a voter. At any rate, being informed is vitally important because voting really does affect your everyday life.
Now take the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FD7GR3H