Voting on Projects

Overview

This 30-minute lesson is lesson 5 in the "Mini-Enterprise Adventure" unit, designed for Year 4 students (ages 8-9). It aligns closely with the National Curriculum for England, specifically the Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education programme, focusing on economic understanding, decision-making, and democratic participation.

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National Curriculum Links

PSHE Education (Relationships and Living in the Wider World):

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Understand how to contribute to the democratic process (e.g., voting).
  • Recognise the importance of taking part in group decisions and respecting others’ views.

English (Speaking and Listening):

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Participate in discussions, listen actively and articulate ideas clearly.
  • Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining, and exploring ideas.

Mathematics (Statistics):

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Interpret and present discrete and continuous data using appropriate graphical methods, including bar charts and pictograms. (Introduce basic tallying and data interpretation).

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

• Clearly present their mini-enterprise ideas to their peers using simple verbal communication.
• Understand the democratic process by participating in a secret ballot to choose one project.
• Use basic tallying techniques to record votes and interpret results.
• Demonstrate respect for diverse opinions and make a collective decision.

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Resources Needed

• Mini whiteboards or flip charts for each student to present ideas
• Voting slips or small pieces of paper for secret ballots
• A ballot box or a container for votes
• Tally charts displayed on a board or large paper to collect votes visibly post-voting
• Markers, pens, and clipboards for each student
• Timer or clock

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Recap previous lessons briefly: We have developed several exciting mini-enterprise ideas. Today, we decide which idea we will work on as a class.
• Explain the importance of voting as part of democracy and teamwork.

Teacher Prompt: “Can anyone remind us what a vote is? Why is it important to listen to everyone’s ideas before deciding?”

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2. Presenting Ideas (8 minutes)

• Each pupil gets 2 minutes to present their mini-enterprise idea clearly and confidently to the group, using their mini whiteboard or flip chart for support.
• Encourage use of persuasive language explaining why their idea would succeed and how they might run the enterprise.

Focus points: Clear speech, eye contact, simple reasoning, and enthusiasm.

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3. Conducting the Vote (10 minutes)

• Explain the secret ballot procedure to ensure fairness and privacy.
• Each pupil writes the name of their preferred mini-enterprise idea on a voting slip.
• Collect votes in the ballot box.
• Reveal votes one at a time, recording them visibly on a tally chart.
• Count the votes together as a class, ensuring all understand the tallying process and the meaning of the results.

Teacher Tip: Use engaging language that builds excitement around the democratic process.

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4. Conclusion & Reflection (7 minutes)

• Announce the winning mini-enterprise project.
• Discuss briefly: “Why is it important to vote and listen to each other? How might we support the group project even if our idea didn’t win?”
• Record reflections in simple sentences or drawings.
• Give positive reinforcement highlighting teamwork, respect, and decision-making skills.

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Assessment

• Formative: Observation checklist during presentations assessing clarity, confidence, and listening skills.
• Summative: Evaluate understanding of the voting process through participation and ability to correctly tally and interpret votes.
• Self and Peer Reflection: Encourage pupils to share what they learned about making collective decisions and respecting others’ opinions.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters or vocabulary cards for pupils struggling with verbal expression; allow partner support during presentations.
• Challenge: Encourage higher-attaining pupils to explain how their idea could be improved based on peer feedback or to suggest alternative voting methods students could consider for future decisions.

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Extension Ideas

• After the vote, assign a group to create a simple poster or digital presentation to advertise the chosen project.
• Incorporate a simple role-play reviewing potential challenges and benefits of the chosen enterprise to develop problem-solving skills.

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By combining speaking, listening, democratic participation, and basic data handling, this lesson strengthens key KS2 skills and embeds British values in a practical, engaging way.