Teachers Guide - The Choice 2004 | Teacher Center | FRONTLINE

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		Featured Lesson Plan Political Parties in Campaign 2004 Student Handout: What Do You Know About Political Parties in Campaign 2004? Student Handout: Checking Your Answers Student Handout: Democrats and Republicans

		Additional Lesson Ideas Candidate Character Traits Candidate Character Traits and Campaign Messages Analyzing Campaign Web Sites Exploring Political Action Groups The Youth Vote

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» Lesson Plan:

Political Parties in Campaign 2004

» Lesson Objectives:

In this lesson, students will become more familiar with:

» Materials Needed:

» Time Needed:

45 - 75 minutes, depending on the extent of the discussion

» Procedure:

Instruct students to answer the questions on the student handout entitled "What Do You Know About Political Parties in Campaign 2004?"

After students have attempted to answer these questions, give them the second handout, "Checking Your Answers." Tell students to return to questions on the first handout and research the answers, using classroom resources and the Internet resources listed on the second handout.

Conduct a classroom discussion about the students' answers. The conversation could address such topics as: What things are important to you and your family? Do you consider yourself a Democrat, Republican or Independent? How? Why?

If desired, students can take the Where Do You Fit quiz offered by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center for the People and the Press to determine where on the political spectrum their beliefs fit.

Have students complete the chart about the differences between Democrats and Republicans using classroom resources and the Internet resources listed on the second handout. This can be done individually, in small groups, or as a class.

If desired, direct students to this electoral state map from PBS's Newshour With Jim Lehrer to learn more about the voting patterns of your home state. The discussion could focus on such concerns as: How has your state voted at the presidential level? How might these voting patterns affect how much attention George W. Bush and John Kerry give your state in campaign 2004?

» Method of Assessment:

Class discussion
Submission of handout(s) after discussion