P.O.V. - Why Vote?

Learn more

• Learn more about Civics and Government, current events, democracy, and elections.

Legal

The issues - the candidates - the campaigns. It can be overwhelming. But, as citizens it is important that we go to the polls and cast our votes in November. This site from PBS looks at the critical issues and asks its viewers to submit videos about what is important to them.

The site focuses on four main issue that affect Americans today: environment, health care, American identity, and immigrations. The environment section looks at living green, the plight of the honeybee, pollution, and our drinking water. Health care focuses on the high cost of health care and insurance, the uninsured, mental illness and homelessness, and more. The American identity takes a look at who we are, our borders, and what does being an American really mean. Immigration is also a hot button issue. What is it like to be a migrant farm worker? How does it feel to be a border patrol agent? These are some of the questions that are explored about immigration.

In the spring of 2008, PBS asked citizens to submit short videos about the issues that they were most passionate about. They had to be in the areas or education, election reform, the environment, race relations, foreign policy, health care, and immigration. These videos are available on the site for viewing. The final cut videos can be found at http://lab.wgbh.org/open-call/election2008/final These points of view from average citizens will prompt thoughtful discussions in the classroom.

The educator section of the site has lesson plans and activities for the classroom. Films can be borrowed from P.O.V. for use in the classroom.