Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a politician?  Do you want to be involved in the political process?  Now is the chance!  In this two-week class, students will create their own political platforms, participate in a debate, write a letter to a local or national representative, and give an inspirational speech!  

What will each class look like?

Day 1 - Students will introduce themselves to their peers.  They will each begin to craft their own political platform that they will use for the duration of the course.  The teacher will provide examples, answer questions, assist students in articulating what their individual stances are on each issue, and support them through the lesson.

Day 2 - Students will write a short inspirational speech that they will deliver to their classmates.  The speeches will attempt to sway the audience to vote for them as a candidate.  

Day 3 - Students will participate in a debate of the issues, where they will have a chance to persuade others of their views, acknowledge holes in their opponent's arguments, and respond to criticism.  

Day 4 - On this last day of class, students will decide on an issue that is important to them.  These issues can be anything from neighborhood graffiti to fixing potholes to education reform.  They will research to determine which political representative is most appropriate to address this concern, and they will write a letter to the representative.  After review, the students are welcome to mail the letters or email them to the representatives.