How do we preserve our civil society and dynamic political system and prepare students to be active citizens in a democratic society? The need for civic education is more essential now than ever before, and students deserve access to powerful civic lessons that actively engage them in learning about our democracy. The ultimate goal would be for…

In any U.S. presidential election year, classroom teachers integrate lessons into their curriculum that help students understand their privileges, responsibilities, and rights as good citizens. Teaching about the electoral process and voting in primary classrooms is one way to build a foundation that promotes civic engagement. In this article, the…

The 2012 elections are the perfect opportunity to help students make sense of and visualize their role in the democratic society. In this article, the authors examine the benefits of building a class museum centered on the theme: "Government of the People, for the People, and by the People." They provide steps and examples to show how to build a…

Since the election of 1796, buttons, slogans, and, most importantly, symbols have become a mainstay of the American election system. The log cabin symbolized the childhoods of Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln; the sun represented hope on Barack Obama's 2008 presidential election posters. Many people without formal instruction in what symbols…

The activities the authors propose in this article offer teachers a research-based, interactive, and relevant framework of study that can effectively introduce students to the presidential election process as well as encourage students to begin thinking about what types of leaders they will vote for in the future. The exercises embody the best…

Certainly, teaching about politics can be daunting, especially as the political climate in the United States becomes increasingly partisan as a result of heated political rhetoric amplified through a variety of media outlets. However, elementary teachers can help students develop the respectful dispositions they will need as young adults living in…

This article describes several websites that can be used to encourage students to vote. These include "The Democracy Project: Inside the Voting Booth" sponsored by PBS. This site addresses three elementary topics: how one vote has made a difference in U.S. history, how the right to vote has gradually been expanded to include minorities (African…

In a recent survey, the authors asked 37 elementary teachers to describe websites that they found to be the most helpful in planning to teach about voting, elections in general, and the Presidential election of 2004 in particular. For this article, they selected what were, in their judgment, the most useful websites--flexible enough to use with…

Presents learning activities focusing on the office and nature of the Presidency, campaign election procedures, and the necessity of informed citizen choice. Includes activities on polling, voting procedure, vocabulary, campaigns, candidate qualifications and debates. Discusses teaching about the difference between political advertisements and…

Presents activities that focus on increasing elementary students' awareness of the U.S. presidency; campaign and election procedures; desirable characteristics that an individual should have to serve as president; and the need for citizens to make informed election choices. Lists children's books about U.S. presidents and ideas for bulletin boards…