Sequence: NZ Govt The elections

Sequence Information
Sequence: NZ Govt The elections
Description:
This is a jigsaw activity designed to investigate various aspects of the election in NZ. 5 different groups investigate 5 individual aspects;
The Maori roll
How do people vote?
How do people enrol to vote?
What are electorates?
Who becomes the government?

This sequence can also be used as a template for other jigsaw activities where separate groups are required to work on different aspects of a topic and then come back together again as a class.

Keywords: Elections, NZ government, Maori roll, vote, electorate

Subject: Elections

Audience: Stage 3 Primary School (10-12 year olds). Class size not important but remember to change groups accordingly.

Run time:1.5 hours in a library setting/computer laboratory setting. Time should also be given to students in class to prepare their posters.

Delivery Mode: Blended - Intially in a computer laboratory setting and then in the classroom.

Resources:

Outline of Activities:]
Lesson outline

1.    Introduction the topic and the general stages students will go through. Make sure students are aware that they will be working in groups to produce posters on different aspects of the election at the end of the activity.
Tool: Noticeboard

2.    A general brainstorming activity to see what students already know about the election. Students are asked the following questions;

How often are elections help in NZ?
2. What date will the election be held this year?
3. How many seats are there in Parliament?
4. Who is the leader of the National party?
5. Name NZ's system of government

Go through the answers with the class at the end (briefly)
Tool: Q&A

3.    Students use the forum to write at least one thing under each heading in the forum;
What I know about the election
What I think I know about the election
What I don’t know about the election.

When they have done this, encourage them to read other classmate’s entries and write answers if they know the answer.

At the end of the session (or for homework) students should be encouraged to re-visit the forum and see how many unanswered questions they can now write about.
Tool: Forum

4.    This tool groups the students for the next activity (research) and also for the chat at the end of the session
Tool: Grouping


5.    The Noticeboard serves to tell students about the task and what particular aspect of the election each group has to work on. Students can revisit this activity or the grouping activity at any time through the progress bar.
Tool: Noticeboard

6.    This section is divided into 5 separate shared resources activities. Each group should only choose the topic that is relevant to them. They will then be taken to a shared resource tool specific to their area.

Group 1 - How do people vote? Students are presented with information of how people vote in an MMP system. They need to explain the ‘party’ vote as well as the ‘electorate’.

Group 2 - How do people enrol to vote? Students are given information that explains how to enrol to vote.  How do you do it? How old do you have to be? Can you vote if you are overseas? Why should you enrol to vote?

Group 3 - What is the Maori Roll? Students are given information on the Maori roll. What is it? What must people do to list on the Maori Roll? Who do people registered on the Maori Roll vote for? How many Maori electorates are there and what are their names?

Group 4 - What are Electorates? Students are given information on what electorates are. How are the boundaries of electorates made? What is your electorate?

Group 5 - Who becomes the government? Students are given information to explain who becomes the government after the election. They are asked to use the words ‘majority’ and ‘election’ in their explanation. They are also given the 2002 election result to use as an example.
Tool: Optional activities – 5 X shared resources


7.    Students now have the opportunity to discuss with other group members what information they have found on the web and what they will include in their poster.
Tool: Chat

8.    Tis noticeboard is to remind students to go back to the forum at the beginning of the class and answer questions that they now know the answer to.
Tool: Noticeboard


Useful URLs
Decision Maker
http://www.decisionmaker.co.nz/guide2003/education/index.html
TKI
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/socialscience/curriculum/SSOL/election/index_e.php

The Elections
http://www.elections.org.nz/

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Subjects:
Language: English
LAMS Version: 1.0.0.b.6
License: Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike
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Authored By:   Karen Baskett
Date: 29 September 2005 06:57 PM
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