Political Expression
Course
Political Science II
Unit II
Foundations and
Development of
Globalization
Essential
Question
How is political
expression in a
democratic society
used and why is it
important?
TEKS
§130.184(c)
(2)(A)(B)(C)
Prior Student
Learning
None
Estimated Time
2 to 3 hours
Rationale
Political expression is the foundation of any democratic institution. People
have sovereign rights and freedoms in a democratic society that are denied
in other restricted societies.
Objectives
The students will be able to:
1. Understand the different viewpoints on current issues of political
parties and interest groups in the US
2. Compare and contrast freedoms of speech and of the press in a
democratic and a communist society
3. Understand, analyze, and defend a point of view on contemporary
issues in the US
4. Interview four people about their political beliefs
Engage
Have the students list current issues that involve the US government. (Allow
the students to use current periodicals or websites as needed.) Write the
issues on the board. Have the students write the issues on a sheet of paper,
starting with what they consider the most important and ending it with the
least important. Then have the students explain in writing (4-5 sentences)
why they feel the issue they listed first is the most important one.
As a class have the students discuss the issues they feel are most important
and why. Have the students consider the following:
 Why do the issues vary in importance to individuals?
 Are these issues voted on during elections?
 Why is freedom to express personal beliefs and opinions beneficial to
the US?
 Why would other governments want to restrict political expression?
Use the Discussion Rubric for assessment.
Key Points
I. Introduction to Political Expression of Political Parties and Interest Groups
A. Political parties – are groups of people with broad common interests
who organize to win elections, control government, and thereby
influence government policies (Remy, 2003)
1. Have the political power to elect, campaign, and actually work in
government
2. Are subject to laws and regulations that define what a political
party can and cannot do in politics
3. Represent the people through elections and voting
B. Interest groups – a group of people that share common goals and
1
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
organize to influence government
1. Interest groups are usually made up of powerful people who come
together because of a common interest, (e.g. gun control) and
attempt to influence government to make laws that help their cause
2. They do not have actual political power to force through laws on
their important issues
C. Primary concerns of political parties and interest groups
1. What is the purpose of government? What should the government
be allowed to do to protect the people—should it be big and control
more or small and control less?
2. How does the government protect the people? Are there certain
laws or regulations that should be passed to protect the people or
should the government not interfere with them?
3. How does the government allow people to prosper? Does the
government have the right to influence people’s prosperity (i.e.
make them wealthier) or should that right be reserved for
individuals? Is the role of the government to influence trade,
economics, and personal incomes?
4. How does the government keep the US as arguably the most
powerful country on Earth? What policies should the US
government accept or reject to improve/maintain its national
security and prestige without interfering with the above questions?
Is there a way that the government can protect the country without
interfering with the lives of its citizens?
D. What it means to be conservative or liberal in politics (Note: This is an
extremely complicated subject that is easy to oversimplify. A
classroom debate or an individual research project may help students
to grasp the differences and the complexities.)
1. Conservatives
a) Everyone is economically responsible for him or herself
b) Wealth comes to those who work hard and earn it
c) Government should
(1) Remain small
(2) Stay out of business and economy
(3) Protect the rights of the people
2. Liberals
a) Government should
(1) Take responsibility for helping people who cannot help
themselves
(2) Be big enough to handle all potential problems
(3) Protect the rights of the people
3. Republicans (conservatives mainly)
a) People are responsible for their own livelihoods and the
government should interfere in business and the economy only
to protect that freedom to ensure growth
b) Government should be smaller—laws and regulations should
2
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
be minimal
Mainly concerned with adhering to traditional values, which in
contemporary society are often but not always Judeo-Christian
in nature. These values, to varying degrees, influence
Republican beliefs on a variety of issues, such as marriage
equality, birth control, the environment, etc.
4. Democrats (liberals mainly)
a) Government should regulate the economy to protect
individuals from the power and influence of big businesses and
to protect US businesses from global competition
b) Government should be big enough to ensure the rights and
freedoms of the people
c) Government should protect social changes in the country
E. Interest groups work with political parties by
1. Creating newspapers, commercials, television interviews
2. Having national meetings that spread the message of the party
3. Using funds and/or social structures to increase public awareness
or to sway public opinion about shared issues/concerns
4. Offering the advice and abilities of members to help create
campaigns or influential tools that spread a desired message
c)
II. Political Expression and Democracy
A. Democracy – a system of government ruled by the people that allows
for political expression
1. Direct Democracy – the people govern themselves by voting
individually on each issue
2. Representative Democracy – the people elect representatives and
give them the responsibility and power to make laws and conduct
government
3. Popular Sovereignty – the people give their consent to be
governed by a certain government; power flows from the people
4. Government is for the people and by the people—it answers to
what the people want
B. Political Expression – a way for citizens of any country to express
their opinions on any issue by being politically active
1. Examples of political activity include:
a) Voting
b) Protesting
c) Running for political office
d) Supporting a specific political candidate
2. Rights that allow for political expression
a) Freedom of Speech – a citizen’s right to say anything as long
as it does not threaten another person
b) Freedom of the Press – a citizen’s right to write, publish,
and/or distribute materials that express his or her opinions to
others as long as it does not threaten another person
3
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
c)
Both of these rights are important because they allow people
to
(1) Express their opinions in society without fear of
persecution, imprisonment, or loss of freedom
(2) Say what they want regardless of whether or not the
government agrees
(3) Spread their ideas and keep people informed of foreign
and domestic events
III. The Importance of Freedom of Speech and the Press in Democracies
A. Why is Free Press and Speech important in a democratic society?
1. People have the right to say what they want as long as they do not
threaten or harm others in the process
2. Without freedom of speech democracy would not work; it allows
people to speak out on issues at the polls and voting booths
without being coerced by the government
3. Without these rights the government can control the information
that people have and can forbid people from speaking out against
the government
4. Democracy only works if the people have the right to speak their
minds freely to others and to their government
B. Can the government take away our freedom of speech and press?
1. Technically freedoms of speech and press are in the Bill of Rights,
which are unalienable and apply to all people
2. If the government wants to control what people say or write, there
are methods it has used to censor information temporarily
a) There have been instances, mainly in times of war, when these
freedoms were closely supervised and somewhat stopped by
the government
b) It would be very difficult to control this today because of
technology and social media and people being accustomed to
these freedoms
Activities
1. Social Media Censorship Scenario – Divide the class into small groups.
Have each group assign a note-keeper and a speaker. Have the class
read the following scenario and work together as groups to answer the
questions below. During the small group discussion, students should
share their opinions while the note-keeper writes them down. After the
small group discussion, have each group designate a representative
(speaker) to share the group’s ideas with the class. After all of the groups
have shared their ideas, have a class discussion about the relationship
between the right to free speech/press and democracy. Use the Group
Evaluation Rubric, the Peer Evaluation Rubric, and the Discussion
Rubric for assessment.
 Scenario: The government has passed a new law that forbids all
4
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.

people from accessing social media sites without a personal
identification from the government. A new government department
has been created to monitor everything said and reviewed on the
Internet, including social media sites. The government now has
the power to restrict all comments from citizens if the comments
threaten the government itself. Anyone who disobeys this new law
will be imprisoned and/or lose his or her right to use social media.
Questions:
o What is your opinion of the new law?
o How do you think people would react?
o Why would the government want to create such a law?
o What rights are threatened or removed by this new law?
2. Freedom of Speech Comparison – Have the students conduct research
to compare and contrast Freedom of Speech/Press in the US and China.
The students should include the similarities and differences in the
freedoms of speech and press in both countries and a description of a
current event from both countries relating to the issue. Use the Writing
Rubric for assessment.
3. Political Debate – Divide the class into small groups. (The number of
groups varies according to the size of the class, but the number of
groups should be even.) Pair the groups and assign an issue to each
pair. Have the groups debate their issue from either the conservative or
the liberal perspective. Give the students time to gather notes to support
their perspective and then have an informal classroom debate. (Note:
http://debate-central.ncpa.org/ is one resource that has tips for high
school debates). Use the Debate Rubric and the Peer Evaluation Rubric
for assessment.
Assessments
Political Expression Quiz and Key
Debate Rubric
Discussion Rubric
Group Evaluation Rubric
Individual Work Rubric
Peer Evaluation Rubric
Writing Rubric
Materials
Political Expression computer-based presentation
Current periodicals or computers with Internet access
Resources
Remy, Richard C. United States Government: Democracy in Action. New
York City: Glencoe, McGraw-Hill, 2003. Ch. 22. Print.
5
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
http://debate-central.ncpa.org/
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/spc/vote2012/quiz/
Accommodations for Learning Differences
For reinforcement, students will complete the political party quiz at
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/spc/vote2012/quiz/ and write a brief reflection
about the results, including whether or not the results are what they
expected. Then have the students view the official websites of the
Democratic and Republican parties to see if they agree with the quiz results.
Use the Individual Work Rubric for assessment.
For enrichment, students will interview adult friends and/or family members
to determine their political ideologies. The students may create their own
questions or use the following questions/statements to aid their interviews.
 Does the government have the right to force people to marry, worship,
or act a certain way?
 Should taxes be lowered permanently for the middle class and the
poor or should taxes be equal for all people regardless of their
economic class?
 Imagine that the government passes a new law that gives all
immigrants 30 days to apply for citizenship before they are at risk of
deportment to their respective countries of birth.
 How do you feel about welfare? Should the government assist people
or not?
 Do you believe that the US should reduce its global military presence
and focus on domestic issues only, unless it is threatened directly?
After the interviews, the students will write a summary of the results
including an analysis of whether the people interviewed were liberal,
conservative, or moderate. Use the Individual Work Rubric for assessment.
State Education Standards
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education
§130.184. Political Science II (One to Two Credits).
(2)
The student identifies the cause and effect of expression of
different viewpoints in a democratic society. The student is
expected to:
(A)
compare different points of view of political parties and
interest groups on important contemporary issues;
(B)
analyze the importance of free speech and press in a
democratic society; and
(C)
express and defend a point of view on an issue of
contemporary interest in the United States.
College and Career Readiness Standards
Social Studies
IV. Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Information
6
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
C. Critical listening
1. Understand and interpret presentations (e.g., speeches, lectures,
informal presentations) critically.
D. Reaching conclusions
1. Construct a thesis that is supported by evidence.
2. Recognize and evaluate counter-arguments.
7
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Name__________________________________
Date________________________
Political Expression Quiz
1. _____Which statement best describes the differences between interest groups and
political parties?
A. Interest groups directly influence politics, while political parties only influence politics
from the sidelines with money and influence.
B. Political parties directly influence politics because of their platforms for voting and
running in elections, while interest groups use money, propaganda, and social
networking to influence politics.
C. Political parties and interest groups use their power and leverage to convince others
to believe as they do.
D. Political parties use their candidates to influence the government, while interest
groups use their social connections.
2. _____Which statement best describes the use of interest groups in political expression?
A. To secure votes for political candidates by using newspapers, television, and social
media to get the attention of Americans for their interests and candidates
B. To run for political offices and to control states to promote their interests
C. To pass laws that limit the powers that do not support their interests in order to
dominate politics
D. To give voices to the people who cannot or will not be heard because they are away
at war, in prison, or unable to vote
3. _____Which statement best describes why there are political parties in US politics?
A. Because the constitution says that multiple parties must be created to allow equal
representation of all political issues in the country
B. Because people want to split opinions in order to slow the political process and force
the government to cease all functions
C. Because everyone has their own opinion and political parties bring people with
common interests and beliefs together to organize and participate in government
D. All of the above
4. _____Which of the following does NOT represent the purpose of political parties?
A. How the people are protected by or from the government
B. The limits placed on the government
C. To represent the beliefs of US citizens
D. To empower the government to interfere in the lives of citizens and to police what they
can and cannot do
8
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
5. _____Which of the following is NOT an example of democracy?
A. People meeting for a party are allowed to speak and do as they please as long as it is
legal
B. The government stays out of economics and allows businesses to rise and fall based
on their own actions
C. Laws are passed that restrict what people can search on the internet or speak about
in public
D. People are allowed to vote for their political representatives and have a voice in
government
6. _____Which of the following is NOT a reason that freedom of speech/press is important?
A. Spreading knowledge
B. Gathering support for social ideals
C. Allowing opinions to spread
D. Allowing governments to control
7. _____Which of the following does NOT show liberal values for government?
A. Passing new laws that assist citizens with healthcare coverage
B. Legalizing same-sex marriage
C. Reducing taxes to aid businesses and expand the economy
D. All of the above
8. _____Which of the following would best describe conservative values in government?
A. Expanding the power of the federal government to do more for the people while
expanding government control on economics
B. Reducing government control to allow people to be free with their money
C. Expanding social welfare programs that help people find jobs, reduce taxes, and
provide unemployment
D. None of the above
9. _____Why are freedom of speech and press very powerful in any society?
A. They allow the government to control the people
B. They keep societies from becoming corrupted
C. They allow people to voice their opinions and spread their knowledge
D. They control religious and/or political organizations
10. Should we have political parties in any government? What are some reasons why parties
possibly are detrimental? Think about the negative effects political parties could have on
the democratic process and answer the questions above using a minimum of 3-4
sentences.
9
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Political Expression Quiz Key
1. B
2. A
3. C
4. D
5. C
6. D
7. C
8. B
9. C
10. Answers will vary.
10
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Name_______________________________
Date________________
Group Evaluation
Group 1
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
8
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
Group 2
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
8
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
11
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Group 3
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
8
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
Group 4
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
8
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
12
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Group 5
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
8
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
Group 6
Did the group take the assignment seriously?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
Could you tell what the group was trying to portray?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
9
Yes
10
Was the group portrayal creative?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Did the group include the correct elements?
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
8
Would you like to see this group demonstrate its talent for you in the future?
No
Yes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total Score_______
13
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Your Name___________________________________ Your Group Number_______
Peer Evaluation
1) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
2) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
14
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
3) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
4) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
15
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
5) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
6) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
16
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Name:____________________________________
Date:_____________________________________
Debate Rubric
Objectives
4 pts.
Excellent
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Information
Clear, accurate and thorough
Facts, statistics and/or examples
used to support major points.
Communication
Respectful body language
Respectful responses
Focused/On-topic
Sarcasm avoided
Participation
Full participation
Attentive listening
Total Points (32 pts.)
Comments:
17
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Name_______________________________________
Date_______________________________
Discussion Rubric
Objectives
4 pts.
Excellent
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Participates in group discussion
Encourages others to join the
conversation
Keeps the discussion progressing
to achieve goals
Shares thoughts actively while
offering helpful recommendations to
others
Gives credit to others for their ideas
Respects the opinions of others
Involves others by asking questions
or requesting input
Expresses thoughts and ideas
clearly and effectively
Total Points (32 pts.)
Comments:
18
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Name______________________________________
Date_______________________________________
Individual Work Rubric
4 pts.
Excellent
Objectives
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Follows directions
Student completed the work as directed,
following the directions given, in order and to the
level of quality indicated
Time management
Student used time wisely and remained on task
100% of the time
Organization
Student kept notes and materials in a neat,
legible, and organized manner. Information was
readily retrieved
Evidence of learning
Student documented information in his or her
own words and can accurately answer questions
related to the information retrieved
*Research/Gathering information (if relevant)
Student used a variety of methods and sources
to gather information. Student took notes while
gathering information
Total Points (20 pts.)
Comments:
19
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
Name:____________________________________
Date:_____________________________
Writing Rubric
4 pts.
Excellent
Objectives
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
The writing has all required parts from
introduction to conclusion in smooth
transition.
The writing is interesting, supportive,
and complete.
The writing demonstrates that the
writer comprehends the writing
process.
Accurate spelling, grammar, and
punctuation
The content of paragraphs
emphasizes appropriate points.
The writer shows an understanding of
sentence structure, paragraphing, and
punctuation.
All sources and references are clearly
and accurately documented.
Total Points (28 pts.)
Comments:
20
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.