Process
The Election Booklet
Once you have put together your election journal use the following sites to research and fill in the pages of your booklet. You will be working independently in your free time and during class time designated by your teacher. Pages 22-23 will be completed with the whole class and your teacher.
Ben's Guide to U.S. Government
Time for Kids Election Connection
Scholastic Countdown to the Election 2008
Zoom Out the Vote Elections 101
Fox News Primaries and Caucuses
2008 Campaign Scrapbook
Once you have your group assignments decide who will take on what role to complete your 2008 Presidential Campaign Scrapbook.
Archivist- This person is responsible for finding articles or approving others' articles for placement in the scrapbook. This person should be an excellent reader who enjoys looking at informational websites and newspapers. Use the Election Scrapbook Rubric to see what kinds of articles you should be including in your scrapbook.
Photographer-This team member is responsible for finding pictures of the presidential and vice presidential candidates and their families. They should also find the symbols of the Democrat and Republican Party. The photographer is also responsible for the general layout of the scrapbook. This person should be creative and artistic. This team member should like to draw, cut, color and label things.
Statistician-This classmate is responsible for inserting graphs and charts into the Election Scrapbook. The Statistician is responsible for finding information regarding how states are going to vote, what national polls and Michigan polls are saying about the candidates and what the electoral college votes are for each state. All the info should be presented in charts, diagrams or graphs.
All team members are responsible for the final product. They should make all decisions regarding the scrapbook contents together. Each team member may help another once they have finished their individual tasks.
The Newspaper Article
Read over the Newspaper Article Rubric
Then visit the website If You Were President and complete the activity there. Once your article is completed, print it out and turn it into your teacher.
Glossary
Use the following definitions to help you with your tasks.
ballot - a piece of paper on which you mark your vote from a list of candidates
campaign - a competition between a group of people who are trying to get their candidate elected.
candidate - the person that the campaign is trying to elect.
caucus - an important meeting where party leaders decide on who the candidate for their political party should be.
convention - This is a large meeting of all the states where the final decision on who the candidate will be takes place.
debate - an organized argument between candidates where they discuss and defend their policies regarding America.
Democrat - U.S. political party; person who belongs to the Democrat Party
election - the selection of a person to do the job by voting
electoral votes - The number of votes each state has depending on the population of that state
G.O.P - Another name for the Republican Party. G.O.P. stands for Grand Old Party.
primary - an election some states hold to pick their candidate to represent their political party
Republican - U.S. political party; a person who belongs to the Republican Party
running mate - the vice presidential candidate running for office with the presidential candidate.
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