Compulsory Voting Deliberation (Elementary School)

This elementary-school-level deliberation activity asks the following question: Should voting be compulsory in the United States?

It includes a deliberation reading and glossary.

Note: This is an elementary-school-level resource (grades 4 and 5). A middle-school-level version and a high-school-level version are also available.

Deliberation teaches people how to discuss controversial issues by carefully considering multiple perspectives and searching for consensus. In preparation for deliberations, all participants read common, balanced background information on the issue. During the discourse, they offer arguments for each position on a contested public issue, first drawing from the text and then bringing in their own experiences.

• Read a detailed description of the Deliberation method.
• Our Deliberation Demonstration Video and Resource Bundle includes several resources to help you successfully conduct deliberations in your classroom.