Students will research presidents from a specific period of time and map out when each president held office. You can give students time frames of 20, 50, or even 100 years. Students can use the index in the back of So You Want to Be President?, to find out when each president held office and an interesting fact about them.
The example below shows the presidents from a 20 year time frame, 1900-1920. Written in the description box is the information found in the index, but you could have students use the internet to research each specific president and find out facts about their time in office.
Here is an example:
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Research a specific time period and map out when each president help office.
Create a mock presidential debate where students take on the roles of different presidents. This hands-on activity promotes critical thinking and helps students understand key issues each president faced. Assign roles, set up debate topics based on historical events, and let students present viewpoints as their assigned president.
Select presidents from your chosen time frame and assign each student or pair a specific leader. This ensures every student gets involved and allows for focused research. Encourage students to explore unique facts, achievements, and challenges faced by their assigned president.
Offer clear debate questions related to historical challenges or policies. Guidelines help students prepare structured arguments and stay on topic. Sample prompts might include handling wars, passing laws, or responding to national crises.
Guide students as they draft opening statements and prepare facts to support their positions. Use graphic organizers or planning sheets to organize key points and rebuttals. Encourage students to use both the book and trusted online sources for evidence.
Moderate the debate, ensuring respectful discussion and equal participation. Afterward, debrief as a class—ask students to reflect on what they learned and how presidential decisions impact history. This builds public speaking and critical thinking skills.
To create a presidential timeline activity, choose a time period (like 20, 50, or 100 years), have students research which presidents served during that span, and ask them to record each president’s term, key facts, and a photo. Use resources like the book So You Want to Be President? or reputable websites to gather information, then let students organize their findings in a timeline format.
A simple way for students to research U.S. presidents is to assign each student or group a set timeframe, provide them with a tool like So You Want to Be President?, and guide them to use the index or online sources to find when each president held office and one interesting fact about each.
Students should include the president’s name, the years in office, a brief summary of accomplishments or interesting facts, and an image or portrait for each president on their timeline.
Timelines help students visualize when presidents served, see patterns and historical context, and better understand how presidential leadership fits into broader American history.
You can use So You Want to Be President? as a reference guide for students to look up presidential terms and interesting facts, making it easier for them to complete a timeline project with accurate information.