Construct courses in a manner so that they are tied together by a
common theme (departmentally or within your college)
Artistic expressions that exemplify issues that are related to policy
and/or politics (drama, painting, drawing, poetry, song, and or written
word) Publish and/or publicly display the product (e.g. performance,
at an expo, compilation of students’ works, etc.)
Host benefit dinner and/or large fundraisers
Voter registration and drives
Large Lecture Activities for Political Engagement
1. Write a letter to a public official
Break this down into a multi-stage process
Pick the issue
Why is it important?
Three sources of information on the issue.
Who writing the letter to and why?
Write the letter and send copy to official (include specific guidelines for the actual letter)
2. Short answer questions about current events
Have students start the semester with 10-12 index cards and bring them to class.
Once a week or every other week share a current events news story and ask a few short answer questions relevant to the course content.
What level of government is involved? Why?
3. Guest speakers involved in policy issues relevant to course content.
Local officials dealing with policy/funding issues (school superintendents, mayors, police chiefs, etc…)
Have people talk about why they are involved in politics or the policy realm.
Hosting a debate between local candidates.
4. Analysis of 2008 Presidential Candidates
Evaluate 2-3 candidates from any party
Focus evaluation on issues relevant to course content
Foreign policy
Immigration
Homeland security
Education
Health Care
Environment
Medical research
Food security
Provide criteria for evaluation of each candidate
Accessibility of information
Quality of information
How feasible is the information/plan/strategy
Give each candidate a letter grade based on the above criteria.
