Lesson Plan for Junior Secondary 2 - Civic Education - Electoral Malpractices

# Lesson Plan: Electoral Malpractices ## Grade Level: Junior Secondary 2 ### Subject: Civic Education ### Duration: 60 minutes ### Topic: Electoral Malpractices --- ### Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: 1. Define electoral malpractices. 2. Identify different types of electoral malpractices. 3. Understand the consequences of electoral malpractices. 4. Suggest ways to prevent electoral malpractices. ### Materials Needed: - Whiteboard and markers - Projector and laptop (if available) - Printed handouts of key concepts and definitions (optional) - A short video clip or documentary on electoral malpractices (optional) ### Lesson Procedure: #### Introduction (10 minutes) 1. **Greeting and Attendance**: Greet the students and take attendance. 2. **Ice Breaker**: Ask students if they have heard of any election issues in news reports or from adults in their community. Gather a few responses. 3. **Objective Discussion**: Briefly outline what the day's lesson will cover and why it is important. #### Direct Instruction (20 minutes) 1. **Definition**: Define electoral malpractices. - Example: "Electoral malpractices are illegal actions or unethical behaviors that undermine the fairness, transparency, and integrity of the electoral process." 2. **Types of Electoral Malpractices**: - **Vote Buying**: Illustrate how political candidates might give money, gifts, or promise favors in exchange for votes. - **Ballot Stuffing**: Explain how people might illegally add extra ballots to increase votes for a particular candidate. - **Intimidation**: Discuss how voters might be bullied or threatened to vote in a certain way. - **Rigging**: Explain how vote counts can be falsified or tampered with. - **Voter Suppression**: Describe measures taken to discourage or prevent certain groups from voting. 3. **Consequences**: Highlight the social, political, and economic impacts of electoral malpractices. - **Loss of Trust**: People lose faith in the democratic process. - **Unfair Representation**: Leads to leaders who may not represent the genuine will of the people. - **Social Unrest**: Can cause conflicts and instability in the country. #### Activity (20 minutes) 1. **Group Discussion**: Split students into groups of 4-5. Each group will discuss a type of electoral malpractice and brainstorm ways to prevent it. Provide each group with a specific malpractice type. Give them 10 minutes to discuss and then 5 minutes for each group to present. - **Vote Buying**: Education about electoral rights, legal punishment for offenders. - **Ballot Stuffing**: Use of secure and tamper-proof voting technology. - **Intimidation**: Strong security presence and anonymous voting. - **Rigging**: Transparent and independent electoral commission. - **Voter Suppression**: Ensuring equal access to voting resources for all groups. 2. **Presentation and Feedback**: Each group presents their ideas to the class. Encourage questions and discussion from the rest of the students. #### Conclusion (10 minutes) 1. **Review**: Quickly summarize the key points about electoral malpractices, their types, and consequences. 2. **Questions and Answers**: Allow students to ask any remaining questions. 3. **Homework Assignment**: Ask students to write a short essay (1-2 pages) on the importance of free and fair elections and how they contribute to democracy. Also include ways they think electoral malpractices can be reduced in their country. 4. **Closing**: Thank the students for their participation and remind them of the importance of being informed and active citizens. ### Assessment: - Group discussion participation and presentation. - Homework essay to evaluate understanding and personal engagement with the topic. --- This lesson plan aims to engage students with interactive discussions and critical thinking about the issue of electoral malpractices, ensuring they understand its significance and implications.