Presidential Election Mini-Lesson for Kids 8+

Presidential Election Mini-Lesson for Kids 8+

Jul 19, 2024

Welcome to our series of current event mini-lessons designed to educate children using a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) approach! This lesson delves into the presidential election process, making it accessible and engaging for young learners.

Understanding the Presidential Election

The presidential election is how we choose the leader of our country, the President. This process happens every four years and involves many steps.

Key Vocabulary

  • Election (Latin root: "electionem" - choosing)
  • A process where people vote to choose a leader.
  • Candidate (Latin root: "candidatus" - one aspiring to office)
  • A person who runs for an office like the presidency.
  • Campaign (Latin root: "campania" - level ground open country)
  • Activities that candidates do to get people to vote for them.
  • Ballot (Latin root: "ballotta" - little ball)
  • The paper or electronic form used to cast votes.
  • Poll (Greek root: "pollax" - often)
  • A place where votes are cast, or a survey to see how people might vote.
  • Democracy (Greek root: "dēmokratia" - rule by the people)
  • A system where people vote to make decisions and choose leaders.

The Election Process

  1. Campaigning: Candidates travel, give speeches, and talk to people about their ideas to win support.
  2. Voting: On Election Day, citizens go to polls to cast their ballots.
  3. Counting Votes: After voting ends, officials count the ballots to see who got the most votes.
  4. Announcement: The candidate with the most votes wins and is announced as the new President.

STEAM-Integrated Activities

  • Science: Polling and Surveys
  • Activity: Conduct a simple survey in your homeschool classroom or neighborhood to see who would win if there was a class president election. Discuss how polls are conducted and why they are important in elections. Use basic statistics to analyze the results.
  • Technology: Digital Campaign Posters
  • Activity: Create a digital campaign poster using software like Canva or a drawing app. Teach children to incorporate elements like images, text, and color schemes to make their posters stand out.
  • Engineering: Voting Booth Model
  • Activity: Build a simple model of a voting booth using household materials like cardboard, markers, and paper. Discuss the importance of privacy and security in voting.
  • Arts: Role-Playing Debate
  • Activity: Set up a mock debate where children take on the roles of different candidates. They can write speeches, answer questions, and discuss their ideas creatively.
  • Mathematics: Counting Votes
  • Activity: Use math skills to count "votes" from a classroom election. Teach students about tally marks, graphs, and basic addition/subtraction to determine the winner.

Book Recommendations

  1. "Grace for President" by Kelly DiPucchio
  • This book tells the story of Grace, a girl who decides to run for president at her school, teaching children about elections in a fun and engaging way.
  1. "Grace Goes to Washington" by Kelly DiPucchio
  • Follow Grace on another adventure as she learns about government and the different branches, making it relatable and exciting for young readers.