Lessons - Vote

Voting is more than just turning up, having your name ticked off the roll (and maybe buying a democracy sausage in bread!). Help your students understand how voting works in Victoria, and why their vote is so important.

The Vote module encourages students to evaluate what impact their action has had, reflect on any change it has created, and consider the campaigns of others in the class. Through the process of presenting party platforms, writing and delivering campaign speeches, designing How to Vote cards, and experiencing a mock election, students will gain a deeper understanding of the Victorian electoral system and why their vote is so important.

We highly recommend that you contact the VEC for resources to help you run a mock election in your school. We can send voting screens and ballot boxes as well as direct you to great voting resources around the web.

As with all our resources, choose the activities and lessons which suit your needs (and those of your students) the best. The lessons which we consider to be a “core” component of the Passport to Democracy program have been highlighted in red in the downloadable resource.

Teacher Lesson Plans

All lesson plans include curriculum links, learning activities, links to additional resources and Learning Intention & Success Criteria statements.

Lesson 1: An election campaign

In the groups they’ve been working in, students develop election speeches in order to persuade classmates to vote for them. We would recommend showing students examples of high quality political speeches- from both young people and older public figures.

Lesson 2: Speech and debate

Students now deliver their speeches and consider what makes a candidate worth voting for. This requires them to assess their values and what traits are important in a leader.

Lesson 3: Election time

Invite the Passport to Democracy team out to run a mock election incursion for your students. This interactive, engaging experience involves students in each part of the voting process; from lining up to get your name marked off the roll, to counting the votes using the preferential system.

Lesson 4: Why vote

After participating in the mock election, students will be asked to consider and reflect on why voting is important, and what else they can do as active citizens to make their voice heard.

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