This inquiry leads students through an investigation of policy voting, i.e. aligning their own beliefs with policies of political parties and candidates. By investigating the compelling question students will research where the stand on their own beliefs, compare those beliefs to available political party platforms, then finally against candidates representing those parties (or running as independents). In investigating current issues, political party positions, and candidate positions, students will be better informed on which issues drive them to vote on election-day.
Compelling Question:
What Drives You to the Polls?
Staging the Question:
Read What do Young Adults Know about Politics from civicyouth.org, then use Question Formulation Technique to generate questions about the trends of young adults and voting patterns.
1
Supporting Question What are my political beliefs?
Formative Task Take a quiz on political beliefs and fill out a chart “From Beliefs to Voting” that explains the personal importance of those issues.
Sources Source A: “Isidewith.com Political Quiz”
2
Supporting Question What are the major stances of political parties?
Formative Task Add selected issues to the stances of the major political parties’ platforms on the “From Beliefs to Voting” chart and develop a claim about which political party best represents your beliefs on two selected issues.
Sources Source A: “Democratic Party Platform”
Source B: “Republican Party Platform”
Source C: “Green Party Platform”
Source D: “Libertarian Party Platform”
3
Supporting Question What are the views of political candidates?
Formative Task Add selected issues to the stances of the major political parties’ platforms on the “From Beliefs to Voting” chart and develop a claim about which candidate best represents your beliefs on two selected issues.
Sources Source A: “Democratic Candidates websites”
Source B: “Republican Candidates websites”
Source C: “Third Party Candidates websites”
Source D: “2016 C-SPAN ‘Road to the White House’”
Summative Performance Task
Argument: What drives you to the polls? Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, and essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.
Extension: Select an issue and build a student belief continuum about the issue. Discuss how the major political parties or candidates fall along the continuum and whether there is a difference between party and belief.
Taking Informed Action
Understand: Embedded in Inquiry
Assess: Examine the extent to which one candidate and party views align to the issues important to you
Act: Do one of the following: 1) Vote for a candidate based upon policy voting 2) Join a political party that aligns (or register independent) to your policy views. 3) Choose one of your key issues and join, support, champion its cause. 4) Develop your own form of action on the issue.