Slide deck for teachers - Does Voting Matter? | Elections Canada's Civic Education

Slide	Title	Text
1		Does Voting Matter?
2	Inquiry Question	Does Voting Matter?
3	Minds On	What do I care about? Raise your hand if you care… [Teacher's note: This activity should take only a minute or two; do not spend a lot of time discussing these questions. Your goal is to introduce the big idea that elected officials make decisions that affect all Canadians.]
4	Minds On	Do you care if the government: changes rules about immigration to Canada?
5	Minds On	Do you care if the government: makes it more difficult for seniors to receive the Old Age Security pension?
6	Minds On	Do you care if the government: places penalties on businesses that contribute to climate change?
7	Minds On	Do you care if the government: joins a military alliance that could lead to war?
8	Minds On	Do you care if the government: changes prison terms for serious crimes?
9	Minds On	Do you care if the government: removes coins as a method of paying for items?
10	Minds On	Do you care if the government: negotiates new agreements with Indigenous people?
11	Minds On	The Government of Canada makes decisions about each of these matters through our elected members of Parliament. Whether we realize it or not, and whether we choose to vote or not, many parts of our lives are affected by the decisions of lawmakers.
12	Minds On	Class Poll: Does voting matter to you? [Teacher's notes: You can use the dot-voting template provided. You’ll need to enlarge the template or create your own poster using chart paper. Alternatively, you can use a polling app or other online voting tool. Explain that students will revisit the inquiry question “Does voting matter?” at the end of the lesson.]
13	Activity	Voting Simulation We will have four rounds of voting. We will elect a new president today. [Teacher's note: Place a campaign sign in each of the four corners of the room.]
14	Activity	Candidates will now read a prepared speech to the class. [Teacher's notes: Select four students to represent each of the four parties: Captain’s Party, Dinosaur Party, Wizard Party and Zombie Party. Make sure to select students who are comfortable standing up and reading aloud to the class. If possible, give them a few minutes to read the speeches, especially the end where they have to create a dino call, or walk like a zombie, etc. Encourage students to add their own dramatic and comic flair.]
15	Activity	Captain’s Party Speech [Teacher's notes: Show this slide as the Captain’s Party candidate is speaking.]
16	Activity	Dinosaur Party Speech [Teacher's note: Show this slide as the Dinosaur Party candidate is speaking.]
17	Activity	Wizard Party Speech [Teacher's note: Show this slide as the Wizard Party candidate is speaking.]
18	Activity	Zombie Party Speech [Teacher's note: Show this slide as the Zombie Party candidate is speaking.]
19	Activity	Round 1 – Free vote Go to the corner of the room featuring the party of your choice. If you choose not to vote, remain seated.
20	Activity	Round 1 – Results Everyone must do the activity of the winning candidate’s party platform. How did the outcome of the vote affect you? [Teacher's note: E.g. make a dino call, or move like a zombie.]
21	Activity	Round 2 – Low Voter Turnout Only five students may vote. If you were not selected to vote, remain seated. [Teacher's note: Choose a random method of assigning voter turnout in this scenario, e.g. cards or seating position. Ties should be broken by a coin toss or other tie breaker.]
22	Activity	Round 2 – Results Everyone must do the activity of the winning candidate’s party platform. For voters: How did your vote affect the election? For non-voters: How did you feel about not being able to participate?
23	Activity	Round 3 – 50% turnout Half the students may vote. If you were not selected to vote, remain seated.
24	Activity	Round 3 – Results Everyone must do the activity of the winning candidate’s party platform. How did the outcome of this vote compare to the previous two votes? How might the outcome have been different if the other half of the class had voted?
25	Activity	Round 4 – Secret Ballot Mark your ballot in secret. All students may vote if they wish. If you vote for more than one party, your vote will be spoiled and will not be counted.
26	Activity	Round 4 – Results Everyone must do the activity of the winning candidate’s party platform. How was the outcome of the election the same as or different from the first vote? Did you vote differently knowing that your ballot was secret? Why or why not? Does voting matter? Explain your answer.
27	Activity	Impact in Real Life Voting (or not voting) can affect the outcome of an election. In real life, the decisions that elected officials make affect the lives of millions of people, whether they voted or not.
28	Activity	Does Voting Matter? Marie-Claire’s Story
29	Activity	Does Voting Matter? Marcie’s Story
30	Activity	Does Voting Matter? Did voting have an impact on her life? How have her experiences influenced her attitudes towards democracy and voting? How would she answer the question: "Does voting matter?"
31	Consolidation	Class Poll: Does voting matter to you? [Teacher's note: If you are using the dot-voting template, use a new colour of dot or marker so you can compare the two polls.]
32	Consolidation	Class Poll What do you notice about your poll? What do you wonder about? Did our opinions change?
33	Consolidation	Reflection One thing I learned is… One question I have now is… One action I will take as a result of this learning activity is… [Teacher's note: You can use the provided Exit Card handout which has these questions printed on it.]