Lesson

Title/Focus

Campaign Teams / Local Issues

Date

Wed. Nov. 26, 2014

Subject/Grade
Level

Grade 6 Social Studies

Time
Duration

60 mins (9:05-10:05)

Unit

Local Government

Teacher

Grant

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning
Outcomes /
Specific
Learning
Outcomes:

Social Studies:

6.1.1: recognize how individuals and governments interact and bring about change within
their local and national communities:
-Recognize and respect the democratic rights of all citizens in Canada
-Value citizens participation in a democratic society
6.S.4 demonstrate skills of decision making and problem solving
-Use graphic organizers, such as mind mapping/webbing, flow charting and outlining, to present
connections among ideas and information in a problem solving environment
Language Arts:
G.O.3
3.1 Plan and Focus
-Develop and follow own plan for accessing and gathering ideas and information, considering
guidelines for time and length of investigation and presentation
3.3 Organize, Record and Evaluate
-Organize ideas and information using a variety of strategies and techniques, such as comparing
and contrasting, and classifying and sorting according to subtopics ad sequence
-Makes notes on a topic, combining information from more than one source; use reference sources
appropriately
-Use outlines, thought webs and summaries to show the relationships among ideas and
information and to clarify meaning
-Quote information from oral, print and other media sources

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
1. Analyze local issues around Okotoks.
2. Develop possible solutions and pros / cons of the local issues by demonstrating decision making and problem
solving skills.
3. Plan and focus the campaign by choosing three current issues to research.
Observations:

Key Questions:

Products/Performances:

ASSESSMENTS
Monitor student participation in group or whole classroom activities and
discussions
Observe as students work in their groups to narrow down issues that they want to
research.

Is this fair what this person did to trick people and prevent them from voting?
What step this issue happened in?
Opinions on the issues, and how would you approach the issue if you were
campaigning?
Group discussion
Research on issues

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Alberta Program of Studies Social Studies

Tylerman, M. (2008). How can Citizens Participate in Local
Government. In Taking Part in Our Democracy (pp. 212215). Toronto: Nelson Education.

Smart Board presentation

Issues handout (6, 1 per group)
Research outline (6)

PROCEDURE

Attention Grabber
Assessment of Prior
Knowledge

Expectations for
Learning and Behaviour
Advance
Organizer/Agenda

Transition to Body
Learning Activity #1

Assessments/ Differentiation:

Learning Activity #2

Assessments/ Differentiation

Learning Activity #3

Introduction
Put the t/f questions on the board.
True/False Questions
Read through each of the 7 questions and ask students to write their
answer t/f on a piece of paper.
Once each question has been answered go through the answer with
the students. Ask for a show of hand if you thought the answer was
true.
Read the explanation of the answer to the students.
Students will contribute to the group and class discussion about local
issues.
1. True/false
2. Robocalls issue
3. Review other issues
4. Explain next step in campaign and assign campaign teams
5. Research time for groups
Tell students they will hear the campaign teams.
Body
Robocalls issue
Talk to students about what happened in 2011, about the voting
process in a federal election in Ontario. (Someone made an automated
voice message that was sent out to about 6000 voters who were
suspected to vote for the other party, the opposition. The voice
message told voters that their voting location had changed.)
Show students the 1 min video (on Smart Board).
Ask: is this fair what this person did to trick people and prevent
them from voting? (Key question #1)
Explain to students that the man convicted has jail time because it is a
federal offense.
Ask students: what step this issue happened in? (Key question #2)
(Casting and counting votes, step 5)
Ask students questions about the issue, monitor group discussion.
Review Issues
Go through the issues highlighted on the smart board
- Calgary approved Okotoks water (signed Tuesday - YESTERDAY)
- Annexation
- Schools needed in Okotoks
- Playground zone speed changes
- Outdoor fitness center at JPII
Ask students opinions on the issues, and how they would approach the
issue if they were campaigning
Ask students to participate in the group discussion and say what they think
about issues.
Assign Candidates and Campaign teams
Talk to students about nominations before I name any teams.
1. 12 people put in nomination forms therefore there was not enough
positions for everyone to run.
2. I looked at the nomination from and made sure everything was
filled out properly. (enough signatures, had the appropriate
signatures, filled out everything that should have been on the
form.)
3. Only accepted forms that were in the box before the deadline.
(which everyone did)
Given that, I went through them, and tried to nominate people based
on what their first choice, so candidate or mayor. From there I
assigned the rest of the students to the spots on the campaign teams.

Time

10 mins
(9:05-9:15)

Time

5 mins
(9:15-9:20)

15 mins
(9:20-9:35)

30 mins
(9:35-10:05)

Assessments/ Differentiation

Assessment of Learning:

Transition To Next
Lesson

Each candidate (mayor and councilor running) has 3 people on their

campaign team (except one)
So I will first tell you who the candidates are and then I will tell you
who is on which team. QUESTIONS?
Once you know your teams, I want you to go sit with them, and decide
on 3 issues that you want to base your campaign on. Talking about
these issues is what is going to win over your voters.
You want the issues that you discuss to be interesting to the class,
interesting to you, ones that you can research to find more information
on them.
Have students show me their list of issues before they start to research
on computers.
Ensure students know how I choose candidates, and how everyone has a
part in the campaign.
Observe as students first meet in their groups, and while they are making
the decision of what issues they will choose.
Closure
Observe to see how much research and discussion of the campaign each
group had/did.
Questioning during class discussion note which students are
participating, which are not. Which are paying attention.
We will be working more on collecting information about your issues.
-

Reflections from the

lesson

Time

True false quiz at beginning was a great way for students to get in engaged and be
reminded about elections.
Robocalls issue: students understood that it was and why it was illegal, they
made connections to the issue and how it relates to elections.
Video was good because the students heard exactly the recording of the
Robocalls.
Reviewing of issues: students participated, so that was good, but I could have
reviewed the issues more myself, (Mr. Newman had to jump in a few times to tell
students more of the issues.)
Students understood my criteria for choosing candidates, and when I named the
groups everyone stayed neutral. Once the students understood my directions of
what they should be doing with their group, they all stayed on task and were
talking about the issues they chose.
** Should have/need to explain that they are building their team platform.
Will start with that next social class.