VOTING AND ELECTIONS Vote to Make a Difference LESSON OBJECTIVE(S): The student will be able to: * Compare good choice vs. not so good choice item * Compare good choice vs. good choice item * Compare more than vs. less than from a bar graph * Use tally marks to record choices * Use spoken and/or written language to express choice VOCABULARY: choice, vote, ballot, bar graph, compare, more than, less than, tally MATERIALS AND RESOURCES Activity 1 new pencils, old pencils (new and old broken crayons) 2 large s sheets of butcher paper, tape, markers Activity 2 collection of 3-5 favorite books, individual photocopied covers of books with pictures and title if possible (at least three of the same for each child) which have been reduced, large piece of paper, tape, markers Activity 3 two most favorite books from Activity 2, one small piece of paper with picture of books and titles in ballot form for each member of the class, pencils, chalk, butcher paper ACTIVITIES Activity 1 The teacher will ask the students if anyone has ever had to make a choice about something. Students will discuss past experiences of making choices. The class will discuss what choice is. The teacher or student will write definition on large piece of paper. The class will discuss that some choices are easy to make and some are not so easy. The teacher or student will list choices told by class which they think are easy to make and those not so easy. Two pencils (one new and one old) will be given to each child. (Crayons or any two items that represent a distinct difference may be used. Each child will select one of the two pencils he/she prefers and tell why choice was made. Each child will put selected choice in a specific area to start an object bar graph. Children will count determine which group has more and which has less. Numerals may be written on sheets of paper and placed by each group. The students will discuss which group has more objects and reasons why. If time, the students may discuss other objects which might be simple to choose and graph to determine which has more and which has less. (The concept of tally may be used in Activity 1, if appropriate, as another way to count items and determine more and less.) Activity 2 Students will discuss and compare good choice items with other good choice items. The teacher or student will list choices told by class which they think are difficult, or hard to make because both choices are good, or pleasant. Discussion may center on favorite books to read during a shared reading or read aloud time. (Some teachers may prefer to have two kinds of popular cookies for choice items.) Each child will select one of the book titles represented in a smaller photocopied form he/she prefers and tell why choice is made. Each child will tape selected choice, or vote on a piece of butcher paper to form a representation bar graph. Children will count votes to determine which book title (or cookie) has more and which group has less. Numerals may be written on sheets of paper and placed by each group. The students will discuss which title (or cookie) has more votes and reasons why. If time, the students may tally book covers for the more and less choices. Activity 3 Students will discuss the term "ballot" as an item, or piece of paper which means the same as a choice item or idea. The teacher or student will list occasions in which they might use a ballot to vote of make a choice. The students will review bar graph construction in Activity 2. Pencils and ballots with small pictures of two books (or cookie) in Activity 2 will be given to each child to mark one choice. It would be best for the teacher to point to possible places for the children to mark and not to model actual marking a ballot at this age/grade level. The students will fold ballots and give to another student. The students and teacher will count the ballots and determine the vote. Tally marks on the chalkboard, overhead, or butcher paper may be made as the votes are read. A discussion of more than and less than will follow. The teacher or student will read the book (or eat the kind of cookie) selected.