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Debate,

Should Kids Be Allowed to Vote?

Dan thinks kids should have the right to vote, but his town mayor disagrees. Whose side are you on?

From the October/November 2020 Issue
Lexiles: 500L-600L, 600L-700L
Featured Skill: Supporting an Argument,

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Dear Mayor Coleman, 

Everyone is talking about Election Day on November 3. I’m so excited! But I’m only 8 years old. The law says you have to be at least 18 to vote. So I’m going to miss out on the Election Day fun. I don’t think that’s fair!

I think everyone should have a say in picking our leaders, including kids. What our leaders decide could make a big difference in kids’ lives. Many issues like education and saving the environment will impact kids much more than adults. Shouldn’t kids have a say in who is making these decisions?

Some adults might think that kids don’t care enough to vote. But that’s not true! I love talking about the news with my family and friends. I’ve learned a ton about the problems that our country and town are facing. I bet I know more than some adults do!

Besides, kids have a lot of fresh ideas. Age just shouldn’t matter when it comes to voting!

Sincerely,

Dan

Everyone is talking about Election Day on November 3. I’m so excited! But I’m only 8 years old. You have to be at least 18 to vote. So I’m going to miss out on the Election Day fun. I don’t think that’s fair!

I think everyone should be able to pick our leaders. Even kids! Our leaders make a lot of decisions. Those decisions could make a big difference in kids’ lives. Issues like education and saving the environment will mostly affect kids. Shouldn’t kids have a say in who is making these decisions?

Some adults might think that kids don’t care enough to vote. But that’s not true! I love talking about the news with my family and friends. I’ve learned all about the problems in our country and town. I bet I know more than some adults do!

Besides, kids have a lot of new ideas. Age just shouldn’t matter when it comes to voting!

Sincerely,

Dan

Dear Dan,

Thank you so much for your letter. I’m thrilled that you’re excited about Election Day! When I was your age, I wanted to vote too. But I probably would have just voted the same way as my parents. It’s important for voters to carefully form their own opinions. Kids need more life experiences before they can do that.

Plus, there are other ways for kids to get involved in the community. You can pick an issue you care about, like banning plastic bags from stores or planting more trees in town. Then work to make it happen! Learn the names of your local leaders. And don’t be afraid to email or write to them. After all, they work for YOU!

And here’s some good news. You can still take part in Election Day this year! You can encourage the adults in your life to use their voice and vote.

Sincerely,

Mayor Coleman

Thank you so much for your letter. I’m so happy that you’re excited about Election Day! I remember when I was 8 years old. I wanted to vote then too. But I probably would have just voted the same way as my parents. Voters need to have their own opinions. And kids need more experiences to form them.

There are other ways for kids to get involved in the community. You can pick an issue you care about. How about banning plastic bags from stores or planting more trees in town? Then you can work to make it happen! Learn the names of your local leaders. And don’t be afraid to email or write to them. After all, they work for YOU!

And here’s some good news. You can still take part in Election Day this year! You can encourage the adults in your life to vote.

Sincerely,

Mayor Coleman

What do you think? 

Go back to the letters and find reasons to support each side of the argument. Write down the information, then study the points on both sides. State your opinion in one sentence, which can be the introduction to an opinion paragraph.

What do you think? 

Go back to the letters and find reasons to support each side of the argument. Write down the information, then study the points on both sides. State your opinion in one sentence, which can be the introduction to an opinion paragraph.

Photo credits: Shutterstock.com

Photo credits: Shutterstock.com

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Can't Miss Teaching Extras
From Scholastic

Take a look at Scholastic’s free 2020 election website for some great resources related to the November election! Click “The Issues” tab, select grades 3-6, and then explore key issues such as climate change, pandemic response, and racial justice in a series of short articles.

 

Watch a Video about Government

Electing a president is a really important part of voting, but the president isn’t the only person in charge of making decisions for our country. Individual states, cities, and towns all have groups of people responsible for making rules in our communities. This 3.5-minute video from PBS Kids features a young person explaining what the government is, why we need it, and why voting matters. 

 

Inspire Students to Write to Local Leaders

Inspire your students to get engaged in local politics by encouraging them to brainstorm issues they’re passionate about in their own community. Then, help them write letters to their local leaders and find out how to get involved in making a difference. You can find contact information for elected officials here.

 

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
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1. PREPARING TO READ

Have students preview the text features. Ask:

    What is the topic of the debate? (Prompt students to use the debate title and the     heading on the chart as clues.) 

    What are the two opinions people might have about this topic?

2. READING THE DEBATE

Depending on the reading level of your students, read the debate as a class or break the class into groups.

Have students read the debate a second time. Prompt them to highlight evidence supporting each side as they come across it. Using two different colors of highlighters would be useful here.

3. DISCUSSING

As a class or in groups, have students discuss:

Which opinion has the best evidence to support it?

Is one side stronger than the other? Why?

What is your opinion? What evidence helped you form your opinion?

For more advanced readers: Do you think the author has an opinion on this issue? What is your evidence?

4. WRITING

Have students complete the chart in the magazine or our full-page printable chart (available in your Resources tab in PDF and interactive formats).

Guide students to write an essay on the debate topic, using the chart they filled out.

Text-to-Speech