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HomeEnergizing Young Voters

Civics and You!
Energizing Young Voters In Washington

(For Lesson materials, scan down to "The Six Lessons")

A Video Demonstration
(To see Energizing Young Voters in action, scan down to "A Video Demonstration")

Overview
Welcome to Civics and You! Energizing Young Voters! An interactive civics experience to inform and engage youth and their community in our democracy. The six lessons below offer middle or high school teachers (grade 6 - 12) ways to enhance their civics instruction with interactive learning experiences that inform and inspire their students' participation in our democracy.  The King county League of Women Voters offers this program free of charge.  It can also be easily used by community colleges and community groups seeking to promote civics learning with the aim of developing leadership skills and the habit of voting.

This program features two parts, each with three lessons:

  • Fighting for The Vote examines the history of voting, explores the demographics of who is (and isn’t) voting in recent elections, and gives students practice in making informed choices when voting.
  • Fighting For Change focuses on issues identification, the characteristics of leadership, and how an individual can lead at any age.
The program is easy to use. It enhances existing social studies/civics education units by teaching students to become competent and confident voters.  You will find everything needed to teach the lessons: PowerPoint-based presentations, scripts, and supporting materials for interactive exercises.  Each lesson is designed to be taught in a typical 45-minute class time frame.  The lessons can be stand alone or they can be taught together in the order chosen by you.

Inglemoor HS teacher Alexander Baker reports, 
"I've taught Civics for almost 10 years and the Civics and You! lessons from the League of Women Voters are the most exciting instruction I have come across. The lessons are ready to use, designed to be interactive, and they inspired greater participation in the Candidate Forum and Mock Election in my 12th grade classroom.”

 

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The Six Lessons
I. FIGHTING FOR THE VOTE
Lesson 1: The Suffrage Timeline (What’s it Worth?)
Students  learn about the history of their vote— from the start of the nation through the ongoing fight against voter suppression. This lesson includes an interactive game where participants take on an avatar (character) and role play when in the timeline the avatar earns the right to vote. Included are all the avatar cards as well as instructions and different combinations of avatar cards, depending on class/group size.

. Presentation and script:  Presentation and Script 
. Avatar cards 1-28:  Avatar cards 1-28   
. Avatar cards 29-50:  Avatar cards 29-50
. Avatar game directions:  Avatar game directions  

Lesson 2 : The Truth About Turnout (Who’s Got the Power?)
Students learn about who turns out to vote and why people vote or don’t vote. This lesson includes an interactive excuses game that covers reasons why people don’t vote and what one can say to minimize/eliminate excuses and encourage voting.

. Presentation and script: The Truth About Turnout
. Presentation of Excuses and Responses: Excuses and Responses  
. Excuses Game Directions :  Excuses game directions    
. Excuses Game cards for students:  Student copy Excuses game
. Teacher Copy of the Excuses Game:  Teacher copy Excuses Game  
 
Lesson 3: Vote By Design (How Do I Choose?)
Students learn about a nonpartisan, issue-free process for use in selecting candidates with values and priorities that students support. Each presentation will look at a different government position (identified below). This lesson also includes a questionnaire designed for participants to discuss qualities they value in a leader.

. Presentation and script for Local elections: Local Elections
. Presentation and script for Board of Education:  Board of Education
. Presentation and script for Governor:  Governor
 . Presentation and script for President:  President
. Questionnaire on qualities of a leader:  Leader Questionnaire

2. FIGHTING FOR CHANGE
Lesson 4: What’s Your Issue (How Do I Determine Issues Important to Me?)
Students learn that leadership is important, but that leadership is a group process and needs engaged supporters — the people. Participants explore the qualities of an effective leader via discussion of current issues.

. Presentation:  What’s Your Issue Presentation
. Script: What’s Your Issue Script

Lesson 5: How Do I Effect Change (Inform, Act, Monitor)
Students identify an issue of importance to them and explore how the issue impacted them and others. Bringing attention to their position, and knowing their rights when doing so, participants draft policy and advocate for it.

. Presentation:  How Do I Effect Change Presentation
. Script:  How Do I Effect Change Script

Lesson 6: Across the Divide (How Do I Actively Listen? How Do I Speak To Be Heard?)
Students learn to speak so others can “hear” them and listen to understand the beliefs of others. Skills practice helps participants learn to express their concerns with conviction and civility.

. Listening presentation: Listening Presentation
. Listening script: Listening Script
. Speaking presentation: Speaking Presentation
. Speaking script: Speaking Script 


A Video Demonstration
Below is a link to a "train the trainer/presenter" video for Lesson 1 - the Suffrage Timeline and Lesson 2 - The Truth about Turnout. It is taught by Dr. Pat Supplee, one of the New Jersey League members who authored the original version for that state. She is accompanied by five adults who help to illustrate how the interactive elements of these lessons play out within actual classrooms. You will note that some of the content is specific to New Jersey (this content has been changed in the Washington state version). In addition, the video was made several years back so that time references are not completely current.

Fight for the Vote Training
Lesson 1 comes first in the video, taking approximately 50 minutes. 
Lesson 2 starts at minute 55. 


Energizing Young Voters in Washington is adapted from a successful, groundbreaking program created by the League of Women Voters of New Jersey. Copyrights 2020-21 LWV of Southern Monmouth County, NJ and 2023-24 League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County, WA.