Objective: To stimulate elementary school students with special needs’ cognitive abilities from the concrete understanding of the democratic process in the presidential elections to the highest level of abstraction.
Materials Needed
Election process posters or visual aids (Concrete Learning)
Mock ballot papers or pictures of candidates, voting booths, election symbols (Concrete Learning)
Whiteboard and markers for group discussions and brainstorming (Concrete Learning)
Worksheets for reflective writing (Abstract Learning – since it includes personal study and interpretation)
Articles, books, or videos discussing the election process in accessible format (Abstract Learning – comprises understanding ideas beyond the observable)
Instructions for Designing the Activity
Concrete Foundation
Show elections to students in a fun manner using drawings and other age-appropriate resources. Polling stations, ballots, candidates, and election symbols may be shown on cards to explain voting or elections. These principles will be easier to retain and implement in shorter works or storybooks. Students will comprehend and argue about visuals and sentences (Brevik, 2019). The primary elections, caucuses, Electoral College, and inauguration of the United States presidential election will be explained via illustrations or diagrams. Promoting investigations and discussions helps kids realize what’s important now. They’ll dig deeper here.
Scenario Exploration
In this phase of the simulation, you will present students with situations involving these concerns, election process politics, and interactions to help them understand and cope with them. You might mention in-person, mail-in, or electronic voting methods. Mention the challenges candidates encounter during elections or how media affects voting. Through teacher-led discourse and role-playing, students may analyze these circumstances and come up with meaningful outcomes (Payne & Journell, 2019). Facilitators ensure kids comprehend each location and learn from the characters’ experiences. Personal engagement is the best educational aim for developing critical thinking and comprehension of the electoral process complexity. Student anxieties about problem-solving may be addressed by scenario exploration.
Group Discussion
You will lead an engaging, thorough discussion about election impacts in the group. Use a whiteboard or flip chart to let kids brainstorm and discuss ideas. Focus on democratic values like liberty, equality, and participation. Engage students to understand civic tasks, including voting, respecting various opinions, and contributing to their community (Payne & Journell, 2019). Facilitators of small group talks must provide a courteous and healthy dialogue where everyone’s voice is heard and ideas are exchanged. The desire to create a free-exchange environment will help students comprehend democracy and see themselves as potential participants in social change.
Reflective Writing
Make kids write about their comments, ideas, and feelings about the U.S. presidential election to get deep within. Use questions like “What does democracy mean to you?” to get kids thinking about democracy. Ask questions like ”How does participation in elections produce a functional democracy?” and ”How can people make sure the elections conducted are fair and transparent?” to explore how elections operationalize democracy (Payne & Journell, 2019). Ask questions like “Can people consider that the key justification for voting is” to foster critical thinking about voting and citizen duties? Give pupils mass media paper and a pen to take notes alone or in groups. Visuals may assist if kids desire them. Reflective writing helps pupils understand democratic values and their relevance to civic life.
Class Reflection
Students need the post-activity class reflection to cement their learning and revelation. Start the class conversation by asking students to express their responses and sentiments to foster an atmosphere of sharing and comfort. Discuss how they now perceive democracy in their nation rather than just the facts. Encourage kids to see elections as a tool to improve their community’s social aspect and engage them in politics. Include a class poster with pictures of democratic ideas and civic obligations to educate pupils visually (Brevik, 2019). Engage students to consider their own progress and how it fits with democracy and civic concepts. Encourage a group meeting where students synthesize and communicate their findings, focusing on the influence of non-participation in politics on a democratic society.
References
Brevik, L. M. (2019). Explicit reading strategy instruction or daily use of strategies? Studying the teaching of reading comprehension through naturalistic classroom observation in English L2. Reading and writing, 32(9), 2281-2310.
Payne, K. A., & Journell, W. (2019). “We have those kinds of conversations here…”: Addressing contentious politics with elementary students. Teaching and Teacher Education, 79, 73-82.
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