Government and Democracy

Transcription

1 Student Vote Resource 5 1 Government and Democracy OBJECTIVE Students will learn about the concept of government and the different types of government around the world. KEY WORDS government, autocracy, oligarchy, democracy, representative democracy, theocracy QUESTIONS TO BE EXPLORED DURING THIS LESSON What are different ways a decision can be made? What is the role of government? What types of government exist around the world? How do other forms of government compare to democracy? Why is democracy important? PREPARATION Write out and describe on cue cards the three decision-making models used in the Hook activity (one per card). Make copies of Worksheet 1.1: Types of Government. TEACHING STRATEGIES Hook: 15 min 1. Split the class into three groups and have them sit together. Explain that each group needs to determine the choice of pizza toppings for an upcoming class party. Ask each group to brainstorm ideas for a few minutes. Provide enough time to allow all students to share their opinion. 2. Provide one person in each group with a cue card with a description of one of the following decision-making models and ask them to direct a final decision based on the rules given. These decision-making models are based on real types of governments found throughout the world. Group A -- Only one person (i.e., the first person on the class list) will choose the pizza toppings (autocratic). Group B -- Only a select few (i.e., only boys or only girls) will be involved in choosing the pizza toppings (oligarchic). Group C -- All group members will have a say in choosing the pizza toppings (democratic universal). 3. While groups are making their choice for the pizza toppings, observe how each group is functioning and make notes (e.g., level of engagement among those with power versus those without, interactions among members, length of time to make the decision). Teacher Note: Group A may become unruly as most members of the group will lack a voice but this will make for a productive discussion afterwards. 4. Bring the class back to the big group and discuss each group s experience. Ask the following discussion questions to each group: How quickly was a decision made? Did everyone agree with the decision? How happy were you with the decision made? Why? What kind of feeling developed within the group? Explain. How involved or interested were all members in the activity? Explain. Discussion: 10 min How are decisions made at home? Who decides what happens in the classroom? What types of decisions need to be made for people living in a country, province or territory (e.g., education/schools, transportation/roads, health care/ hospitals)? Who makes these decisions? What would happen if there was no government responsible for creating laws and providing support to citizens? Imagine what your classroom would be like if your teacher had no rules regarding behaviour, habits or homework. Instruction: min Different types of government exist in the world and they make decisions for their people in different ways. Governments can be compared by looking at how power is shared and the type of rights and freedoms provided to its citizens. a) Autocracy is a type of government where one person has full control without the participation or permission of the people. Citizens have few rights or freedoms. There is usually a high level of security, with military all around and limited media. Examples

2 6 Lesson 1: Government and Democracy include Syria, North Korea and Kazakhstan. b) Oligarchy is a form of government system in which power rests with a small number of people, generally the people who are more rich and powerful (due to family lines or wealth). People living under oligarchic rule have some rights and freedoms. Examples include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and many African nations. c) Democracy is a type of government where power is shared by all the people. Citizens have access to power and they also have rights and freedoms. These countries have freedom of speech, and free and fair elections. Examples include Canada, the United States, Japan and England. Since it is not realistic to have every citizen contribute to every decision that needs to be made, representatives are usually selected by the people to make decisions on their behalf. This is called a representative democracy. In Canada, we elect Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent us in the Canadian government. d) Theocracy is a form of government where a god or deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler. Government policy is determined by religious leaders who are seen to be directly guided by a god or deity. Laws are interpreted by religious authorities, such as bishops or mullahs, and are enforced by religious officials. Examples include Iran and Vatican City. Activity: min As a class, create a list of benefits (pros) and challenges (cons) for the following: no government autocratic government democratic government Relate it back to the group experiences in the Hook activity. Students can take notes using Worksheet 1.1: Types of Government. Debrief: 10 min Have a brief closing discussion about government and democracy. Alternatively, ask students to write a reflection in their election scrapbook or learning log (see Assessment Opportunities). Write about a time you were involved in a democratically made decision. Write about a time you were involved in an autocratic decision. How did you feel during each decision-making process? Would you prefer to live in an autocracy or a democracy? Why? What does democracy mean to you? EXTENSION ACTIVITIES A. To further explore the benefits and challenges of decision-making models in various scenarios, assign students Worksheet 1.2: Who Should Decide? Alternatively, students could form groups and act out one of the scenarios (unknown to the rest of the students). Have a follow-up discussion about which type of decision-making model makes the most sense and why. B. Use media and news stories to discuss global fights for democracy (e.g., the Arab Spring across the Middle East). Do you think democracy is worth fighting for? Why or why not? C. Ask students to write a story about a country without a government. What would happen if there were no leaders to decide on laws or to create programs to enable citizens to realize their goals? D. In groups, students will explore the need for leadership, organization and rules within a community through the following scenario or another of your choosing. Your class is going on an end-of-year trip across the ocean. Your flight encounters a bad storm, and you become stranded together on a remote island. The teacher and other adults have decided to venture off to find help. It will be several weeks until you are rescued and the class must figure out how everyone will try to live together and survive. Distribute copies of Worksheet 1.3: Survivor Island. HOME CONNECTIONS For homework, have students ask their family and friends what democracy means to them. Provide each student with a cue card or blank sheet of paper to write down the answers or key words they associate with democracy. The next day create a wordle or display of the responses. You can also encourage students to share any stories from family and friends who may have lived in countries under autocratic rule. Comparisons can be made with life in Canada. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS What is government? The people and institutions put in place to run or govern a country, state, province or community. The purpose of government is to serve and protect the people. Government is responsible for providing services and making laws (rules) for the good of all the people. Without government, there would be confusion and conflict, and little would be accomplished. How are governments distinguished? There are different government systems around the world. They are distinguished by how they are formed, the allocation of power, and the types of rights and freedoms afforded to citizens. Autocracy: Rule by one. A system of government

3 Lesson 1: Government and Democracy 7 run by a ruler with total power and authority over all aspects of life. This ruler is called a dictator and often has the support of the military. People living under autocratic rule do not have individual rights and freedoms. Oligarchy: Rule by a few or the privileged. A form of government system in which power rests with a small number of people, generally the people who are rich and more powerful than the others (due to bloodlines or wealth). People living under oligarchic rule have some rights and freedoms. Democracy: Rule by many. A system of government in which power is retained by all the people. Citizens have access to power and they also have guaranteed rights and freedoms. Since it is not practical to have every citizen contribute to every decision that needs to be made, representatives are usually selected by the people to make decisions on their behalf. This is called a representative democracy. Theocracy: Rule where a god or deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler. A form of government where policy is determined by religious leaders who are seen to be directly guided by a god or deity. Laws are interpreted by religious authorities, such as bishops or mullahs, and are enforced by religious officials. What type of government do we have in Canada? Canada is a parliamentary democracy, which is a type of representative democracy. It is also a constitutional monarchy; the Queen, our head of state, holds symbolic power. A constitutional monarchy can be either a democracy or autocracy. RESOURCES PowerPoint 1: Government and Democracy Video 1: Government and Democracy Worksheet 1.1: Types of Government Worksheet 1.2: Who Should Decide? Worksheet 1.3: Survivor Island Arab Spring Timeline: Mideast in Motion, Wall Street Journal (July 3, 2013) Arab uprising: Country by country, BBC News (August 31, 2012) Syria s New Constitution Ignites Further Conflict, Teaching Kids News (February 27, 2012) How the Arab Spring began, BBC News (December 16, 2011) (video) Government Type, CIA World Factbook

4 8 Student Vote Resource 2 Rights and Responsibilities in a Democracy OBJECTIVE Students will learn about democracy in Canada and the fundamental rights and freedoms that exist, as well as the associated responsibilities. KEY WORDS democracy, government, representative, right, freedom, responsibility, election, universal suffrage QUESTIONS TO BE EXPLORED DURING THIS LESSON What does it mean to live in a democracy? What is a right? What responsibilities come along with our rights? What rights and freedoms do we have in Canada? How is voting both a right and a responsibility? PREPARATION Collect a variety of coloured drawing utensils. Each student will need three to start the Hook activity. Prepare access to or make copies of Handout 2.1 and 2.2, if required. TEACHING STRATEGIES Hook: min 1. Play a game of Use it or lose it using the directions and rules below. Students have five minutes to accomplish three goals: a) Find a partner. b) Draw detailed portraits of one another using at least five different colours. c) Accumulate as many writing utensils as possible. Rules for the game: Each student begins with three writing utensils in front of them. They can draw with only one utensil at a time. Students can ask for utensils from each other. Whenever students are asked for a utensil they are not using, they must give it up. 2. Once the five minutes are up, identify how many students were able to achieve each of the goals. Ask students if it was difficult to accomplish all three goals and how they felt during the experience. 3. Afterwards, explain to students that the exercise was meant to represent rights and freedoms. Ask students to reflect upon how they would feel if their right to have a say or make decisions (in class, at home, in their social group) was removed or temporarily taken away. Or ask students how they would feel if the school board decided they were no longer allowed to go to school because they missed five days of school last month. Teacher Note: Consider Extension Activity E as an alternative to the Hook activity. Discussion: 10 min What is a right? What is a responsibility? What are some of the rights we have in the classroom or at school? What responsibilities come with those rights? For example, every child has the right to learn, but every child has the responsibility to arrive at school on time and complete their homework. The right to a safe classroom comes with the responsibility to follow the rules. Teacher Note: Record the examples on a blackboard, chart paper or Smartboard so that students can see their responses. Instruction: min 1. Citizens who live in a democracy have access to power and have guaranteed rights and freedoms. Some of these basic rights include freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and the right to gather and discuss with one another, or to protest (freedom of assembly). 2. In 1982, the Canadian government created the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to protect our rights (Handout 2.1: Highlights from the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms). Included in the Charter is the right of every Canadian citizen, 18 years of age and older, to have a say in the selection of their government representative. This is expressed through a special vote called an election. 3. The right to vote in Canada has evolved over time. In the early days, only wealthy men who owned property could vote. Universal suffrage is the expansion of the right to vote to all adult citizens, including the removal of limits against women and

5 Lesson 2: Rights and Responsibilities 9 various ethnic backgrounds (Handout 2.2: History of Voting Rights in Canada). Activity: min 1. Explain to students that less and less people are voting in government elections. In the last Ontario election, more than half of the citizens who were able to vote did not participate in the election. 2. Have a class discussion. Is the decrease in voting disrespectful to those who had to fight for their right to vote? What are the responsibilities that go along with the right to vote? 3. In groups or individually, have students express the importance of voting in elections. Students can create a short speech, comic strip, dramatic presentation or poster. Debrief: 5 min Have a brief closing discussion about rights and responsibilities. Alternatively, ask students to write a reflection for their election scrapbook or learning log. How important is it that individuals are responsible members of society? Will you vote when you turn 18 years old? Why or why not? Should voters lose their right to vote if they choose to skip an election? EXTENSION ACTIVITIES A. Divide the class into three groups under the banners home rights, peer rights and school rights. Each group will brainstorm and record the rights they feel they should have in their respective area at home, within their peer group or at school. Give each group a chance to write their list on chart paper and share it with the class. Using the list of rights, students will work in pairs to complete Worksheet 2.3: Rights and Responsibilities Chart, indicating the right, the pros and cons of that right, and the responsibility that accompanies the right. B. As a class, review the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Together or in pairs, ask students to consider the responsibilities that go along with each right. Write the rights and responsibilities on chart paper and post them around the classroom. C. Divide the class into groups and assign each an interest group (e.g., women, native people, religious groups, immigrants). Provide each group with a cue card outlining who they are and why they feel it is important for them to receive the right to vote. Have each group present their case to the class in a debatestyle format. Take on the role of the government and argue against the inclusion of these groups. D. Ask students to remember a time when they finally received a privilege (e.g., the right to walk to school on their own, have a sleepover, extend their bedtime). Now ask students to imagine they are a member of one of the groups that was granted the right to vote and ask them to write about their feelings and experience in a diary. Students should write two diary entries: one before being granted the right to vote and one after receiving the right to vote. Use Worksheet 2.4: The Right to Vote. E. Read students the following fictional story: Last year, there was a lot of bullying among the students at Harrison Public School. Students were not treating each other with respect and there was fighting, teasing and tears almost every day. It was very disruptive to the school community. Over the summer, parents, teachers, the principal and members of the school board held meetings at the school to find a solution. After lots of discussion, it was decided that students would not be allowed to choose their own friends anymore. Instead, parents would make those decisions and teachers would enforce them. Have a follow-up class discussion: Why did the students lose the right to choose their own friends? How would you feel if you lost the right to choose your own friends? Would a better solution have been reached if students had been involved in the decision-making process? How important is it that we are allowed to make our own decisions? How important is it that we do so in a responsible manner? HOME CONNECTIONS Ask students to have a conversation with an eligible elector about their voting attitudes and habits using Worksheet 2.5: Voting Survey. On the following day, review the responses and discuss any trends. Why do people vote? Why do people not vote? BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS How does Canada s democracy work? Canadians elect representatives to speak on their behalf and to pass laws. Elections are the process of choosing those who will run and work in government. Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of a democratic society. Scrutineers and election officials are put in place to make sure the system is run fairly and efficiently. What rights and responsibilities do we have in a democracy? A right is a freedom that is protected. The rights and freedoms of citizens are vital to a democratic government. In Canada, citizens rights and freedoms are protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The

6 10 Student Vote Resource Charter contains seven sections that define our rights as Canadians: fundamental rights, democratic rights, mobility rights, legal rights, equality rights, official languages of Canada and minority language education rights. Democratic rights include the right for every Canadian citizen, 18 years and older, to vote in an election and to be a candidate, as well as the requirement that governments hold elections at least every five years and that these governments meet at least every year. With all rights come responsibilities. A responsibility is a duty or obligation. It is something you should do in order to respect certain rights or rules. The right to vote comes with the responsibility to cast a ballot in an informed and purposeful manner. What is universal suffrage? The extension of the right to vote to all adult citizens, including the removal of restrictions against women and property ownership requirements. RESOURCES PowerPoint 2: Rights and Responsibilities in a Democracy Video 1: Government and Democracy Handout 2.1: Highlights from the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Handout 2.2: History of Voting Rights in Canada Worksheet 2.3: Rights and Responsibilities Chart Worksheet 2.4: The Right to Vote Worksheet 2.5: Voting Survey Extending the Vote, Canada: A People s History How a Privilege Became a Right, CBC Digital Archives Voting in Canada, History of the Vote

7 Student Vote Resource 11 3 Three Levels of Government OBJECTIVE Students will learn about the roles and responsibilities associated with the three levels of government and understand how government policies and services influence their lives. KEY WORDS municipal, provincial, federal, prime minister, premier, mayor, reeve, Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), Member of Parliament (MP), councillor, legislative assembly QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE DURING THIS LESSON How is your life affected by government? How is government structured in Canada? What roles are associated with each of the three levels of government? What responsibilities are given to the Ontario government? PREPARATION Make copies of Worksheet 3.1: Investigating Government. TEACHING STRATEGIES Hook: 5 min Write the following on the board. Ask students to match the two columns. Federal Government A - Classroom Teacher Provincial Government B - School Principal Municipal Government C - School Board Similar to government, there is a division of responsibility in the school system. Ask students to describe the separation of responsibilities (who does what) at several community places or organizations (e.g., police force, business office, hospital, fire station, library, community swimming pool, grocery store). For example: Police Chief of Police, Sergeants, Constables Business Office President/Executive Director, Manager, Staff Discussion: 2-3 min Who is the current prime minister, premier and mayor or reeve? Instruction: 20 min 1. Canada has three levels of government: federal, provincial and municipal. The federal government takes responsibility for matters of national and international concern, such as national defence, foreign affairs, currency, fisheries and oceans, criminal law and public safety. Provinces are responsible for education, health, natural resources and transportation/highways. Municipal governments are responsible for local matters such as waste removal, libraries, city transit, local parks and recreation. 2. In Canada, we elect (select through an election) people to represent us at each level of government. The representative at the federal level is called a Member of Parliament (MP). In Ontario, the representative at the provincial level is called a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). The representative at the municipal level is called a councillor. 3. The representatives gather together to propose and debate laws and discuss concerns facing the country, province or city, and people living in the geographic areas they represent (constituency). MPs meet in Ottawa at the House of Commons. MPPs meet at the Ontario Legislature at Queen s Park in Toronto. Councillors meet at the city or town hall. 4. Each level of government has a leader (prime minister, premier and mayor/reeve). At the federal and provincial levels, this person is the leader of the political party that has the most representatives. At the municipal level, the leader is selected by people through a vote. Teacher Note: Have students make notes during the instruction on Worksheet 3.1: Investigating Government or assign it as group work or for homework. Activity: min 1. Ask students to think of all the activities they do on a daily or weekly basis. Create a list as a class on

8 12 Lesson 3: Three Levels of Government the board/smartboard (e.g., turning on the lights, eating breakfast, listening to music, brushing teeth, walking on the sidewalk, attending school, going to the park). 2. Ask students to consider each activity or task and list the resources and services associated with each. For example: Turning on the lights = electricity and energy Making breakfast = food and agriculture, electricity and energy Walking on the sidewalk = public works, transportation, road signs and traffic lights Attending school = education, curriculum and learning 3. Explain to students that each level of government has its own set of responsibilities to meet the needs of its citizens. Refer to Handout 3.2: Federal, Provincial and Municipal Responsibilities. Teacher Note: The division of responsibilities is based on the principle of subsidiarity (whoever is closest to the matter governs it). There are also cases where responsibilities are shared between levels of government (concurrency). 4. Go back to the student-created list of activities and match them with the level of government that is responsible for developing and providing the related services (i.e., turning on the lights provincial government, energy). Debrief: 5-10 min Have a brief closing discussion about government. Alternatively, ask students to write a reflection for their election scrapbook or learning log. How does government affect your life? Is government important? Why or why not? Which level of government affects your life the most? Why? Would you consider working in government? EXTENSION ACTIVITIES A. Ask students to identify an area of responsibility they care about at the provincial level. In pairs, groups, or individually, ask students to prepare a creative presentation about why it is important. Students can use any form of presentation they choose it could be a speech, poster, skit, song or rap. B. Have students find a story related to government in the local newspaper. Ask them to identify whether the story concerns the municipal, provincial or federal government by highlighting the key words that reveal this information. Have students answer the following questions and share their findings with the class: What is this news story/article about? What is the issue being discussed? Who is this story important to? C. Have students draw a city picture or map and label five government services (e.g., school, park, hospital, roads, cars, police officer). The label should include the level of government and responsibility. D. Invite an elected representative or public servant (at any level) to visit the school or class to discuss their role and the responsibilities of their level of government. E. Distribute copies of Worksheet 3.3: Government All Around and ask students, individually or in pairs, to label or identify all the government services in the picture. Take up the worksheet as a class and have a discussion about all the ways government impacts our lives. HOME CONNECTIONS Before learning about the political parties and party platforms, encourage students to have a conversation with their family and friends about important issues facing the province. Using Worksheet 3.4: Our Province, Our Issues, ask students to write down concerns they and their family and friends have and the key priorities they believe should be addressed by the government. Remind students to focus on the issues or responsibilities connected to the provincial government. Have a debrief the next day and try to answer the question: What do we want the election to be about? BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS How is government structured in Canada? Canada is a federal state, parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. A federal state brings together a number of different political communities with a central government (federal) for general purposes and separate local governments (provincial) for local purposes. In Canada s parliamentary democracy, the people elect representatives (members) to the federal parliament and to the provincial and territorial legislatures. The local representative is called a Member of Parliament (MP) at the federal level and Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) at the provincial level in Ontario. The dominant party in legislature or parliament (usually) determines the leader of the government. At the federal level, the leader of the government is called a prime minister. At the provincial level, the leader of the government is called a premier. As a constitutional monarchy, Canada s head of state is a hereditary sovereign (Queen or King), who reigns in accordance with the constitution. The sovereign is represented in Canada by the governor general, who is

9 Student Vote Resource 13 appointed by the sovereign on the advice of the prime minister. In each of the ten provinces the sovereign is represented by the lieutenant governor, who is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister. Both the governor general and lieutenant governor usually have five-year terms. Territorial commissioners serve in a role similar to a lieutenant governor in Canada s three territories. Commissioners do not represent the sovereign, however. They are appointed by and represent the federal government. How are responsibilities divided among the levels of government? Canada has three levels of government: federal, provincial and municipal. Each level of government has its own structure of elected and appointed representatives as well as a unique set of responsibilities. The division of powers is found in Sections of the Constitution Act. The constitutional division of powers is based on the principle of subsidiarity, in which the government closest to the issue governs it. Some powers may overlap between federal and provincial jurisdictions. This is called concurrency. For example, federal, provincial and municipal governments are concurrently responsible for the environment. The federal government enforces the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and regulates waterways used for fishing and shipping. Provincial governments regulate land use, mining, manufacturing and harmful emissions. Municipal governments are responsible for zoning, garbage disposal, and sewage and water treatment. Municipal governments acquire their responsibilities from their province. What are the roles of the Ontario government? The Ontario government is divided into three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. The legislative branch, termed the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, is made up of elected representatives called Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) and is responsible for creating laws, rules and regulations. The legislative assembly consists of 107 MPPs and each represents a different geographic area called an electoral district. and the legislature in their area of expertise. The judicial branch of government is headed by the Chief Justice of Ontario. The judicial branch interprets the law and punishes those who violate established laws, rules and regulations. In Ontario, there are 8 senior regional judges and 242 federally appointed judges to serve the population of the province. The Ontario court system is responsible for deciding who has broken the law and determining the appropriate punishment for the crime committed. Where does the legislative assembly meet? What do they do? The Legislative Assembly of Ontario meets in the Legislative Building at Queen s Park in Toronto. When the legislature is sitting, MPPs are responsible for proposing, studying, debating, and voting on bills (potential laws) and raising issues that concern their constituents. When the legislature is not sitting, MPPs spend their time meeting with their constituents to discuss their concerns and to provide guidance and advice relating to government services. RESOURCES PowerPoint 3: Three Levels of Government Video 2: Canada s Democracy Video 3: The Levels of Government Worksheet 3.1: Investigating Government Handout 3.2: Federal, Provincial and Municipal Responsibilities Worksheet 3.3: Government All Around Worksheet 3.4: Our Province, Our Issues How Canadians Govern Themselves Discover Canada Government of Canada Government of Ontario The Legislative Assembly of Ontario A list of Ontario ministries and their major responsibilities can be found at In the executive branch, the Queen is the head of state and is represented by the lieutenant governor. The leader of the government is called a premier. The executive branch implements and enforces laws, rules and regulations. The premier appoints several MPPs to head ministries of the executive council (cabinet). Each minister is in charge of one of the provincial responsibilities and acts as an advisor to the premier

10 14 Student Vote Resource 4 Political Parties OBJECTIVE Students will learn about Ontario s political parties and research their party platforms. KEY WORDS political party, platform, electoral district, party member, party leader, candidate, campaign, slogan, speech QUESTIONS TO BE EXPLORED DURING THIS LESSON What is a political party? Why do political parties exist? How do political parties form government? Which political parties can you name in Ontario? What is a party platform? PREPARATION Verify which parties are running candidates in your school s electoral district ( Collect a variety of campaign literature from the parties running candidates in your electoral district. Make copies of Worksheet 4.1 and 4.2, if required. Obtain information on Ontario s political parties from the Student Vote Ontario election site ( F) Each group selects a leader to interact with the other leaders and determine what sport to play. Correct answer: D, B, E, F, C, A Follow-up discussion: What lesson is to be learned here? What is the benefit to working alongside individuals who share the same opinions and interests? Is the final decision fair? Instruction: 10 min 1. When a community or large number of people need to get something done, people with similar opinions and interests often form groups and work together to achieve their goals. In politics, these groups are called political parties. A political party is made up of people, called party members, who share similar beliefs and goals for their community, city, province or country. Each party also selects a leader, usually through a vote. In order for the party s goals to be accomplished, the party must win an election and lead the government. TEACHING STRATEGIES Hook: 10 min Assign students Worksheet 4.1: It s Party Time! The following six parts of a story are jumbled. Figure out what is happening and put each part in its proper place in the story (e.g., first, second, etc.). A) Due to popular support, the group of 100 kids decides to play street hockey. B) A quick survey of the 100 kids tells us that 30 like baseball, 30 like soccer, 30 like street hockey, 9 like basketball and 1 likes swimming. C) Through discussion, the lone swimmer decides to join the baseball group and the basketball group decides to join the street hockey group. D) A large group of 100 kids has to make a decision about what sport to play at camp. E) Based on their interests, the kids form groups. There is a 30-kid baseball group, a 30-kid soccer group, a 30- kid street hockey group, a 9-kid basketball group and a 1-kid swimming group. 2. Ontario s system of government is based on political parties. Each political party has a leader,

11 Lesson 4: Political Parties 15 and during elections they create a party platform, which is a list of ideas or goals for the province. While all the parties may agree that education is a priority, they may have different ideas about how to improve the system or which aspects to focus on. 3. During elections, political parties also select individuals (candidates) to join their team, spread their message and platform, and compete for the job of local representative for their local area (electoral district). In the Ontario provincial election, there will be 107 local election races happening across the province. 4. After the election, the political party that wins the most number of local election races forms government. The leader of that party becomes the premier (or prime minister at the federal level). Activity: min (several blocks of time, plus homework if need be) 1. Review the list of political parties in Ontario and identify which are running candidates in your local area (electoral district). A list of registered political parties can be found at the end of the lesson. Please refer to for a current list of parties and the list of confirmed candidates. 2. Have students organize themselves into groups and select a political party (or assign them one). Using campaign literature, media and the Internet, each group should conduct research into their party using the following questions as a guide: What does your political party stand for? Who is the current leader? Who is the local candidate? Find the party s logos, slogans, emblems, posters and advertisements. What are the party s key messages? What are the main ideas your party is focusing on in this election campaign? What is your party s platform? 3. Using the information collected, each group will make a presentation about their party and their campaign platform. Students can also create videos, posters or signs introducing their political party. 4. Give each group an opportunity to present their party to the class. During the presentations ask students to make notes about each party using Worksheet 4.2: Getting to Know the Parties. Teacher Note: It is suggested that you coordinate each group to visit other classes in the school on a rotational basis to help inform and prepare students for Student Vote Day. Alternatively, you could coordinate a schoolwide assembly. Please refer to Lesson 6 for additional engagement ideas. Debrief: 5 min Have a brief closing discussion about political parties with your class. Alternatively, ask students to write a reflection for their election scrapbook or learning log. What did you learn about political parties? Why are political parties important? Would you ever join a political party? Why or why not? Which political party do you like the most? Why? EXTENSION ACTIVITIES A. Using Bitstrips for Schools ( or Worksheet 4.3: Vote for My Party, ask students to create a comic strip persuading their classmates to vote for one particular political party on Student Vote Day. They should explain what their party stands for, what they are promising to do if they form the government and what makes them the best choice to lead Ontario. B. Invite a past parliamentarian to visit your class for a question-and-answer period or coordinate a Skype interview. Prepare a list of questions in advance (e.g., Why did you join a political party? Why did you decide to run for election? What was your experience like? What are your favourite memories?). C. Have students create their own Ontario political party. The political party should have a name, logo, slogan, key priorities and ideas for helping the people of Ontario. Presentations could include posters, campaign literature, speeches and other election paraphernalia. D. Using the statements on Worksheet 4.4: Where do you Stand?, play a game of Agree/Disagree with your students. Post two signs in the classroom on either side of the room, one with Agree and one with Disagree. Read out a statement and ask students to vote with their feet by walking to the sign that fits with their opinion. Ask students to explain their choice. Afterwards, review the concept of the political spectrum. HOME CONNECTIONS The leaders debate is an opportunity for the major party leaders to share their platforms, point out weaknesses in their opponents ideas and encourage voters to support them. Ask your students to watch the leaders debate with their family and friends. Ask students to record quotes or arguments they liked or disliked. Afterwards, have students and their family and friends evaluate the performance of each leader using Worksheet 4.5: Watching the Leaders Debate.

12 16 Student Vote Resource BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS What is a political party? What purpose does it serve? A political party is a group of like-minded individuals with a shared vision and similar political ideals whose intention is to achieve power through an election, form government and create meaningful political change. Political parties compete against each other during election campaigns and appeal to the public for their support and ultimately their vote on election day. What is the political spectrum? The political spectrum is a means of characterizing beliefs, values and priorities, and provides a conceptual framework in which to view and evaluate political parties and policies. A linear spectrum is represented as a horizontal line, with parties on the left embracing change and parties on the right favouring tradition. How do political parties form government in Ontario? Ontario s system of government is based on political parties. During elections, an organized course of action is taken by a political party, its candidates and campaign team, with the intention of spreading their message in the hopes of securing constituent support and votes. The political party that elects the most candidates (usually) forms government and their leader becomes the premier. Most candidates running for election belong to a party, unless they are running as an independent or are not affiliated with any party. How do political parties work? Political parties are made up of interested members of the general public. Anyone above the required age can be a member of a political party for most parties the age is 14. Party members can discuss ideas and propose policy. Many parties also have youth wings. Party members choose their party s leader and local candidates and help them get elected. Local candidates are party members selected through a nomination process by the local constituency association. The party selects the person they feel has the greatest chance of success as their candidate. Candidates campaign during the election, share their party s ideas and aspire to represent them in the legislature. To become a Member of Provincial Parliament, candidates must receive the most votes in their electoral district during an election. What is a party platform? A party platform is a series of declared principles and policies on party and jurisdictional issues concerning government and the public. Parties share their platforms through announcements, advertising and events, and share their ideas in order to attract support from the electorate and ultimately to secure votes on election day. RESOURCES PowerPoint 4: Political Parties Worksheet 4.1: It s Party Time! Worksheet 4.2: Getting to Know the Parties Worksheet 4.3: Vote for My Party Worksheet 4.4: Where do you Stand? Worksheet 4.5: Watching the Leaders Debate Bitstrips for Schools, Teaching with Comics: Vote for My Party Campaign literature (pamphlets, advertisements, articles) Schools Program, Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians Ontario Political Parties (For a current list visit Canadians Choice Party Communist Party of Canada (Ontario) Family Coalition Party of Ontario Freedom Party of Ontario Green Party of Ontario - New Democratic Party of Ontario Northern Ontario Heritage Party Ontario Liberal Party Ontario Libertarian Party Ontario Provincial Confederation of Regions Party Party for Human Rights in Ontario Party for People with Special Needs Pauper Party of Ontario People First Republic Party of Ontario Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario Reform Party of Ontario Socialist Party of Ontario The Only Party The Peoples Political Party Vegan Environmental Party

13 Student Vote Resource 17 5 Local Candidates and Issues OBJECTIVE Students will learn about their electoral district, the candidates and local issues. KEY WORDS electoral district, riding, candidate, ballot, incumbent, issue, constituent, First-Past-The-Post QUESTIONS TO BE EXPLORED DURING THIS LESSON What is an electoral district? What is a candidate? How do candidates get elected? What is the name of my electoral district and who are the candidates running for election? What are the most important issues in my electoral district? How can I learn about my candidates and the issues they support? PREPARATION Collect a variety of news articles about the election and your local candidates. Locate the provincial electoral district map in your Student Vote package and post it in your classroom. Print a copy of your school s electoral district map from the Elections Ontario website (Under Tools > Electoral District Information and Maps). Make copies of Worksheet 5.1 and 5.2, if required. TEACHING STRATEGIES Hook: min 1. Find your school s electoral district on the provincial electoral district map. Ask students if they notice any differences between the electoral districts (e.g., size, shape). Ask them to consider why there are differences and what those differences might be (e.g., population, geography, landmarks). 2. Show students an individual map of the school s electoral district. Questions to consider: What are the boundaries of the school s electoral district? Where is the school located? What major landmarks or attractions are included in the school s electoral district? Give students an opportunity to fill out sections of Worksheet 5.1: My Electoral District or assign it for homework. Instruction: min 1. There are 107 electoral districts in Ontario and each elects its own representative called a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). During an election, several people in each electoral district compete against one another for the job of MPP. These people are called candidates. 2. A ballot lists the candidates running for election in the local electoral district. Each voter is allowed to choose one candidate. The candidate who receives the most votes becomes the MPP. This method of electing representatives is called First-Past-The-Post (or Single-Member Plurality). 3. An incumbent is the term given to the candidate who held the position of MPP before the election. 4. Any candidate who wants to run in the election must file papers by the nomination deadline. Elections Ontario posts the names of the candidates on their website. Teacher Note: Review the names and party affiliations of candidates running in the school s electoral district. Ask students to write down the information on Worksheet 5.1: My Electoral District. Activity: 30 min 1. Select a newspaper article about a local election issue and one or more candidates. Use this article to model the activity for students. With a Smartboard or overhead projector, read the article to the class. Ask students to make a mental note of the main idea. With student help and using a marker, highlight the issue discussed and any candidates mentioned. 2. Discuss the article with the students covering the basics in terms of who, what, where, when, why and how. Subsequently, encourage students to share their opinions about the issue and candidate(s). 3. Ask students to complete the same exercise individually or in pairs, with the articles you have

14 18 Lesson 5: Local Candidates and Issues collected. Students can use Worksheet 5.2: Graphic Organizer as a tool. 4. Afterwards, invite students to informally share their articles and present their findings, explaining the five Ws of their article. 5. For the duration of the campaign period, ask students to bring in articles highlighting issues about the election and/or issues that are important to them. These articles could be shared on a daily basis as part of a current events activity. Encourage students to find articles that have the local candidates in them and post them on a central bulletin board for reference and to inform other students. Debrief: 5 min Have a closing discussion about local issues and candidates with your class. Alternatively, ask students to write a reflection for their election scrapbook or learning log. How can a voter learn about the issues and candidates? How do you evaluate the candidates? What qualities and qualifications do you look for? List the local issues that are most important to you and explain why. Would you ever consider running as a candidate? Why or why not? EXTENSION ACTIVITIES A. Have students prepare questions for each of the candidates that will help to evaluate their party s priorities and their own ability to respond to the community s issues and concerns. Consider the following to guide the development of questions: What election issues have you been following most closely? What issues are facing your community and province? What issues impact you, your family and friends? Pose the questions to the candidates by , by conducting a phone interview, arranging candidates to visit your class or holding an all-candidates debate in your school (Refer to Handout 5.3: A Framework for Planning an All-Candidates Meeting). B. Have a class discussion about the geographical differences in an election campaign. Does an MPP from Kenora-Rainy River deal with the same issues as an MPP from Toronto Centre or Windsor West? What geographical, cultural or social differences might there be between the people living in different electoral districts? C. Have students organize a mock debate to gain a better understanding of the local election and to step into the shoes of a candidate and campaign team. In small groups, select one student to take on the role of a particular local candidate; the rest of the group will be the candidate s campaign team. Using arguments from newspapers, candidate websites and campaign literature, have each group prepare their candidate for the debate. Have one group of students take on the role of media and be responsible for coming up with questions for the debate. HOME CONNECTIONS Ask students to visit the Elections Ontario website ( and find out which electoral district they live in (it could be the same or different than the school) and the candidates running for election. Encourage them to do this activity with an eligible elector they know. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS What is an electoral district? A geographical area represented by an elected official; also called a riding or constituency. In Ontario, the elected official is called a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). Each electoral district has an MPP who represents the needs and interests of his or her constituents (people living in the electoral district) and addresses issues at the local level. The number of electoral districts changes over time and is established by a formula. Electoral district boundary adjustments reflect changes and movements in population. Currently, Ontario has 107 electoral districts, each represented by one MPP. What is an electoral system? An electoral system is the way citizens choices, expressed as votes, are translated into legislative seats. All electoral systems have three basic elements: District magnitude: The number of members elected per district. Ballot type: The way in which choices are presented and voters express their preference(s). Electoral formula: The method for determining which candidate gets elected (or wins). How does First-Past-The-Post/Single-Member Plurality work? First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) is the electoral system used in Ontario (and across Canada for federal and provincial elections). Another name for FPTP is Single- Member Plurality. The district magnitude is single-member districts. Citizens elect one representative per electoral district. The ballot type is categorical or exclusive ballot. Voters are allowed to choose one candidate/party in each race. The electoral formula is plurality. The successful candidate must receive at least one more vote than any of the other candidates.

15 Student Vote Resource 19 Example of FPTP: In an electoral district with 100 people. VOTE TOTALS BY CANDIDATE Lucy (Banana Party) 40 Josh (Pear Party) 15 Nancy (Apple Party) 11 Norman (No Affiliation) 34 In this case, Lucy becomes the elected representative because she has the most votes. Note: Lucy wins even though 60 per cent of the voters chose other candidates. Under FPTP, it is not necessary to win over 50 per cent of the votes the candidate simply needs to win the most votes. online through party websites, media websites and social media platforms. RESOURCES PowerPoint 5: Electoral Districts and Local Candidates Video 4: The Electoral Process Worksheet 5.1: My Electoral District Worksheet 5.2: Graphic Organizer Handout 5.3: A Framework for Planning an All-Candidates Meeting Candidate information/literature (candidate websites, campaign flyers) Ontario electoral district map How does one find out which electoral district they are in? You can visit the website of the elections office conducting the election and search by your address or postal code to find out your electoral district. During an election campaign, these websites provide a list of candidates running for election in each electoral district. The final list is posted after nominations close and once all candidacies have been confirmed. For provincial elections, visit Elections Ontario ( The nomination period closes on the 14th day of the election campaign. What are the most important issues facing my electoral district? A person s political views are highly subjective. They are unique and influenced by personal feelings, tastes and opinions. Therefore, each person is responsible for forming his or her own opinions. Sometimes those opinions can be formed by listening to other people whose opinions you respect, researching information through media, and sometimes it simply takes a period of reflection to come to your own conclusions. No one can tell you how to vote, although this is the primary objective of all candidates and campaigns. It is up to you, the voter, to decide what is most important, who you should listen to, and ultimately, who you will support. How can I learn about my candidates and the issues they support? There are many ways to gather information about local candidates. Community groups hold town hall meetings where constituents are invited to listen to candidates speak about issues they and their parties support. Information can also be found on radio and television, and in newspapers and magazines. Individuals may also visit local candidate offices, attend campaign events or have a chance to talk to the candidate when he or she visits homes during door-todoor canvassing. The Internet is also a very accessible source of information. Information is easily found

16 20 Student Vote Resource 6 The Election Team OBJECTIVE Students will be empowered to organize a parallel election in their school and share their knowledge and enthusiasm with their families. KEY WORDS Student Vote, official opposition, Elections Ontario, non-partisan, voter turnout QUESTIONS TO BE EXPLORED DURING THIS LESSON What is the role of Elections Ontario? What does it mean to be non-partisan? How can I encourage others to vote? PREPARATION Prepare access to or make copies of Handout 6.1: 2011 Election Results. TEACHING STRATEGIES Hook: min 1. Introduce students to the Student Vote program ( Use a video, article or the following description: The Student Vote program combines in-class activities, school-wide events, family dialogue and a real-life voting experience. More than 300,000 students from across Ontario will be casting ballots for their local candidates during the provincial election. The votes will be tabulated and shared with media (TV, newspapers). Although the results will not be counted in the adult election, the program gives students the opportunity to have a voice in the election, learn about important issues facing the province and practice voting. It also gives politicians a sense of what is important to the next generation of voters. 2. As a class, look at the results of the 2011 Ontario provincial election and the Student Vote parallel election (Handout 6.1: 2011 Election Results). Which party won the most seats? Which party formed government? Which party formed the official opposition? How do the general election and Student Vote results compare? Instruction: 5 min 1. Elections Ontario is a non-partisan, independent Office of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Elections Ontario is responsible for coordinating provincial elections in Ontario. 2. To be non-partisan means to not support any group or political party. Election officials must be nonpartisan to make sure each candidate and each political party running for election has a fair chance at winning. Discussion: 10 min Why is voting important? How do you think the Student Vote program will help you and your friends? Teacher Note: Create a list of reasons about the importance of voting and the benefits of the Student Vote program. Make the list visible so that students can refer back to it for motivation. Activity: 40 min (plus time for implementation) 1. Tell your class that they will be taking on the responsibility of coordinating the Student Vote program for the school. Have a short opening discussion about goals and objectives. What do we want the experience to be like for students? How do we want students to feel after participating? What are some possible problems or blocks to achieving our goals? 2. Divide students into five groups. Explain that each group is responsible for brainstorming ideas and activities specific to their theme. Communications Team: Responsible for advertising the Student Vote program to the rest of the school. How do we tell students and teachers about Student Vote Day? What are the key messages? How can we create excitement about the election? What types of communication can we use (e.g., morning announcements, posters)? Voter Education Team: Responsible for educating students about the political parties, election issues and local candidates. How can we teach students about the parties and party platforms? How can we make the election interesting?

17 Lesson 6: The Election Team 21 Can we create a newsletter, information sheet or presentation to distribute to other classes? Events Team: Responsible for creating and organizing events during the campaign period. What kind of campaign-related events can we organize during the election? Can we invite the candidates to visit and talk with students? Can we organize an assembly or rally for students and/or families? Can we organize a contest or fun election games? Can we organize an opinion poll about which issues matter most to the students at our school? Student Vote Day Team: Responsible for organizing how Student Vote Day will work. How can we prepare students for Student Vote Day? Should we organize a training session about how to vote? How should we set up the voting station? What other roles do we need filled? How do we make the voting experience fun? Should we create I voted or I am a voter badges for all participants? Teacher Note: The Student Vote Day Team will need guidance and some of the organizing decisions should be made in advance so that they can plan out the smaller details. Please refer to the Student Vote Election Operations Manual. 3. Have each group present their ideas and activities to the rest of the class and allow ideas to be further explored by all students. 4. As a class, select the best ideas and activities and make them happen! 5. Create an election timeline or campaign calendar so that your class is able to see its progress, and stay on target. Debrief: 5 min Have a brief closing discussion about voting and participation in the Student Vote program with your class. Alternatively, ask students to write a reflection for their election scrapbook or learning log. Why should political parties care about the Student Vote results? Are your parents planning to vote? How can you help educate your family about the issues, parties and candidates? Do you feel interested in politics? Why or why not? What do you like about politics? What do you not like about politics? EXTENSION ACTIVITIES A. Design a campaign poster or PowerPoint presentation to encourage people to vote on election day. Use images and words to describe why it is important to vote. B. Create an election newsletter to circulate around your school and educate students. Include information about the school s electoral district, the candidates and their parties, the date for Student Vote Day and where voting will take place. C. Using Bitstrips for Schools ( ask students to create a comic giving three reasons why it s important to vote in government elections. In the last panel, ask students to give the reader a call to action, telling them to be informed about the issues and to vote on election day! HOME CONNECTIONS Design an information leaflet for all students in the school to share with their family and friends. This could include important frequently asked questions (FAQs) such as, what electoral district do I live in, where do I find out where to vote, what do I need to bring to the voting location in order to vote. Use inspirational words or quotes to encourage people to exercise their right to vote. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS What is the role of Elections Ontario? Elections Ontario is a non-partisan agency of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Elections Ontario is responsible for the organization and conduct of general elections and by-elections in accordance with the provisions of the Election Act and the Representation Act. Elections Ontario is also responsible for the administration of the Election Finances Act, which regulates political contributions, spending limits, party/candidate registration and advertising. What does partisan mean? Why do election officials need to be non-partisan? Partisan means support of a political party, cause or person. To be non-partisan means to not support any faction or political party. Elections officials must be non-partisan to ensure each candidate and each political party running in an election has a fair chance at winning. Who is behind the Student Vote program? Student Vote is the flagship program of CIVIX. CIVIX is a non-partisan registered charity building the capacity and commitment of young Canadians to participate in their democracy.

18 22 Lesson 6: The Election Team Since 2003, 21 Student Vote programs have been organized across Canada, reaching 3,000,000 students from 9,000 schools. Elections Ontario has engaged CIVIX to conduct a Student Vote parallel election program for schools during the Ontario provincial election. Past election results can be found at What are the outcomes of the Student Vote program? An independent evaluation commissioned by Elections Canada reports that the Student Vote program is achieving its objectives among target groups: students, teachers and parents. Evaluation highlights: The program is having a significant positive impact on students knowledge of politics and the electoral process, civic duty, political interest and discussion with parents which are all important predictors of voting. Educators felt that their own knowledge and confidence in teaching civic education had increased as a result of the program. Among parents who voted, 20 per cent reported that their child s participation in the program positively affected their decision to vote. RESOURCES Handout 6.1: 2011 Election Results Bitstrips for Schools, Teaching with Comics: I am a Voter Student Vote Election Operations Manual Elections Ontario

19 Student Vote Resource 23 7 The Voting Process OBJECTIVE Students will learn about the voting process and evaluate the leaders, party platforms and local candidates before making their ballot choice. KEY WORDS elector, candidate, electoral district, issue, ballot, secret ballot, accepted ballot, rejected ballot, cancelled ballot, declined ballot, unmarked ballot, voting location QUESTIONS TO BE EXPLORED DURING THIS LESSON Why is voting by secret ballot important? Who can vote in Ontario provincial elections? How does the voting process work? What does a ballot look like? How do I mark my ballot? How do I make my decision about who to vote for? PREPARATION Students should have knowledge of the candidates running in their electoral district. Make copies of Worksheet 7.1: Preparing to Vote. Create sample ballots or use the ones in the Student Vote Election Operations Manual. TEACHING STRATEGIES Hook: 10 min 1. Ask students to write down answers to the following questions, or choose questions that will work for your class. Consider questions that may not always elicit truthful answers. a) Do you watch SpongeBob Squarepants? b) Do you like Justin Bieber? c) Do you sing along with Yo Gabba Gabba? 2. Ask students the same questions again, but this time students must stand up and share their answers aloud. 3. Have a follow-up discussion and introduce the concept of a secret ballot. Discussion questions: Did anyone answer differently in the two votes? What are the benefits of voting in private? 4. Discuss the importance of voting by secret ballot in Ontario elections. Instruction: 15 min 1. An elector is someone who is allowed to vote in an election. To be able to vote in an Ontario provincial election, you must: Be a Canadian citizen, Be at least 18 years of age on election day, Reside in an electoral district in Ontario. 2. Before eligible electors can vote, they must register by having their name and address added to the voters list. This process involves showing identification to prove who you are and where you reside, and filling out a form. You can register in advance or you can add yourself to the voters list at the voting location on election day. 3. A ballot lists the names of the candidates running in your electoral district and their political party, if they have one. There is a space beside each candidate s name on the ballot. As long as you clearly mark the ballot for one candidate (e.g., checkmark, x, shading in), your ballot will be counted. Teacher Note: Show students what a candidate ballot looks like and how to fill it out correctly. Review the following ballot terms: accepted, rejected, cancelled, unmarked and declined. Use ballot examples (Refer to the Student Vote Election Operations Manual). Activity: 20 min and homework 1. Using Worksheet 7.1: Preparing to Vote, have students evaluate the campaign issues, parties, leaders and local candidates. 2. Allow students the opportunity to share their views. Some individuals may jump at the opportunity to share their opinions and even try to convince others to adopt their choices. Others may opt for silence and prefer to keep their politics personal. Teacher Note: This could turn into a fruitful discussion about the privacy of voting decisions. 3. Encourage students to take their worksheet home and start a conversation with their family and friends. What do they think about the parties and candidates? Do they know who they are going to

20 24 Lesson 7: The Voting Process vote for? Challenge students to help their family members find out when and where to vote, and educate them on the choices. Debrief: 10 min Have a brief closing discussion about the voting process and current election campaign with your class. Alternatively, ask students to write a reflection for their election scrapbook or learning log. Do you feel ready to vote? Why or why not? Do you feel that you know more about the election than your parents? What moment or event in the election campaign has attracted the most attention from the media? Why? Are there any issues that you feel have been ignored by the candidates? EXTENSION ACTIVITIES A. Have students make a presentation to prepare the rest of the student voters in the school. This presentation should demonstrate what happens at the voting location and how to fill out a ballot. Schedule time for students to make the presentation to each classroom participating in the Student Vote program. B. Create a pledge to vote activity for all Student Vote participants. This could include a ceremony or an official I am a Voter agreement, whereby students pledge to vote when they turn 18 or agree to be a lifelong voter. C. Allow students to make predictions regarding the election results. Distribute cue cards to each student and ask them to guess the outcome of either the general election or Student Vote parallel election (or both). Students should guess the number of seats each party will win (totalling 107). Each prediction should be written on its own cue card for easy comparison. Make sure students sign the back of their cue card so that you can announce the winner after the election. HOME CONNECTIONS Sometimes adults can be intimidated by the voting process as well. Encourage students to take their family members to the polls and support them in casting their ballot. Ask students to observe the process while at the voting location and fill out Worksheet 7.2: A Trip to the Voting Location. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS Who can vote? To be eligible to vote in an Ontario provincial election, you must: Be a Canadian citizen, Be at least 18 years of age on election day, Reside in an electoral district in Ontario. What do I need in order to vote? If you are qualified to vote and your name is on the voters list, you will be sent a Notice of Registration card in the mail. The Notice of Registration card indicates your voting location on election day and the dates, times and locations of your advance voting locations. Bring your Notice of Registration card with you when you go to vote plus one piece of ID with your name on it. How do I get on the voters list? If you are eligible to vote, you first need to add your name and address to the voters list by showing ID that proves your name and address and filling out a form. During an election, you can do this at a voting location or at the returning office for your electoral district. Between elections, you can contact Elections Ontario at Where do I vote? Each electoral district is divided into voting areas, which are defined geographic areas. Eligible voters residing within each area vote at the voting location designated for their area. During the election period, you can find your voting location on the Elections Ontario website and in local newspapers. In addition, notices are delivered to all residences in the province. How does the voting process work? 1. Once you confirm your eligibility, you are given a ballot that has the poll official s initials on the back. 2. Go behind a voting screen to mark your ballot. Choose only one candidate on the ballot. 3. Hand your folded ballot back to the poll official to check for the initials. 4. Place your folded ballot in the ballot box. What is a secret ballot? Voting across Canada is done by secret ballot. This ensures the privacy of each voter s choice. No one except the voter knows the choice that was made. What does a ballot look like? How do I mark my ballot? A ballot lists the names of the candidates running in your electoral district and their political party affiliation, where applicable. There is a circular space beside each candidate s name on the ballot. As long as you clearly mark the ballot for one candidate, your ballot will be accepted. What is a rejected ballot? A rejected ballot is a ballot that cannot be counted due to a deliberate or accidental unrecognizable choice. The voter may have marked their ballot for more than one candidate, numbered their choices, defaced their ballot, identified themselves, or it may not be clear which candidate has been chosen. What is a declined ballot? A voter may also choose to use their vote to express their dissatisfaction with the options given. This is

21 Student Vote Resource 25 called a declined ballot. In Ontario, this is done by receiving a ballot, then giving the ballot back to the poll official. The voter states that he or she does not want to vote. The deputy returning officer shall write the word declined on the ballot and place it in the declined ballot envelope. This is not an option at the federal level. What is a cancelled ballot? A ballot that has been kept separate and never placed in the ballot box because it was mistakenly marked or torn and exchanged for a new ballot. The deputy returning officer writes cancelled on the back of the ballot and places it in the cancelled ballot envelope. What is an unmarked ballot? A ballot deposited in the ballot box that is unmarked by the voter on either the front or back. This is different than a declined ballot, where the ballot is returned to the poll official and the voter states that he or she does not want to vote. What are advance polls? What are other ways to vote? Electors who are away, busy or unable to vote on election day have the option of advance polls. Advance polls are held prior to election day. You can also vote by mail or special ballot. A special ballot is a method of voting that allows eligible electors to cast a ballot in person or by mail during the 28-day election period. Visit for more information about voting by special ballot. How do I prepare to vote? Get informed. Learn about the candidates, the political parties and the issues. When preparing to vote, you consider reasons to support a candidate for premier, a local candidate for MPP, a political party, a specific issue or a whole party platform. Voting requires that you do your homework. How do you know if you are ready to vote? You feel confident in your ability to make a choice. RESOURCES PowerPoint 7: The Voting Process Worksheet 7.1: Preparing to Vote Worksheet 7.2: A Trip to the Voting Location Student Vote Election Operations Manual Elections Ontario

22 26 Student Vote Resource 8 Post-Election Analysis OBJECTIVE Students will analyze the results of the general election and Student Vote parallel election, and reflect on the outcome and their participation. KEY WORDS analyze, seat count, popular vote percentage, governing party, minority government, majority government, official opposition, opposition party QUESTIONS TO BE EXPLORED DURING THIS LESSON How do I analyze election results? What was the outcome of the Student Vote parallel election provincially and locally? What was the outcome of the general election provincially and locally? Who will form the next government? How did campaign events impact the outcome of the election? PREPARATION Obtain the general election results ( and Student Vote parallel election results ( It would also be helpful to have Internet access during your class. Prepare access to Handout 6.1: 2011 Election Results. Collect media articles about the election results. TEACHING STRATEGIES Hook: 5 min 1. Announce the results of your school s Student Vote parallel election. Who received the most votes? Was it a close race? 2. Compare the results of your school s vote with the results of other schools in your electoral district. Are they similar or different? How did the results vary between schools? (Individual school results can be found at Teacher Note: Remember to wait until the day following the official election to share the Student Vote results. Student poll officials at your school should be sworn to secrecy. Discussion: 5 min Which party won the Student Vote parallel election? Which party won the general election? Are you surprised with the outcome of the elections? Why do you think it was the same or different? Instruction: 10 min 1. Seat count is the term used to show the number of seats that each party will have in the legislature. It also means the number of local election races each party won. 2. Popular vote is the term used to show the support a political party received across the province. It is shown as a percentage and is calculated by dividing the number of votes a party received by the total number of votes in the election. 3. The party that has the most seats forms government. The party that has the second-highest number of seats becomes the official opposition. Any other party is called an opposition party. 4. If the governing party has more than half of all the seats (54 or more in Ontario), they will have a majority government. If they have less than half, they will have a minority government. 5. If the governing party has a minority government, they will need to gain the support of the opposition parties in order to pass legislation and budgets (which must have the support of more than half of the members). If the government does not have their support, they lose the confidence of the legislature and the government will be defeated. This means another election could be called. Activity: min 1. Using media sources, have students analyze the results of the general election and the Student Vote parallel election for the current and last election. a) Province-wide seat count comparison (General election vs. Student Vote parallel election) b) Province-wide popular vote comparison (General election vs. Student Vote parallel election) c) Local election results comparison (General election vs. Student Vote parallel election) d) Province-wide seat count comparison

23 Lesson 8: Post-Election Analysis 27 (2011 vs. current election) e) Province-wide popular vote comparison (2011 vs. current election) Teacher Note: See Handout 6.1: 2011 Election Results This can be done as a class or in groups. If you decide on groups, assign each group a different comparison task and ask them to make a short presentation or report to share with the class. Some students can focus on analysis, some on commentary and others can create the graphs or charts. Have students use pie charts, line graphs, bar graphs or other unique ways of displaying their group s information to the class. 2. Have a follow-up conversation after analyzing the results. Consider posing some of the following questions: Were there any big surprises in the election results? Which parties gained or lost seats since the last election? Why? Were the Student Vote results similar to the general election results? Why or why not? Which type of graph works best for displaying various types of election results? there any events that might have contributed to the results? What are the benefits and challenges of a majority government? What are the benefits and challenges of a minority government? HOME CONNECTIONS Review the election results with your family and friends. Did the candidate they preferred win? Do they believe their concerns will be addressed in the legislature? EXTENSION ACTIVITIES A. Once an electoral candidate is elected to the legislature, he or she has to make decisions about which issues to pursue on behalf of his or her constituency. Have students write to the newly elected Member of Provincial Parliament and identify an issue they believe should be considered important based on the platform priorities of the MPP and his or her party (if applicable). B. Choose a local candidate in your electoral district who received a significant proportion of the votes in the Student Vote election but did not secure a seat in the Ontario Legislature. Invite the candidate into your school for a conversation with your class. Consider asking questions about their campaign experience and the candidate s future plans. C. Give students a chance to share their election scrapbooks from the campaign. Each student could choose two of their favourite entries to share with the class. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS How do I analyze election results? Under a First-Past-The-Post or Single-Member Plurality system, election results are analyzed by the number of candidates elected by each political party. In other words, the number of seats each political party will have in the new legislature. In Ontario, the 107 seats will be divided among registered political parties and independent candidates. Debrief: 5 min Have a brief closing discussion about the outcome of the election and participation in the Student Vote program. Alternatively, ask students to write a reflection for their election scrapbook or learning log. What did you learn about politics and the election process from your participation in the Student Vote program? Did the election results turn out as expected? Were The number of votes cast for each political party can also be examined. This analysis provides an indication of the level of support across the province and is expressed by a percentage (popular vote percentage). Who will form government? What kind of government will it be? The political party with the most seats (usually) forms government and their leader becomes the premier of the province. A minority government is a government in which the governing party has the most seats but less than half the total.