Statistics show that voter turnout in this year’s midterm elections could be as low as low as 30-40%. However, Massachusetts local news reports that it could be as high as 60% across the country and in some places like Oregon, projections show the local turnout being as high as 72%.
One can’t help but wonder, “Why do some people vote and not others? Is it laziness? Is it lack of information about candidates? Or is it simply ignorance about the importance of voting?” This conversation is particularly relevant when examining young voters, who wound up being President Obama’s biggest supporters in the 2008 Presidential Election (66% of voters 18-30 voted for him, a record high proportion). This year, the NYTimes reports that young voters are less emotionally invested in the elections and “feel abandoned”.
For teachers educating the next generation of eligible voters, what impact can you make on the polls? Here are some Election-themed resources we found on the web for teachers:
- PBS Lesson Plans: Organized by grade-level and subject
- Our lessons, printables, and activities on the U.S. electoral process provide great teaching ideas for fall, whether it’s a presidential election year or not. Explore election requirements for the federal government with your students. You’ll also find great ways for students to get involved in local politics, like holding classroom debates or writing letters to representatives. Units on civil rights and women’s history will benefit from resources on the American suffrage movement. Read more on TeacherVision: TeacherVision: Includes printables and lesson plans focused on history, federal government, election requirements, debates, and writing letters to representatives
- Election Activities for the Classroom or Home: Collection of links and election-themed books
- NYTimes Election Resources: Extensive collection of conversation starters, lesson plans and infographics
- Scholastic: A list of lesson plans focused on a Presidential Election year
What other lesson plans do you have to share and to what extent do you feel its important to bring political discourse inside the classroom? Feel free to post additional resources and if you haven’t done so already, go out and vote!
