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HomeCivics and You!

CIVICS AND YOU!*
Energize Young Voters In Washington

Welcome to Civics and You! An interactive civics experience to inform and engage youth and their community in our democracy. This program is designed for high school teachers to enhance their civics instruction but can easily be used by community colleges and community groups seeking to promote civics learning with the aim of developing leadership skills and the habit of voting.

What’s included? The program has two major components:

  • The Fighting for The Vote component consists of three interactive lessons that examine the history of voting, explore the demographics of who is (and isn’t) voting in recent elections, and gives students practice in making informed choices when voting.

  • The Fighting For Change component focuses on issues identification, the characteristics of leadership, and how an individual can lead at any age. The three lessons in Fighting For Change provide interactive exercises to engage students.

 
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Civics and You! is easy to use - everything needed to teach the lessons is included:  presentations, scripts, and supporting materials for exercises. Each of the six lessons is designed to be taught in a typical 40-minute class time frame. The lessons can stand alone or they can be taught together in the order chosen by you. Keep in mind, the program is best taught in person to optimize its interactive aspects, however it can be taught remotely as well. And League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County (LWVSKC) is proud to share this program with you -- free of charge!


Inglemoor HS teacher Alexander Baker reports, 

"I've taught Civics for almost 10 years and the Civics and You! lessons from the League of Women Voters are the most exciting instruction I have come across. The lessons are ready to use, designed to be interactive, and they inspired greater participation in the Candidate Forum and Mock Election in my 12th grade classroom.”



Part I. FIGHTING FOR THE VOTE**
Lesson 1 is called: The Suffrage Timeline (What’s it Worth?)
In this lesson you will learn about the history of your vote— from the start of the nation through the ongoing fight against voter suppression. This lesson includes an interactive game where participants take on an avatar (character) and role play when the avatar they have could vote. Included are all the avatar cards as well as instructions and different combinations of avatar cards, depending on class/group size.

. You can find the presentation and script here:  Presentation and Script 
. You can find the avatar cards 1-28 here:  Avatar cards 1-28   
. You can find the avatar cards 29-50 here:  Avatar cards 29-50
. You can find the avatar game directions here:  Avatar game directions  

Lesson 2 is called: The Truth About Turnout (Who’s Got the Power?)
In this lesson you will learn about voter turnout and why people vote/don’t vote. This lesson includes an interactive excuses game that covers reasons why people don’t vote and what one can say to minimize/eliminate excuses and encourage voting.

. You can find the presentation and script here: The Truth About Turnout
. You can find the PowerPoint presentation of Excuses and Responses here: Excuses and Responses  
. You can find the Excuses Game Directions here:  Excuses game directions    
. You can find the Excuses Game cards for students here:  Excuses game cards for students
. You can find the Teacher Copy of the Excuses game here:  Teacher copy Excuses game  
 
Lesson 3 is called: Vote By Design (How Do I Choose?)
In this lesson you will learn about a nonpartisan, issue-agnostic process for selecting candidates whose values and priorities support your own. Each presentation will look at a different government position. This lesson also includes a questionnaire designed for participants to discuss qualities they value in a leader.

. You can find the presentation and script for Local elections here:  Local Elections
. You can find the presentation and script for Board of Education here:  Board of Education
. You can find the presentation and script for Governor here:  Governor
 . You can find the presentation and script for President here:  President
. You can find the questionnaire on qualities of a leader here:  Leader Questionnaire

Part II. FIGHTING FOR CHANGE
Lesson 1 is called: What’s Your Issue (How Do I Determine Issues Important to Me?)
In this lesson you will learn that leadership is important, but that leadership is a group process and needs engaged supporters — the people. Participants explore the qualities of an effective leader via discussion of current issues.

. You can find the presentation here:  What’s Your Issue Presentation
. You can find the script here: link - What’s Your Issue Script

Lesson 2 is called: How Do I Effect Change (Inform, Act, Monitor)
In this lesson participants will identify an issue of importance to them and how the issue evidences itself. Bringing attention to their position, and knowing their rights when doing so, participants draft policy and advocate for it.

. You can find the presentation here:  How Do I Effect Change Presentation
. You can find the script here:  How Do I Effect Change Script

Lesson 3 is called: Across the Divide (How Do I Actively Listen? How Do I Speak To Be
Heard?)
In this lesson participants learn to speak so others can “hear” them and listen to understand the beliefs of others. Skills practice helps participants learn to express their concerns with conviction and civility.

. You can find the listening presentation here: Listening Presentation
. You can find the listening script here: Listening Script
. You can find the speaking presentation here: Speaking Presentation
. You can find the speaking script here: Speaking Script 

LWVSKC encourages you to use any/all of these civics lessons to better engage your civics learners. Let us all strengthen our democracy by empowering voters!
*Copyrights 2020-21 LWV of Southern Monmouth County, NJ and 2023-24 League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County, WA.
** Below is a link to a "train the trainer/presenter" video for Part I, Lesson 1 - the Suffrage Timeline and Part I, Lesson 2 - The Truth about Turnout.  Please note that the recording is for the state of NJ (from the Energizing Young Voters website) so some of the content may be different than Civics and You! which is Washington state specific.  Part I, Lesson 1 is first in the video; 
Part I, Lesson 2 starts at minute 57:  Fight for the Vote Training.