POLITICS, DEMOCRACY AND ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
UNIT „ POLITICS, DEMOCRACY AND ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP“
This lesson examines political systems and regimes in the contemporary world. The objective of this lesson is to help students to be aware of the history and current state of politics and regimes across the globe.
Duration: 15 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Reading |
Complete one multiple choice and one true/false test based on the book Critical Concepts: An Introduction to Politics. Answer the questions from Chapter 7: Regimes. |
Duration: 15 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Listening & Speaking |
Please, watch the video below and answer the multiple choice questions analyzing different forms of government.. You can access the questions and the video through EdPuzzle. |
Duration: 15 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Reading & Writing |
Read the text discussing the structure of governments and create a chart on different governmental systems (Democracy, Theocracy, Communism, Monarchy) based on freedom of speech, voting, property rights and laws. Political System – The structure of government (Britannica): https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-system/The-structure-of-government#ref36723 |
Duration: 10 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Listening & Speaking |
Please, watch, evaluate and discuss a video analyzing the historical evolution of political regimes in the world. Also take notes on at least two or three key facts on the discussed forms of political regimes and discuss the trajectory of democratization and authoritarianism throughout the last two centuries. Evolution of Political Regimes In The World Since 1816 – World Map of Political Regimes (Charts by Worldwide Engineering): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haqBUDIC2J0
Teachers can ask these questions to the students: How has democracy evolved in the last 200 years in the world? How have autocratic regimes evolved in the last 200 years in the world? Is there a specific pattern of democratization throughout the world? What are some regional patterns in terms of democratization? |
Duration: 25 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Reading & Speaking |
Please, evaluate different aspects of political regimes by the analogy of a car. While thinking about this metaphor, ask questions such as “What makes the community car democratic?”, “Are other political relations possible in the democratic designed space?”, “How inspiring can a political design approach be for designers?”. Analyze the relations of control, power and access inside the car as political systems, trying to relate the design of the devices inside the car underline the hierarchy and behavior of people. Then draw a chart for the car that represents your idea of an ideal political regime. Please, compare the car charts they have drawn symbolizing your ideal political systems with that of the Politicomobil. Discuss charts with those of others and comparatively discuss pros & cons of different political systems.
Questions (Politicomobil): http://people.interactionivrea.org/b.negrillo/politicomobil/images/questions.gif |
Duration: 15 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Reading, Drawing & Speaking |
Please, evaluate the sketches of political systems inside a car based on the prepared charts. In addition, draw your own sketches symbolizing your idea of an ideal political regime and present your drawing to the class. Political systems inside community car (Politicomobil): http://people.interactionivrea.org/b.negrillo/politicomobil/analysis.html
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Duration: 20 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Listening |
Watch an informative video on political systems. You are encouraged to think outside the box concerning classical forms of regimes and governments and consider whether there can be more than one ideal form of governance including universality and plurality.
A tale of two political systems (TED): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0YjL9rZyR0 |
Duration: 40 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Speaking |
Please, select two political regimes and record and upload a video of your personal opinions and reflections regarding the positive and negative aspects of those regimes. Then, formulate and discuss an ideal governmental system that enhances the positive aspects and solves the problems of the two discussed regimes.
You can share the video through uploading the videos to the cloud (drive) or a dedicated LMS (Google Classroom etc.). |
Duration: 40 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Reading |
Read one article by the New York Times based on the group that you are in. The articles are about democracy and authoritarian regimes in order to get ready for a debate on the topic.
Answer the following questions while reading the assigned article: Article 1: How Does Populism Turn Authoritarian? Venezuela Is a Case in Point: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/world/americas/venezuela-populism-authoritarianism.html 1. How are populism, democracy and authoritarianism related in the article? 2. What is the role of the judiciary in a state of democracy? 3. What are some common characteristics of populist leaders? 4. What are the other institutions affected by the Venezuelan leader for the so-called purpose of democratizing and responding to the will and needs of the people? Article 2: Trump’s Threat to Democracy: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/opinion/trumps-how-democracies-die.html 1. What are the four warning signs to determine if a political leader is a dangerous authoritarian? 2. What is the role of elections or the ballot box in the death of democracies? 3. What institutions are critical to maintain democracy? |
Duration: 20 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Reading |
You are given 14 elements that should exist in a democracy and rank given elements from the most essential to least essential. Link to the following task sheet: https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/476-identifying-essential-elements/fdb7620f42a7c76af5f2/optimized/full.pdf#page=1
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Duration: 10 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Reading |
Summarize your assigned articles.
Article 1: How Does Populism Turn Authoritarian? Venezuela Is a Case in Point: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/world/americas/venezuela-populism-authoritarianism.html 1. How is populism, democracy and authoritarianism related in the article? 2. What is the role of the judiciary in a state of democracy? 3. What are some common characteristics of populist leaders? 4. What are the other institutions affected by the Venezuelan leader for the so-called purpose of democratizing and responding to the will and needs of the people?
Article 2: Trump’s Threat to Democracy: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/opinion/trumps-how-democracies-die.html 1. What are the four warning signs to determine if a political leader is a dangerous authoritarian? 2. What is the role of elections or the ballot box in the death of democracies? 3. What institutions are critical to maintain democracy? |
Duration: 25 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Speaking |
You are expected to have a debate on the given topic of “Is direct democracy preferable to representative democracy?”. You are given 5 minutes to review the notes shared below and the group plans as well as your debate points. Then, the time given to both groups to support their arguments also referring to the assigned articles is 15 minutes. The time will be used in a structured way based on the number of group members (for instance, each group member can speak and respond to the other group in 2 minutes and a total of 6 minutes). In the last five minutes, the teacher concludes the debate and the winner group is selected by the jury and the teacher. Attached and linked notes on the debate: https://debatewise.org/3009-direct-vs-representative-democracy/
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Duration: 10 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Listening |
Please, watch the very short video of inauguration speeches by Trump and Biden as US Presidents. While watching the video, you can also take notes on the highlights of the speech and to compare given leaders. If there is time left, you can also comment on the significance of the inauguration speech of leaders just before they become official presidents of a country
Trump vs Biden Inauguration Speeches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tNNsLuJezg |
Duration: 15 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Reading |
Read the article and the comparison chart to help voters make informed decisions. The chart is especially helpful since it compares two candidates in terms of some important issues that should be addressed in democracies such as education, ethics, gender issues, and freedom etc.
Presidential candidate comparison: https://www.miamiarch.org/CatholicDiocese.php?op=Article_florida-bishops-2020-elections-presidential-candidate-comparison
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Duration: 10 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Reading |
Read the linked article based on different types of leaders and their characteristics. After reading the given article, decide on your favorite type of leaders and favorable characteristics.
Article: Which of the 10 Leadership Styles Works Best for You? https://learn.g2.com/leadership-styles
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Duration: 20 min |
Learning outcome: + Analytical thinking +Critical thinking + Open-mindedness |
Learning skills: Writing & Speaking |
Please write an inauguration speech or ‘balcony speech’ as it is called in Turkey and maybe some other countries. The speech can be short and even informal to address the people. The speech should address different controversial topics and solutions or proposals to deal with those issues. Presidential candidate comparison: https://www.miamiarch.org/CatholicDiocese.php?op=Article_florida-bishops-2020-elections-presidential-candidate-comparison Article: Which of the 10 Leadership Styles Works Best for You? https://learn.g2.com/leadership-styles |
