The Ballot Box Battle - As Part of the Dragonfly Difference - Two Pages of Activities

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Aurelia

A children’s story introduces the purpose and meaning of voting through a “ballot box battle” and classroom/family election activities. It explains what a ballot, ballot system, and ballot box are, then guides readers to create a ballot box, write issues and choices, cast folded secret ballots, and count votes to announce a winner. The narrative also connects voting injustice to the experiences of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, prompting reflection through prompts and discussion questions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages36

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

What’s a Ballot?

Voting Is Vital!

Make a Ballot Box and Run an Election

Voting and Injustice: Interview Prompts

8mily Aenold MeCullyTM— THE BALLOT BOXBATTLEWV BRJHQ1413.S67M341998× A NoTE TO # PARENTS AND TEACHERS: THE FUN CONTINUES AFTER THE STORY IS FINISHED! # AS PART OF THE DRAGONFLY DIFFERENCE, WE'VE INCLUDED # TWO PAGES OF ACTIVITIES INSPIRED BY THIS STORY. WE HOPE YOU'LL ENJOY THEM WITH A CHILD AFTER READING THIS DRAGONFLY BoOK. # 1 WHAT'S A BALLOT? A.a system of voting B.a sheet of paper used to cast a secret vote C.a marbleBoston Public LibrasD.all of the above Boston,MA 02116The answer is D.The term ballot can mean any one of these tnngs!Voting by ballot means voting in secrecy,so that no one else knows forwhom you are voting.A ballot is sinply a piece of paper on which yourvote is written.But in ancient Greece and throughout the Middle Ages,before paper became common,small stones or colored balls,nuch liketoy marbles,were used as ballots for secret voting.And a ballot box issimply a box for receiving stone or paper ballots. Voting IsVital! The right to vote is an importantpart of being an American.You canexperience the thrillof the vote by holding an election for a school office(such as class president)or for a family decision(such as where to go on vacation).All you'll need is:a shoe box·scissors·paper·a pen or pencil 1.Make a ballot box by having an adult help you cut a small slit in the top of alarge shoe box. 2.At the top of each sheet of paper,write the issue(“Vacation Destination”)or position(“Class President”)to be decided upon. 3.Write each of the choices—vacation sites or candidate names—below. 4.Hand out ballots and ask each voter to circle his or her favorite choice.Ballots should be folded up for secrecy and placed in the ballot box. 5.Once all the ballots have been cast,open the box and count the votes. 6.Announce the winner! To get a sense of the injustice Elizabeth Cady Stanton might have felt,hold your election again—only this time,leave out a particular group ofvoters.For instance,don't let girls vote,or boys,or anyone with blond hair. Are the election results any different? Interview the people you left out to see how they feel. WITHDRAVN FOR DISCARD THE BALLOT BOX BATTLE mily Aenold TeGully 飞 Dragonfly BooksTM Alfred A.Knopf·New York MAY 2001 GDNn.s euon siEDm1FDA.OincCopyright ◎1996 by CnilyAnold MeCulyf All ights reserved under lnternational and Pan-American CConventions.Publi hed in tlic United States by Alfred A.KnYork,and simultaneously in Canada by Random House or CanaToronto.Distributed ly Random House,Inc.,New York,Originailly pubLin hardcover as a Borzol Book by Alfred A.Kuopf,e 996.Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataMcCully,Emily Arnold. www.randouhousje.con/kids/ The ballot box battle/by Emily.Arnold McCully.P.Cm. 1.Stanton,Elizabeth Cady,1815-1902—Juvenile literature.2.Feminists—UniteSiates—Biography—Juvenile literature.3.Suffragists—United States—BiograplJiuvenlle literature.4.Women—Suffrage—United States—History—Juvenile literature. 1.Title. ffQ1413.S67M341996324.6'23'092—dc2095-38095ISBN0-679-87938-2(trade)WV BR0-679-97938-7(lib.bdg.)HQ14130-679-89312-1(pbk.)S67M34First Dragonfly BooksTM edition:October 19981998×DIAGONFLY BOOKs is a tradenark of Alfred A.Knopf,Inc.4Y2001Printed in Singapore10987654321 o Madelime and AnnaQith thanks to Paula thesummer of 1880,Cordelia's job was to go next door,feed Mrs.Stanton's horse,and clean out the stall.Every afternoon,Mrs.Stanton putaside her work on The History of Woman Suffrage and gave Cordelia ariding lesson.When she talked about some skirmish in her long battle forthe vote,Cordelia always minded her manners and pretended to payattention,but it seemed to have nothing to do with her.Riding was whatshe cared about. By autumn,Cordelia could trot,canter,gallop,and jump over a lowcrossbar.When she bragged to her brother,Howard,that she could ride,he said,"Oh,well,you are not a true horseman u

FAQs

What does the term “ballot” mean in the story?

The story states that “ballot” can refer to any of the listed meanings, and concludes with the answer that it can mean all of them. It also explains ballot voting as secret voting and a ballot as a piece of paper with a vote written on it.

How do readers make a ballot box in the activity?

Readers are told to use a shoe box and have an adult help cut a small slit in the top. They then label ballots with the issue or position, list choices, collect folded secret ballots in the box, and count votes afterward.

Why does the story suggest repeating the election without certain groups of voters?

It asks readers to rerun the election leaving out specific groups and then interview the excluded people. The goal is to explore how exclusion changes the results and to understand the injustice tied to voting rights.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Aurelia