By Jenny Cantrell

The American Vote

Do you receive small business loans or federal mortgage loans? Do you rely on vocational
rehabilitation assistance or on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for accommodations? Are
you or someone in your family in school? Do you depend on closed captions to watch TV?
If the answer is yes to even one of the above, then you have a personal stake in the
government. Your vote and participation determines whos in government and who appoints the
people who regulate essential items like education and captioning.
Our democratic government depends on an informed population that actively participates and
votes. When citizens take the time to become familiar with the various issues tackled by our
political leaders, they not only understand how our government works but comprehend how the
choices made impact all Americans. Only if we take advantage of the opportunity to vote can we
participate in decisions that affect us all.
The problem is, most elections are decided by less than half of the registered voters. And since
many citizens who are eligible do not even register to vote, a small group is responsible for
making vital decisions on behalf of every American.

The Captioned Media Program Titles

As a social studies teacher who teaches civics and early American history to eighth graders, I am
confronted with the need to infuse my students with the passion and zeal that will enable them
to eagerly participate in the voting process. Just teaching them about the three branches of
government and showing them diagrams would bore students to tears while leaving them
unprepared to fulfill their civic duty. The challenge is to present the material in a way that
engages them.
Captioned media materials can do just that by explaining and clarifying how the government
works and demonstrating the impact that voters can make. The Captioned Media Program (CMP),
funded through the U.S. Department of Education, has many amazing videos that can be used
for this purpose.
They have at least thirty titles in their collection pertaining to the political process, the history of
politics, and how citizens have fought for social change. Teachers can find titles for their classes
from lower elementary through college. Go to the CMP Web site at www.captionedmedia.org and
browse through the collection for political science, social science, civil rights, U.S. history,
government, law, patriotism, and social issues.
One title found in the CMP collection emphasizing how ordinary citizens can make a difference is
We the People: The Growth of the Constitution. It provides examples of how people have banded
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Captioned Media Program
VOICE 800-237-6213 TTY 800-237-6819 FAX 800-538-5636 E-MAIL info@captionedmedia.org WEB http://www.captionedmedia.org
Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Education
November 2005

together for change. Another terrific title is We Vote, which is geared toward kindergarten
through 6th grade, but it is appropriate for middle schoolers as well. It takes us through time to
explore how different minority groups gained the right to vote and why it is such an important
civic responsibility.

The CMP Lesson Guides

The CMP also provides amazing lesson guides written by master teachers! Many of these guides
are available online. They are incredibly helpful and include some or all of the following:
correlations to national standards; a summary and instructional goals; previewing and
postviewing activities; vocabulary lists; worksheets; connections to Deaf issues, sign language,
and cultural norms; and additional resources.
One title that has a fabulous lesson guide and many ideas for enrichment activities that correlate
to national standards is Electing a President: The Process. A previewing activity suggestion is
to create a web of information regarding the election of a United States President. The
recommendations for discussion during viewing explore many important concepts found in the
standards. The postviewing activities include research on different topics that are appropriate for
students who will soon have the rights and responsibilities to follow events in order to make
informed political decisions. Be sure to take full advantage of the many lesson guides provided!

Tomorrows Vote
The CMP staff continues to transform the collection to be even more current, interesting, and
appropriate for a variety of levels. It is a joy to look through the online catalog and easily find a
variety of titles that are at the right reading level that correlate to the standards and assists in
teaching students about their future responsibilities as citizens.
It is the goal of teachers across the country and the CMP to prepare youth for the future. With
the assistance of dedicated teachers and educational captioned media in the classroom, more
informed citizens of the future will make educated decisions on issues related to vocational
rehabilitation assistance, the ADA accommodations, educational opportunities, the accuracy rate
for captions on TV, and much more.
Support the children of tomorrow by visiting the Captioned Media Program Web site today!

About the Author

Jenny Cantrell, a graduate of the California School for the Deaf
at Fremont, Gallaudet University, and San Francisco State,
currently teaches at Fremont. She is lead social studies teacher
in the middle school, teaching eighth-grade social studies and
writing, as well as the occasional sixth- and seventh-grade
social studies class. She is also involved in her local community,
including serving on the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy, and
Referral Agency (DCARA) Board and participating in the Bay
Area Deaf Think Tank.

2
Captioned Media Program
VOICE 800-237-6213 TTY 800-237-6819 FAX 800-538-5636 E-MAIL info@captionedmedia.org WEB http://www.captionedmedia.org
Funding for the Captioned Media Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Education
November 2005