Democracy is everywhere

• Citizenship
• Primary Education

Introduction

Democracy is under pressure all over the world. As the concept is often very abstract to learners, help them consider how democracy influences their daily lives by exploring Wim Stevenhagen’s cartoon together. This exercise launches a conversation about what democracy is, what rights and freedoms it gives us, and how we encounter these every day.

Instructions

Make sure to download and check out the teachers' guide. The instruction can also be found in the notes. 

If you have any questions, or would like to share your experiences using this lesson, please contact us at [e-mail]. We really appreciate feedback. www.annefrank.org 

©Anne Frank Stichting, 2024 

Instructions

Teachers manual Democracy is everywhere - Anne Frank House.pdf

Worksheets

Democracy is everywhere - worksheet - Anne Frank House.pdf

Democracy is everywhere

Introduction  

What is democracy?

Word cloud

Activate learners’ background knowledge. Get them to write down words that come to their minds when they think about democracy/ [or, that they associate with democracy].

Discuss the responses and let learners find connections between various words. Drag those words together. Do they form a theme? Write the themes above them.

Ask if learners ever encounter these themes in their own lives (linking examples to abstract words). Help them explore further.

Example: Elections: These become visibly part of learners’ lives when their parents/neighbours go to a polling station or they see election posters in the streets. 

Infographic

Look at the image together, briefly

Use the words that learners suggested in the previous question. This creates a link with what they are looking at in this picture. Keep it brief! It is about preparing them for the next exercise.

Ask learners:

• Do you see anything we’ve just mentioned?

Get learners to look carefully at the drawing (silently). Suggest they start off with: ‘I see …’  

Let's get started!

Do you see

something that

has to do with democracy?

Start coloring!

Follow up

Discuss with the learners what they highlighted and why.

During the discussion, emphasise the connections with their own lives, for example by asking:

• Have they themselves have seen or experienced anything similar?
• Can they give an example of where this happens?

On the next slide you will see which bits we have highlighted. 

Let's discuss

Infographic

Discuss with the students what they have colored and why.

When discussing, also make the connection to their own lives. For example, by asking:

• if they have ever experienced or seen this themselves
• if they can name an example where this also happens.

On the next slide you can see which parts we have highlighted. In the teacher's manual you will find an explanation of each part.

This statue is Lady Justice, goddess and symbol of the judiciary.

You can protest.

There is freedom of the press.

Everyone is allowed into the park.

We play together.

We listen to each other.

We work together.

You can be in love with whoever you want.

This is destruction and defacement of the image.

You can believe in whatever you want.

Infographic

We have selected several sections to highlight. But sound reasoning will find other examples of democracy in the drawing, too. Additional information about the highlighted sections can be found in the teachers’ guide.

Click on the active link for a brief explanation panel. This helps learners to think about how things may be connected with democracy before you give them any additional information.

Take a moment to look at the sections learners did not identify, or that you did not discuss in the previous slide.