LEARNING OBJECTIVE

To read and evaluate two opposing viewpoints, describe the political issues that impact teens, and analyze their ability to think critically about these issues

HEALTH ED STANDARD

Demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health (NHES 8)

KEY VOCAB

amendments, civic engagement, formative, apathetic, reiterating, enlightenment

Lesson Plan: Should You Have the Right to Vote?

Politics often involve issues that affect teens directly, so many countries have lowered their voting age to 16. Should the U.S. do the same?

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Should teens have an equal say as adults on important issues?

 CLOSE-READING QUESTIONS

  1. According to Shreyas, how has social media impacted teens’ political views? He says teens are more informed and involved because they are able to connect with people around the world on issues that they care about the most. 
  2. What does Josephine say about most teens’ political views? She says most teens are just parroting what their parents tell them or what they’ve seen on internet memes. 
  3. What does Josephine believe needs to happen in order for teens to be ready to vote? She thinks teens need to observe, read, participate in thoughtful discussions, and have more life experiences before they are enlightened enough to vote. 

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 CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS

  1. Where do your political views come from? Are they passed down from your parents, or have you formulated them on your own? Answers will vary. 
  2. Do you feel like social media has impacted the political views of you and your friends? Be specific. Possible answer: We share political memes and follow the same YouTubers. Some of my friends have taken on the political views of those people, and then share their thoughts with the rest of us. 
  3. Of the political issues that Shreyas says directly affect teens, which one do you care about most? Explain your answer. Possible answer: I care most about the cost of education because I’ll be getting ready to go to college soon. (Other answers could include the environment, LGBT+ issues, and health care.)

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

EXTENSION ACTIVITY

NHES 5, CCSS.ELA.Literacy.CCRA.SL.1

Healthy debate is a core part of democracy, but it’s not something many people practice. In this activity, students will gather their thoughts on our DEBATE ORGANIZER and make a decision on where they stand. Then they’ll use effective communication skills to practice having a healthy debate with their peers.

EXTENSION ACTIVITY

NHES 2

In this activity, students will work in groups to find video clips that highlight the worldwide voting age debate. Using the VOTING AGES AROUND THE WORLD worksheet, they’ll gather hard facts that support their argument. (If technology is limited, you can pre-select videos to show to the class.)

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