Your Government Voice

The political system is a central aspect of all countries. At every level, citizens elect their representatives. Presidential elections are especially important, and showcase each person’s involvement as active citizens. Whether it’s voting for a class president or the President of the U.S., you should be informed because your voting voice does count.

CONNECT:

• Ben Franklin’s avator explains the election process for different age groups: http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/election/index.html
• Television greatly expanded the access to presidential debates. Watch the history and debate the quality of today’s election debates: http://www.museum.tv/debateweb/html/
• It’s important to be media literate in election season. Get informed at “The Living Room Candidate” about presidential commercials: http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/
• Technically, it’s the Electoral College who elects the President; watch how at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFJ2e82Nvnw
• The Machinery of Democracy (http://americanhistory.si.edu/vote/index.html) explores how ballots and voting systems have evolved over the years.

CREATE:

• Make your prediction about presidential winners at http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/map/predict.html
• Look at historical political cartoons at http://elections.harpweek.com/, and compare them to today’s cartoons. Try making your own – maybe about elections at school.
• Create a trivia game using fun facts about US elections: http://www.gallopade.com/client/electionsforkids/index-1.html
• Create your own voting booth by following the directions at http://creeksidelearning.com/elections-for-kids/

CARE:

• How can kids participate in elections? PBS shows how at http://pbskids.org/democracy/vote/
• Watch kid reporters in the current election cycle, and take a poll about the presidential election at http://election.scholastic.com/kid-reporters/
• Speak up for kids during elections. Washington state’s Children’s Alliance gives suggestions for actions: http://www.childrensalliance.org/our-current-work/vote-kids
• Stay informed, and raise your voice about election issues at http://www.nick.com/kpp/

 CAREER:

Politics can be a lifetime career – or a one-time effort. And there are many careers that related to politics: journalism and other mass communications jobs, marketing, historian, lobbyist, lawyer.

https://www.themuse.com/advice/love-politics-make-it-your-job

http://www.apsanet.org/CAREERS/Careers-In-Political-Science

https://gspm.gwu.edu/sites/gspm.gwu.edu/files/downloads/careersebook.pdf