Mission library/9th Grade · Civics Ethics/Town Hall Meeting

Mission brief·Town Hall Meeting

Our Town Needs a Skatepark

Investigating why the U.S. is dominated by two parties and the challenges faced by third parties.

Grade9th GradeSubjectCivics EthicsDuration45 minClass size28 studentsMethodologyTown Hall Meeting

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Learning objectives · 3

Students can engage with: Differentiate whether a two-party system provides stability or limits voter choice.
Students can engage with: Explain how third parties influence the platforms of the major parties.
Students can engage with: Justify whether proportional representation would be better for American democracy.

Before Class

Materials Needed

☐Role CardsIncluded
☐Town Hall Procedure GuideIncluded
☐Budget Breakdown SheetIncluded
☐Voting BallotsIncluded
☐Timer

Space Needed

Chairs in rows facing a front table for officials, podium for speakers

Topic Overview

Investigating why the U.S. is dominated by two parties and the challenges faced by third parties.

Key Questions

?Differentiate whether a two-party system provides stability or limits voter choice.
?Explain how third parties influence the platforms of the major parties.
?Justify whether proportional representation would be better for American democracy.

About the Methodology

Students take on roles as community members, officials, or stakeholders and participate in a structured town hall meeting about a controversial issue. A moderator (student or teacher) manages speaking time. Each stakeholder presents their position, takes questions, and responds to others. The class votes or reaches a decision at the end.

Learn about this methodology

Time Range

35-55 min

Group Size

15-35

Space Needed

Chairs in rows facing a front table for officials, podium for speakers

Bloom’s Level

Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, Create

Fun Factor

Peak Energy Moment

Students enter to find the classroom arranged in a semi-circle with 'Reserved for Council' signs on the front desks.

The Surprise

Halfway through the debate, the teacher announces a 'Flash Flood' update: the library roof just started leaking, increasing its repair cost by $10,000 immediately.

What to Expect

Students usually get very competitive about their 'budgets' and enjoy the drama of arguing for their specific character's selfish interests.

Mission Timeline

25m

Spark Briefing Action Debrief

Academic Standards

C3: D2.Civ.6.9-12C3: D2.Civ.11.9-12

When your class is in the room

Ready to run Our Town Needs a Skatepark?

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Spark

5 min • Scenario

Read Aloud

The City of Riverside has $100,000 in surplus funds. The Youth Committee proposes a new skatepark ($95,000). However, the Fire Department needs a new equipment truck ($85,000), and the Public Library is requesting a roof repair ($40,000). You can only choose one major project. If you choose the skatepark, the other two must wait another five years.

Teacher Notes

Display these numbers clearly on the board. Ask students to vote with a show of hands before knowing their assigned roles to see their natural bias.

Briefing

7 min

Today we are simulating a City Council Public Hearing. You will be assigned a specific persona with a background, a set of values, and a goal. Your job is to stay in character, use the provided budget data to back up your arguments, and follow formal parliamentary procedure to decide the fate of the Riverside Skatepark.

Group Formation

Divide the class into 4 groups of 7. Each group will have one Mayor/Council Chair, one Budget Director, and five community stakeholders. This allows for four simultaneous 'mini-town halls' to maximize speaking time.

Materials Needed

Role CardsIncluded
Town Hall Procedure GuideIncluded
Budget Breakdown SheetIncluded
Voting BallotsIncluded
•Timer

Action

25 min • 100% Physical

Distribute Role Cards and Budget Sheets. Students spend 4 minutes reading their backgrounds and underlining three key facts they will use in their testimony.

4 min

Circulate to ensure students understand their character's motivation.

The Mayor opens the meeting and the Budget Director gives a 2-minute overview of the financial constraints to the group.

3 min

The Budget Director must remain neutral and focus only on the math.

Public Testimony: Each stakeholder (Skatepark Advocate, Concerned Parent, Business Owner, etc.) has 2 minutes to present their case to the Mayor.

10 min

Encourage students to use 'I' statements and refer to the budget sheet.

Open Floor Debate: The Mayor facilitates a 5-minute cross-talk session where stakeholders can respond to each other's points.

5 min

Remind students to address the Mayor, not each other directly, to maintain decorum.

Final Vote: The Mayor calls for a vote. Each person casts a secret ballot. The Mayor announces the result and provides a 1-sentence justification.

3 min

The Mayor only votes in the event of a tie in these small groups.

If things go sideways

▸If a group is silent, have the 'Business Owner' challenge the 'Skatepark Advocate' on potential property damage costs.
▸If one student dominates, the Mayor must use the 'Point of Order' card to redirect the conversation.
▸If students struggle with the math, the Budget Director should clarify that the skatepark leaves only $5,000 for everything else.

Differentiation Tips

▸Advanced: Assign these students as Mayors. They must manage the clock and summarize complex arguments.
▸Struggling: Provide the 'Concerned Parent' or 'Skatepark Advocate' roles which have the most straightforward emotional arguments.
▸ELL: Provide a sentence-starter sheet (e.g., 'I support the skatepark because...' or 'I am worried about...') to help them participate in the debate.

Debrief

8 min

Discussion Questions

1
How did your personal opinion change once you were assigned a specific role?
2
Why is it difficult for local governments to please every citizen even when there is a budget surplus?
3
What is the danger of a 'winner-takes-all' approach to community funding?

Exit Ticket

Identify one specific trade-off the city makes if they choose to build the skatepark.

Connection to Next Lesson

Next time, we will look at how these local decisions are influenced by state-level grants and taxes.

Handouts

4 Materials Needed

Print Materials

01Role Cards
02Town Hall Procedure Guide
03Budget Breakdown Sheet
04Voting Ballots

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