Public Opinion and Policy Making Power Point

For this activity, you will conduct research and develop a presentation or write a speech on the role of public opinion on policy-making.

In this lesson, you have learned about the role of public opinion on policy making and how individuals and groups impact these policies. For this activity, you will choose from one of the controversial topics listed below and conduct research to form your own position on the topic.

You will then defend your position and use what you have learned so far in this unit to explain how citizens can participate in the decision-making process. Finally, you will summarize your findings into an informational presentation or write a speech to convince your fellow citizens of the importance of your topic.
 

Follow the instructions below to complete your assignment and then upload to the dropbox. 

Step 1:  Select your topic. Choose one of the following. Click on each topic for background information. 

• Vaccine mandates
• Abortion
• Right to Protest
• Is social media ruining society? 
• Self-driving cars
• Any controversial local issue of your choice. (Example Homeless Shelters) You may also use your letter from Act 5.4.1 to dig further into a topic you are interested in researching.  

Step 2:  Conduct research on your topic. Thorough research is aided by first constructing compelling questions, then searching for the answers from qualified experts. Make sure to reference points of both agreement AND disagreement experts have regarding your topic. 

In addition to creating your own questions, consider the following questions to guide your research. 

• Why is the topic controversial?
• Why are some people in favor of this issue?
• Why are some people opposed to this issue?
• Why is this topic important to many Americans?
• Where is this issue most prevalent? (Be  sure to use geographic tools; maps and atlas, to better understand the area where your issue is occurring) 
• What is your position on this topic? Are you in favor or against this topic? Why or why not?

Step 3: How can someone participate in the decision-making process about this issue? Consider the following:

• Conduct research about organizations you can join that support your cause.
• Review the previous lessons in this unit for additional ways to influence public policy (ex: writing emails, phone calls, letters, etc.)

Step 4: Use one of the formatted templates below to create a presentation or write a speech to your fellow citizens that explains the topic, your position on the topic, and how to influence public policy.  

• Make a copy of the Google Slides Presentation or download the Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation.
• Make a copy of the Google Doc Speech Outline or download the Microsoft Word Speech Outline.