TITLE: The Political Debate as a Means of Informing the
Voters During a Presidential Election Year
AUTHOR: Raymond Charboneau, Holy Cross High School, LA
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: 9-12, government
OVERVIEW: Many students, as well as many voters, are
unclear or uninterested concerning the stand taken by
political candidates on the major issues raised during an
election. They view candidates, if they think of them ar
all, as being cut from the same cloth, having essentially
the same outlook on the issues.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to help students
understand the nature of the two-party system in American
politics and the importance it serves in transferring the
public will into political action.
OBJECTIVES: As a result of this activity, the students
will:
1. Identify the importance of the political debate as a
means of informing the voters as to how the candidates
stand on issues.
2. Help the students to identify the stand taken by the
candidates on major issues.
3. Understand the role third parties serve in American
politics.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
1. The "candidates" should dress in suits if at all
possible because this gives the debate a "polished"
look.
2. Provide the candidates with podiums to from which to
speak.
3. If the candidates so choose to use them, supplies for
graphs and charts.
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. During class on the first day of this activity,
organize the students into four groups representing the
Republican Party, the Democratic Party, and two minor
parties that currently are running candidates for
president. (If it is not a presidential election year,
then go back to the most recent presidential election
for candidates and issues.) Have each group select one
of their group to serve as that party's presidential
candidate. Everyone else in the group will serve as
"experts" on the various issues that will be debated.
Encourage the "candidates" to get into character.
2. Once the basic organization has been accomplished,
instruct the candidate to be as informed on all issues
as much as possible. The task of the party experts is
to research material that the candidate will need to
know during the debate. The student groups must
familiarize themselves with the stand taken by the
actual presidential candidates who are running for
office. The remainder of the class period will be used
by the groups to draw up a list of issues that the
candidate must be informed about.
3. On the second day of the activity, take the class to
the library to research the real candidates stand on
the issues.
4. On the third day of the activity, the groups meet in
class to prepare their candidates for the debate.
5. The fourth day of the activity is given over to the
debate. The debate should follow the rules of debating
as closely as possible. If your school has a debating
club, you may want to ask the instructor to serve as a
moderator.
6. Try to involve at least three faculty and
administrators to serve as judges of the debate. Their
role is to judge what group represented their party
most accurately and what group seemed to have the best
grasp of the issues.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
1. The class will discuss the importance of the voters'
need to know the candidates' stand on issues.
2. The class will discuss the role played by the experts
in a presidential campaign and the importance they have
in aiding the presidential candidate in his bid for
victory.
3. Students will are expected to know the names of the
candidates of the various parties represented and to
know their stand on the major issues. This can be
determined by giving a quiz at a later date.
4. Use this activity to end the unit on the election of
the President.
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