League of Women Voters

Unit Title: Elephants v. Donkeys
Course Title: Social Studies
Grade Level: 5
Instructor: Ms. Wolf

Title of Today’s lesson with a brief description:
o League of Women Voters
• Today the students will learn about the League of Women Voters. They will independently read and look at picture artifacts about the Winona League of Women Voters from 1966. The chairperson from the Winona League of Women Voters will come talk to the class about the organization, what they do here in Winona and for the campaign and election process. After the guest speaker, the students will write an essay on what the League of Women Voters is and why it is important to the election process and Winona.

Materials/resources needed:
• League of Women Voters artifact copies (class set)
• Lynn Theurer (chairperson of Winona’s League of Women Voters)
• Highlighters (class set)
• Writing paper
• Scrap paper (for brainstorming)
Goals for today’s lesson:
• Students will identify people and organizations that have dealt with challenges and made a positive difference in other peoples lives and explain their contributions to the political campaign.
• Students will explain the meaning of civic life and how all members of a community can be engaged.
• Students will identify and research community problems and recommend solutions.
Objectives for today’s lesson:
• Students will improve writing and communication skills.
• Students will contribute opinions on issues, and compare with others.
• Students will record information from the guest speaker and artifacts.
• Students will exhibit the writing process.
Procedures
a) Introductory experiences
• Begin class by discussing the several organizations around the United States that are involved in the political system and the election process. (2 minutes)
i. These organizations do not always represent a single party. They may represent topics like water resources, or equality of opportunity.
• Show the first artifact
i. The brochure cover of Winona County’s League of Women Voters (1 minute)
1. Explain how the League of Women Voters is an organization that people can join to voice their opinion on certain issues. The party does not have dominant “political” title. The League will never identify with a party or candidate.
• Pass out remaining artifacts for the lesson describing that they are articles from 1966 about the Winona League of Women voters.
• Have students quietly read the article and highlight things that are important. (3 minutes)
b) Developmental experiences:
1. Explain after the reading that the League of Women Voters is not located only in Winona. It is a national organization with several offices in the United States, one including Winona. (2 minutes)
2. Ask students to get out a notebook and pencil because there will be a guest speaker coming in to talk about Winona’s chapter of the League of Women Voters. Students will need to take notes because they will write an essay after the guest speaker. (2 minute)
3. Introduce the guest speaker (1 minute)
a. Guest speaker is: Lynn Theurer. She is the Chairperson of the Winona County League of Women Voters.
4. Lynn Theurer will talk about the organization, history, involvement in the community, problems they address, population involved in the organization, involvement in the United States election/campaigning process, and hand out informational brochures on the League of Women Voters (Winona Chapter). (14 minutes)
5. Allow time to ask questions and get scrap paper from the front of the classroom for brainstorming on the information given today. (2 minutes)
6. Tell students to brainstorm ideas to answer the question: “What is the League of Women Voters and why is it important in Winona and the election process?” (5 minutes)
7. When brainstorming is complete have students raise their hand for teacher to check their brainstorming. They will then be given a piece of writing paper to begin their essay. (1 minute)
c) Culminating experiences:
• Give students time to write their essay. (10 minutes)
• Have students hand in their essays in the front of the class. If they did not finish during class time, they will finish during free time. (1 minute)
Assessments:
• Highlight artifact copies and take notes on information being presented.
• Check brainstorming information before writing process begins.
• Walk around observing and interacting with each student during the writing process.
• Read essays when they are completed and return back to the students to make corrections.