The vision of Elections Alberta is to inspire trust and participation in the democratic process. This vision can be achieved if citizens are encouraged to build deep understandings about democracy as well as an appreciation of the potential impact of their actions on their own communities. Building Future Voters emphasizes engaged and active participation, collaboration and commitment to democratic values – all principles important for meaningful participation in society.

We know that young people who are introduced to the fundamentals of democracy grow up to become active citizens in the democratic process. Students who are engaged and committed to these democratic processes are equipped with the knowledge and understanding needed to participate. Our aim is to support this learning.

The Building Future Voters teaching and learning resources provide approaches, activities, assessment strategies, visual organizers and backgrounders that encourage the involvement of students in their schools and communities, as a necessary first step to involvement in political processes, including voting. Find these resources, including Google Docs assessment tools, in the resource portfolio below.

This Building Future Voters website engages students in an exploration of issues, information, fast facts and questions – all connected to the inquiries in each learning sequence of the teaching and learning resources. Student activities and visual organizers are provided on each webpage. Encourage students to question and explore what it means to be a future voter by clicking on the icons, timeline tiles and flip boxes on their grade level pages.

Teaching Through Competencies

Building Future Voters resources support the competencies and develop selected learning outcomes in the Alberta Social Studies program for elementary, junior high and senior high students. Competencies are an interrelated set of attitudes, skills and knowledge that are drawn upon and applied to real world contexts. Building Future Voters emphasizes real world contexts that support students as active citizens and lifelong learners.

Collaborate

Cultural and Global Citizenship

Personal Growth

Think Critically

Solve Problems

Manage Information

Innovate and Apply Creative Thinking

Communicate

Building Future Voters Inquiry Model

The Building Future Voters inquiry model provides opportunities for students to develop and apply research and social participation skills. Students are asked to explore inquiries by starting with their own knowledge and perspectives, use research skills to collect information, and apply critical thinking skills to develop conclusions and consider social action. This inquiry model is integrated throughout the teaching and learning resources and reflected in this Building Future Voters website. Encourage students to apply the following steps as they explore information, perspectives and questions on this website.

In Explore, students establish a context for their inquiry. They establish prior knowledge and experiences, identify concepts and understandings and make predictions. Students consider questions such as:

• What do we already know?
• What do we think about this issue?
• What do we need to understand about this issue?
• How does this issue or question affect us?
• What interests us about this issue or question?
• Why is this important?

In Consider Perspectives, students identify research questions and the individuals or groups involved with the inquiry. They consider multiple perspectives and different opinions. Students consider questions such as:

• What questions do we have?
• Who is affected and why?
• What different opinions exist?
• Are there contradictory perspectives?

In Plan and Find Information, students focus on the research process. They identify, locate and organize sources and collect information. They allocate research tasks. Students consider questions such as:

• How will we find out what we need to know and understand?
• What type of information do we need?
• What sources do we need to consult?
• What is the best way to research?
• From who can we find out more?

In Record and Organize, students manage the information and sources they have researched. They make connections and comparisons. Students consider questions such as:

• How will we record our research?
• What concepts or topics are best used to organize information and ideas?
• How can you show your understanding of the information?
• What similarities and differences do we see?
• What comparisons can we make?
• What connections do we see?

In Construct and Share Conclusions, students analyze and assess information to construct conclusions and propose solutions. They think critically and creatively to consider perspectives, alternatives and predictions. Students consider questions such as:

• What would happen if…?
• Are there inconsistencies between ideas or values and actions?
• How does evidence support conclusions?
• Can alternative interpretations be proposed?
• What conclusions can we make?
• What solutions should we propose?
• What evidence supports our conclusions?
• How will we share our findings and solutions?
• How has our thinking or perspectives changed?
• How will we share our findings and solutions?

In Take Action, students consider and identify actions and their potential effects. They are also encouraged to implement these actions. Students consider questions such as:

• What will we do with what we have learned?
• How can we contribute?
• How can we make a difference?
• What should we do next?

In Reflect and Evaluate, students reflect on and consider the effectiveness of their actions and learning. They identify further areas for research and prepare to start an inquiry that arises from new questions they pose. Students consider questions such as:

• How effective were our actions?
• What should we change?
• What should we do next?
• What more do we need to find out about?
• How can we reflect on our learning through this inquiry?
• What has inspired us most?

Grade Books

Resources

Build the Vote

Election Simulation Resource

Building Future Voters – Elementary

For Elementary Teachers and Students - Supporting the Alberta Grade 6 Social Studies Program of Studies

Building Future Voters – Junior

For Junior High Teachers and Students - Supporting the Alberta Grade 9 Social Studies Program of Studies

Building Future Voters – Senior

For Senior High Teachers and Students - Supporting the Alberta Social Studies 30-1 / 30-2 and 20-1 / 20-2 Programs of Studies

Building Future Voters – Returning Officer’s Guide

A resource book designed to assist returning officers with the facilitation of classroom instruction.

Checklists and Rubrics

Resources

Elementary Rubric #1

Why does democracy need participation?

Elementary Rubric #2

Why does provincial government matter?

Elementary Rubric #3

If I could vote, would I?

Elementary Rubric #4

What matters most after an election?

Elementary Checklist #1

Why does democracy need participation?

Elementary Checklist #2

Why does provincial government matter?

Elementary Checklist #3

If I could vote, would I?

Elementary Checklist #4

What matters most after an election?

Junior High Rubric #1

Do we live in a democracy?

Junior High Rubric #2

How do our votes influence government decision-making?

Junior High Rubric #3

What do you mean, our votes don't count?

Junior High Rubric #4

Why should we be more involved?

Junior High Checklist #1

Do we live in a democracy?

Junior High Checklist #2

How do our votes influence government decision-making?

Junior High Checklist #3

What do you mean, our votes don’t count?

Junior High Checklist #4

Why should we be more involved?

Senior High Rubric #1

Why is voting both an individual and collective responsibility?

Senior High Rubric #2

How is the political process influenced by identities and ideologies?

Senior High Checklist #1

Why is voting both an individual and collective responsibility?

Senior High Checklist #2

How is the political process influenced by identities and ideologies?

Elections Alberta Links

Resources

Electoral Division Maps

Maps of Alberta Electoral Divisions and GIS Boundary Data.

Register to Vote – Voterlink

Register to vote in Alberta provincial elections!

External Links

Resources

Institute for Canadian Citizenship – Canadians on Citizenship

The first national survey on what it means to be a Citizen in Canada.

Vote Compass

Take the quiz and find out where you stand!

Broadbent Institute – Democratic Renewal

To reverse the hollowing out of democracy, Canada must restore faith in the system and renew public engagement in the political process. This means reforming democratic institutions so that they are open, accountable and responsive. It means restoring honest, rigorous policy debate, advocating for more formal representation of women and minority groups, and challenging the retreat of government from investing in our communities.

Samara Canada

Samara Canada is dedicated to reconnecting citizens to politics.

How Canadians Govern Themselves

Government is connected to almost everything we do—whether we’re driving, buying a home, picking up groceries, watching TV or running water from the tap. Explore the ways in which Canada’s three levels of government—federal, provincial/territorial and municipal—influence your life.

Voting Rights through Time

Elections Canada provides a brief history of federal voting rights in Canada and other resources in their activity on how voting rights have changed over time.

Search Institute’s Developmental Assets

In 1990, Search Institute released a framework of Developmental Assets, which identifies a set of skills, experiences, relationships, and behaviors that enable young people to develop into successful and contributing adults.

CIVIX

Canada's forefront provider of Student Vote - a national parallel election program.

Federal Elections in Canada

Click here to learn about Elections Canada and the federal electoral body in Canada.

Electoral Systems and Electoral Reform in Canada

This link provides an overview of Canada's electoral system, alternatives, past initiatives, and dialogue on mandatory voting, online voting, and lowering the voting age.

Youth Civic Engagement and Political Participation in Canada

This 2022 report uses Statistics Canada survey data to describe the civic engagement activities and political participation of young people in Canada.

PARLINFO

Discover facts and create your own reports about the important events and people that shaped Parliament since 1867.

Political Participation and Civic Engagement of Youth

This study provides new information on the political participation of youth aged 15 to 24 years.

I Side With (Canada)

How do your beliefs align with each political party? Take the quiz.

Canadian Identity

This report provides a snapshot of the Canadian identity, looking at variations by region and socio-demographic and economic characteristics.

Graphic Organizers

Resources

Continuum

Use this graphic organizer to compare and analyze a range of perspectives or opinions.

Retrieval Chart

Use this graphic organizer to collect, organize and compare information from different sources.

Sphere of Influence

Use this graphic organizer to analyze the influence of people or events.

Money Cards

Use these cards in the campaign finance simulation.

Cause and Effect Timeline

Use this graphic organizer to create a timeline that analyzes the sequence and cause/effect of events.

Cause and Effect Chart

Use this graphic organizer to identify, compare and assess different effects of an event or person.

Triple T-Chart

Use this graphic organizer to organize and compare ideas and information around three topics or categories.

Mind Map

Use this graphic organizer to brainstorm or organize information around a central idea or topic.

Flow Chart

Use this graphic organizer to organize information that is related to one or more main ideas in a sequence.

T-Chart

Use this graphic organizer to organize and compare ideas and information.

Persuasion Map

Use this graphic organizer to organize and explain a position.

Wheel Chart

Use this graphic organizer to organize and compare multiple perspectives, ideas and facts.

Bookmarks

Use this graphic organizer to create a bookmark.

KWHL Chart

Use this graphic organizer to describe and reflect on your learning.

Trading Cards

Use this graphic organizer to create your own trading cards.

Storyboard

Use this graphic organizer to plan and create a story.

Timeline

Use this graphic organizer to create a timeline with a sequence of events.