Only in America: Election 2016

Welcome to the United States of America!  On November 8, 2016, adult citizens will vote for the next president of the United States of America.  Your group will conduct a WebQuest to learn about the 2016 presidential candidates and the United States election process.  At the end of your WebQuest, it will be exciting for you to select the candidate you think will provide the best leadership for the United States.  On November 8th, you will find out if the rest of this country agreed with your choice.  Enjoy your WebQuest!

Essential Questions / Concepts:

1)    How is a president elected?  Is the system efficient?

2)    How does the 2-party system represent the differing views of United States citizens?

3)    How do voters distinguish the three main candidates from each other?

4)    What is the effect of presidential debates on the public’s voting?

Prerequisite Learning:

--Prior to this WebQuest, students have completed a survey to determine technology expertise.  Lessons were provided to the entire class to ensure competence in using the required technology for success of the WebQuests.

--The following essential vocabulary was front loaded in prior lessons:  WebQuest, system, electoral college, candidates, platforms, debates, political parties, perspectives, issues, and campaign.

YOUR MISSION:  The class is divided into groups of three students.  Each group will select THREE of the following tasks to complete with their WebQuest.

1) Evaluate the process for electing a president and offer two suggestions to improve it.

2) Democrats and Republicans:  compare and contrast the two main political parties.

3) Meet the Candidates:  present an analysis of the two candidates running for president.

4) Analyze a presidential debate; include a rubric evaluation.

General Directions:  After considering the four TASKS, your group must select THREE of them to complete your WebQuest.  Follow the instructions below to complete each of the THREE tasks your group has selected.  Be sure to address the task as well as the essential question.  Take time to consider the evaluation rubric as you assess your progress during your WebQuest.  You have two weeks to complete this!

TASK 1   Evaluate the process for electing a president and offer two suggestions to improve it.

Essential Question:  How is a president elected?  Is the system efficient?

Step 1.  Open the following webpage: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/vote/presidential_elections.shtml

Step 2.  Read “How the President of the United States is Elected”.

Step 3.  Open another webpage: http://votesmart.org/education/presidential-primary#.V1s7b-Ql_nw

Step 4.  Read “How Does the Presidential Primary Process Work?”

Step 5.  Go to this page: http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/TM/WS_lp331-03.pdf

Step 6.  Click on the image to open the worksheet titled, “How Does the Primary Process Work?”

Step 7.  Print the worksheet and answer the questions (or if you don’t have access to a printer you can simply use a separate sheet of paper to write your answers).

Step 8.  Write an evaluation in your own words that includes the following:

• A brief explanation of how the election process works.
• Your evaluation of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the process.
• Two or more suggestions for how to improve it.

*Your evaluation paper must be at least three paragraphs (approximately 6-7 sentences per paragraph) in length.

**Please check out the RUBRIC for TASK 1 in the EVALUATION section of this WebQuest.

TASK 2  Democrats and Republicans:  Compare and contrast the two main political parties.

Essential Question:  How does the 2-party system represent the differing views of United States citizens?

Step 1.  The teacher will divide you up into pairs. Each pair of students will use one computer.

Step 2.  Go to the following websites to learn more about the Democratic and Republican parties:

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-basic-differences-between-Democrats-and-Republicans-in-American-politics-Does-either-party-support-leftist-ideologies

http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/2016-presidential-election/

Step 3.  Using the handout provided, write down in short the main Similarities and Differences of both parties with your partner (see handout).

Step 4.  Share with your partner what party fits ‘you’ better. Discuss with your partner why and explain to him or her which issues you find important and why.

Step 5.  The teacher will ask you to ‘split up’ afterwards in two groups—people that feel more towards the Republican party and people that feel more towards the Democratic Party.  You will get together in your groups and discuss your party and why you chose it.

Step 6.   The teacher will hold a debate, in which you will use your arguments for your chosen party. The teacher will split the room in two and will moderate the debate.

Step 7.  Your debate will be scored based on the  evaluation RUBRIC--the group with the highest score wins!

**Please check out the RUBRIC for TASK 2 in the EVALUATION section of this WebQuest.

TASK 3  Meet the Candidates:  Present an analysis of the two candidates running for president.

Essential Question:  How do voters distinguish the two main candidates from each other?

Step 1:  Visit the campaign websites and YouTube pages for Democratic and Republican candidates for president to learn about the backgrounds, personality, and character of each candidate.  Find out where they stand on the major issues, such as health care, education, immigration, jobs, or world affairs.  (See website suggestions listed below.)

Step 2: Select two areas of interest to you.   Determine what is the same and what is different about each candidate in each of the two areas you selected.  Step 3: Create a venn diagram to show how the two candidates compare and contrast in the two areas of interest you chose.

• Open this link to create your online venn diagram https://creately.com/app/?tempID=hp2c01jf1&login_type=demo#
• Select "new" at the top left
• Type "venn diagram"
• Click on "template"
• Click on "venn diagram" on the left
• Select a 2-circle venn diagram
• Click on "use"
• Click on "create document"
• Click on circles and enter your information
• When your venn diagram is completed:  Click on the green "share" button; then click on "invite collaborators" and enter your teacher's email address.

**Please check out the RUBRIC for TASK 3 in the EVALUATION section of this WebQuest.

Websites to use for the above steps:http://www.politics1.com/p2016.htm--This site is a great place to start your research on the two candidates in the race for president of the United States.  There is a link to each candidate’s campaign site, twitter, and Facebook.http://www.educationworld.com/a_news/where-current-2016-presidential-hopefuls-stand-education-200182047--This article explains each candidate’s stance on education.http://election.scholastic.com/                --Once on this site, scroll down and click on "Meet the candidates" to learn personal facts about the candidates.                --From the home page click on the Latest News and Kid Reporters to learn more about the candidates.http://www.timeforkids.com/minisite/election-2016                --This site has several articles that will help complete all of the tasks.  Take the time to click on the different articles on the left hand side and scroll down to for more options.https://www.youtube.com                --Type each candidate’s name in the search engine to go to their YouTube home pages for videos of their speeches, policies and commercials. You can also find videos of all of the debates.

TASK 4   Analyze a presidential debate.

Essential Question:  What is the effect of presidential debates on the public’s voting?

In this activity you will role-play a presidential debate. 

Step 1.  Choose between playing the role of the Republican candidate, the Democratic candidate or being a moderator (asking the candidates the important questions).

Step 2.  The moderators in your group will each need to write three good questions for the candidates to debate.

Step 3.  The presidential candidates will review the moderators’ questions and then write notes about how they will respond to each.

Step 4.  Each group will have 15 minutes to role-play their debate in front of the whole-class.

Step 5.  As preparation for this activity you can review YouTube videos of the 2012 president debates at:

https://youtu.be/aYKKsRxhcro

https://youtu.be/QEpCrcMF5Ps

https://youtu.be/tecohezcA78

https://youtu.be/hx1mjT73xYE

Step 6.  Your debate will be scored based on the  evaluation RUBRIC.

**Please check out the RUBRIC for TASK 4 in the EVALUATION section of this WebQuest.

Directions:  Each group will be evaluated using the rubric below.  Your final evaluation will be determined by adding the scores for the three tasks.  

                                                    1-13 total points = Developing

                            14-22 total points = Accomplished

                            23-27 total points = Exemplary

Students:  Please use this rubric to self-assess your reponses to each task.  This self-assessment will give you the opportunity to make revisions based on the expectations shown for each rubric score.

RUBRICS for Only in America:  Election 2016

TASK 1   Evaluate the process for electing a president and offer two suggestions to improve it.

Essential Question:  How is a president elected?  Is the system efficient?

 TASK 2   Democrats and Republicans:  Compare and contrast the two main political parties.

Essential Question:  How does the 2-party system represent the differing views of United States citizens?

 TASK 3   Meet the Candidates:  Present an analysis of the two candidates running for president.

Essential Question:  How do voters distinguish the two main candidates from each other?

 TASK 4   Analyze a presidential debate.

Essential Question:  What is the effect of presidential debates on the public’s voting?

After completing this Webquest lesson, you will be able to understand how the political system works here in the United States. You will also know more about the current candidates that are running for president this year and their respective political parties—the Democrats and the Republicans.

In addition to learning about the political parties, you will have a more indepth understanding of the political issues that the specific candidates find important—as well as the parties that represent them (Democrats and Republicans). You will also learn about what our country finds important in a candidate and political party.

By the end of this lesson, you should also have made up your mind about which candidate you would vote for! 

Who will be the next president of the United States—Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton? YOU decide!

This Webquest was made by:

Tiffany Mosson

Christen Powell-Essinger

Julian van Os

(ME in TESOL students, 2015-2017, Alliant International University)

Below are the credits for this Webquest:

California State Content Standards from California Department of Education. www.cde.state.co.us › Social Studies

Healey, D., & et al. (2011). TESOL Technology Standards. Alexanderia, VA: Tesolpress.

Image credit: http://15130-presscdn-0-89.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/201…

Image credit: http://15130-presscdn-0-89.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/201…

Image credit: http://thewarrioronline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/republican-democ…

Image credit: http://dvo53oxmpmca8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/BallotBo…

Image credit: http://thewarrioronline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/republican-democ…

Rubric for Debate:  Copyright 2005 IRA/NCTE. All rights reserved.
ReadWriteThink materials may be reproduced for educational purposes. 

Only in America:  Election 2016 

Target:  Middle School English Language Learners at the Intermediate level

Structure:  Groups of three students

Timeframe:  Two weeks

California Standards:

       California Social Studies State Standard 8.3.6. Describe the basic law-making process and how the Constitution provides numerous opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process and to monitor and influence government (e.g., function of elections, political parties, interest groups). 

       TESOL Technology Standards Goal 1--Language learners demonstrate foundational knowledge and skills in technology for a multilingual world.

       TESOL Technology Standards Goal 3--Language learners effectively use and critically evaluate technology-based tools as aids in the development of their language learning competence as part of formal instruction and for further learning.

Objectives:

1)  The learners will demonstrate understanding of the election process in the United States and the two main political parties.

2)  The learners will become familiar with the two main candidates and their messages in presidential debates.

3)  The learners will use various forms of technology and online resources as they follow their WebQuests.

4)  The learners will authentically practice and make use of their English language skills.