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GRADE LEVEL: High School |
Subject Areas
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THE
ACTIVITIES
VOTE
FOR ME
Description: Students will interview a local politician on his/her philosophy of sprawl and smart growth. Students will then role-play a politician running for office including writing and delivering a campaign speech on how he/she will address smart growth in his/her district.
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- Goals and Objectives
- Procedure and Teaching Suggestions
- Student Activity
- Extension
- Additional Internet Resources
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Students will investigate and understand their community's level of sprawl and need for smart growth. Students will prepare, conduct and assess a political interview. Students will create their own philosophy or platform on sprawl and smart growth via role playing a political candidate and writing and delivering an original campaign speech on solutions to sprawl.
PROCEDURE AND TEACHING SUGGESTIONS
Discuss how sprawl and smart growth are very important contemporary topics on political agendas. More and more, politicians will have to address solutions to these problems and make constituencies aware of the need for changes in their consumption of products and services and how the land is used in their regions. Quality of life and conservation of natural resources versus free capitalism and consumerism will be a standoff that is not going to be easy. Citizens must become proactive partners in smart growth by developing a personal philosophy on sprawl and smart growth.
Call
your local and regional state and congressional representatives and city
government officials to introduce your purpose and request appointments
for them to meet with your students on this project.
Discuss with students that the interviews are a means of introducing them to how leadership directs policy and laws. Talking to a politician will give the student an introductory perspective on how they develop their campaign platforms and strategies and subsequent policies.
STUDENT ACTIVITY
With teacher assistance, contact various local politicians to arrange an interview with them regarding their philosophy on sprawl and smart growth and how both pertain to their city/town/state.
Write a business letter requesting the interview.
Follow the letter with a telephone call to confirm interview.
Develop interview questions prior to the interview based upon the goals of the interview.
 Our nation is now being populated by smart people and the new economy. Smart people are in such great demand, they can go anywhere in the nation or anywhere in the world if they want to. If we don't provide them a quality of life to come to our states, to locate in our states, to raise children there and to pay taxes there, then we're going to get left behind on economic development. So this is not about private against public, or us against them, this is about a concerted effort, an overall planning effort, that makes money for everyone and preserves the quality of life. —Roy
Barnes |
Samples may include:
- How did you decide to get into public service as a (mayor, city council member, state senator, congressional representative, etc.)?
- What issues do think are most important to your constituency?
- What issues are personally important to you?
- Where are signs and problems of sprawl appearing in your district? Do you feel they are important enough to make their solutions a part of your administration or political responsibilities?
- What are some of the solutions you have initiated? Are they working?
- How will you address sprawl and smart growth issues in the future? Is sprawl going to get worse in your district? If so, how? Is sprawl going to lessen in your district? If so, how?
Now you are a politician running for the office of your choice. As the result of what you have learned from your interview, write a public campaign speech to describe YOUR political philosophy and intended actions on sprawl and smart growth, introducing facts and figures on the current sprawl problems in your district and your proposed solutions. Do not simply repeat what the politician you interviewed said — only incorporate their philosophies, concerns and ideas as you create your own philosophy. Remember, it must be compelling and understandable to the general public in order to win the race. Good Luck!
EXTENSION
A debate can also be incorporated into this activity as an extension whereby several political candidates sit on a panel and field questions from a moderator and/or the audience. A mini election can even take place within the class.
ADDITIONAL INTERNET RESOURCES
Local Web pages of
city and county governments to research political job descriptions and
bios of people in current office.
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© 2002 UNCW
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