### Lesson Plan for Senior Secondary 1 Government: Electoral Process (Election)
**Subject:** Government
**Grade Level:** Senior Secondary 1
**Duration:** 90 minutes
**Topic:** Electoral Process (Election)
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#### **Objectives:**
- Students will understand the concept of elections and their importance in a democratic society.
- Students will learn about different types of electoral systems.
- Students will be able to describe the steps involved in the electoral process.
- Students will analyze the roles of different stakeholders in an election.
#### **Materials:**
- Whiteboard and markers
- Projector and computer
- Handouts on different types of electoral systems
- Sample ballot papers
- Voter registration forms (mock)
- A PowerPoint presentation on the electoral process
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#### **Introduction (10 minutes):**
1. **Warm-up Activity:**
- Ask students if they have heard of any recent elections in their country or internationally and what they know about them.
- Discuss their responses briefly to generate interest and gauge their prior knowledge.
2. **Objective Overview:**
- Explain the objectives of today's lesson.
- Explain the importance of elections in a democracy.
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#### **Instruction (30 minutes):**
1. **PowerPoint Presentation:**
- Definition of an election.
- Importance of elections in a democratic system.
- Various types of electoral systems:
- First-Past-The-Post (FPTP)
- Proportional Representation (PR)
- Mixed-Member Proportional System (MMP)
- Runoff Voting
2. **Explain the Electoral Process:**
- Voter Registration: Importance and requirements.
- Nomination of candidates: Criteria and procedures.
- Campaign period: Rules and regulations.
- Voting day: Procedures and protocols.
- Counting votes and announcing results.
- Post-election period: Dispute resolution and transition of power.
3. **Discussion on Stakeholders:**
- Roles of the Election Commission.
- Role of political parties.
- Role of the voters.
- Media’s role.
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#### **Activity (30 minutes):**
1. **Mock Election:**
- **Step 1:** Divide students into groups (political parties, election officials, voters).
- **Step 2:** Distribute sample ballot papers and mock voter registration forms.
- **Step 3:** Conduct a brief campaign session where party groups present their manifestos.
- **Step 4:** Carry out the voting process with ballot boxes and sample ballot papers.
- **Step 5:** Count votes and announce the results.
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#### **Discussion and Analysis (15 minutes):**
- Discuss the mock election process.
- What went well?
- What challenges arose?
- How does this compare to real-world elections?
- Reflect on:
- The fairness of the electoral process.
- Importance of transparency and integrity in elections.
- Potential issues like voter fraud, apathy, and influence of money in politics.
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#### **Conclusion (5 minutes):**
- Recap the day’s lesson.
- Ask open-ended questions to check for understanding:
- Why are elections important in a democracy?
- Can you explain one type of electoral system and how it works?
- What are the key steps in the electoral process?
- Provide a brief overview of what will be covered in the next lesson.
#### **Homework Assignment:**
- Write a short essay on:
- "The Importance of Free and Fair Elections in a Democracy."
- OR
- "Compare and Contrast Two Types of Electoral Systems."
#### **Assessment:**
- Participation in discussions and activities.
- Accuracy and completeness of the homework essay.
This lesson plan should help students in Senior Secondary 1 understand the fundamentals of the electoral process and the importance of elections in maintaining a democratic society.