WebQuest:
THE LACK OF
POLITICALLY
EDUCATED VOTERS
By Virginia Di Vito
INTRODUCTION
Voting is a
privilege that should not be taken lightly.
This year we will be electing a President and Vice President, along with
many other candidates for various offices.
It is monumentally important that voters be properly informed as to the
qualifications of the candidates. The
voter should be aware of the candidate’s background and, also, his position on
pertinent issues such as healthcare, education, the war in
Democracies in
the past have risen or fallen because the population did not participate or
were ignorant of the facts. Our Founding
Father’s created a government based on the will of the people. Choosing a
President is one of the most important decisions a good citizen makes every
four years. That decision determines the
direction our Country will take for the next four years.
TASK
As a reporter for
your local newspaper, it is your task to learn about the men running for the
office of President or Vice President.
Then, choose one of the presidential or vice presidential candidates, do
extensive research on his background, his stand on the issues, his voting
record, and his general qualifications.
Once this is completed, it is your task to create a three page, double
spaced objective profile on the reason you chose this candidate, and the pros
and cons of electing him. Why would you vote for this candidate? Use
facts and figures to substantiate your choice. You will be using TIPS to
complete this task.
PROCESS
Summarize your
research using the TIPS six-step Public Policy Analyst Worksheets:
1.
Define
and describe the problem (what would happen if no one voted? In your opinion, what would the social
conditions, key players, and public policy be?) Use Worksheet #1.
2.
Gather
the statistics, records, background information, or articles by experts using Worksheet #2.
3.
Identify
the causes of the problem using Worksheet #3.
4.
Describe
and evaluate the candidates using Worksheet #4.
5.
Develop
a list of qualifications using Worksheet #5.
6.
Select
the best candidate using Worksheet #6.
Using the
research you have gathered, write a three-page, double-spaced objective profile
on the reason you chose this candidate, and the pros and cons of electing him.
resources:
Search Engines:
Web Sites:
http://www.atlantachristians.com/history-john -kerry.htm
http://slate.msn.com/id/2083793/
http://www.whitehouse,gov/president/gwbbio.html
http://www.time.com/time/poy 2001/photo/bush2.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/vicepresident
http://www.wh2.com/dickcheney.html
evaluation:
|
GRADE: |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Oral Presentation |
No knowledge of the uses of PPA - Presents no data to support the proposed
policy |
little knowledge of the uses of
PPA.-presents several sources of data in a logical format to support the
proposed policy |
acceptable amount of knowledge Of the uses of PPA –presents several sources of data in a logical and
organized format to support the proposed policy |
Superior knowledge of the uses of
PPA.-presents an exceptional amount of
data to support the proposed policy |
|
Research |
Links not relevant to support the
proposed policy |
enough links but few support the
proposed policy |
many links that support the proposed
policy |
all links support the proposed policy |
|
Report and Worksheets |
Incomplete - does not use the
conventions of standard written English |
complete weak usage of the conventions
of standard written English |
complete with and acceptable usage of
the conventions of standard written English |
-complete with superior use of the conventions
of standard written English |
ELA Standards:
1. Students will read and
write for information and understanding.
2. Students will read and
write for literary response and expression.
3. Students will read and write for critical
analysis and evaluation.
4. Student will speak and listen for social
interaction.
CONCLUSION
By completing this TIPS WebQuest, you are now aware of the
importance of voting. You should also
know the candidates, and be prepared to discuss your choices. You should be able to defend your choices and
use facts and figures to substantiate your decisions. You have also learned how important
participation is in a democratic society, and the value of each vote.