Discuss the importance of the president of the United States and how a citizen can become president. Students can activate prior knowledge in a class-wide or small-group discussion with or without the use of a KWL chart.
Students will create a storyboard that shows the sequence of events necessary for becoming president. They can use a current or past candidate, themselves, or a fictitious character. Important events may include:
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that shows the steps for a person to become the president.
Student Instructions: Describe the sequence of events necessary to become president. Consider using information on the inauguration, primary, and general election, voting, a national convention, political parties, candidates, and the Electoral College.
Requirements: Storyboard should be colorful, show facts, any dates, and correct sequences.
Engage students in the presidential process by simulating an election in your classroom. Hands-on activities help students connect with civics and understand real-world voting.
Let students choose or be assigned roles such as presidential candidates, campaign managers, and voters. This promotes participation and helps students practice public speaking and teamwork.
Have each candidate develop a campaign speech and simple posters. This step builds persuasive writing skills and encourages creative expression.
Set up a time for candidates to share their speeches and answer questions from classmates. Students learn respectful listening and how to evaluate ideas.
Run a mock election using paper ballots or an online tool. Counting votes as a class reinforces math skills and demonstrates fair voting procedures.
To become president, a person must first meet eligibility requirements, then campaign, participate in primaries and caucuses, be nominated at the national convention, compete in the general election, win the Electoral College, and finally be inaugurated.
You can guide students through a storyboard activity that illustrates each step in the presidential election process, including campaigning, primaries, conventions, the general election, Electoral College, and inauguration.
The Electoral College is a body of representatives from each state who formally cast votes for the president and vice president based on the outcome of the general election in their state.
A storyboard should show key events like campaigning, primaries, national convention, general election, Electoral College, and inauguration, using facts, dates, and colorful illustrations in the correct order.
Understanding the presidential election process helps students become informed citizens, appreciate the importance of voting, and understand how leaders are chosen in a democracy.