Have new or soon-to-be voters examine different political parties and their platforms as they figure out which one aligns most with their beliefs. After taking a few online quizzes, students split into pairs to discuss and then in larger groups to dive deeper into a few specific issues. They see how the modern party platforms differ, and see if their own views fit neatly into any of them.

Concepts

political parties, the united states government, elections, the democratic party, the republican party, the green movement

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Expand by having citizens investigate who is running in the next local elections and see how their positions align with the national party platforms
• To see how things have changed, have the class find primary sources that show what some of the founding fathers thought about political parties, especially George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams

Classroom Considerations

• Students need Internet access to complete the online quizzes
• Politics is a hot-topic; therefore, be prepared for some boisterous discussions

Pros

• Instead of forcing learners into a Democrat vs. Republican dichotomy, the resource leaves room for third parties, mixed positions, and a healthy critique of the party system
• The online quizzes are unbiased and do an effective job at seeing how beliefs line up with modern party platforms
• The activity is invaluable preparation for any voter or soon-to-be-voter

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.9-10.4