Election Writing Prompts is another packet of Election Activities you can do with your students.
The picture only shows a few writing prompt header cards and class book covers. There are 14 in all, and several ways you can use them.
Run off the header sheets and have students color the pictures. Children trace the initial sentence and then complete the thought.
Younger students can simply complete sentences on the one page; older students can expand their thoughts and write more, by attaching another sheet of lined paper to the bottom.
So that you are covering the various Common Core State Standards, remind students that the first word is capitalized, that there are spaces between words, that they are reading from left to right and from the top down, and that sentences should end with proper punctuation.
These writing prompts are terrific for a writing center or Daily 5 activity and when completed, make a great Election bulletin board.
For a quick and easy election bulletin bulletin board, have students glue their work to red or blue construction paper. Add a white cut out star to the corner. Trim your bulletin board or wall with patriotic border.
The header prompts also look nice suspended back-to-back from the ceiling.
I’ve also included the various writing prompts in a class book form, where students trace the beginning portion of the sentence and then complete the thought, but illustrate their own page.
Instead of a header for the student page, I've used the art word as covers for each class book.
You collect completed student writing, collate the book, and then share the finished copy with your class. Children can read their own contributions.
Class books are great to share at Parent-Teacher Conferences.There's also a Democratic and Republican party writing prompt, as well as posters and a graphing extension.
I think it's important that students have some background information on the parties, what they stand for, their platforms, how the symbols came about etc. You can find this info out by having students do a bit of research on the Internet, as well as on my trivia page in my election stuff.
You don't want little ones voting for a Republican candidate simply because they like elephants better than donkeys, which I have actually found to be the case with some of my Y5's, when I asked why they voted the way they did! (They wanted their name in the elephant column, or they wanted to wear an elephant badge, or do an elephant, rather than a donkey craftivity.)Click on the link to view/download Election Writing Prompts
Here are some other websites you might find helpful when planning election activities:
Ben's Guide To the US (Government for Kids) Is geared K-12 and includes online lessons, games, helpful links and a variety of topics that range from the branches of government and elections, to the legislative process and citizenship.
Scholastic's Election 2012 features updates on all the election news from the Kids Press Corps, + an "election central" with a kid-friendly resource section, election maps, games, videos etc.
One of my favorite sections was seeing the results of their nationwide vote. They posted who won the "Scholastic Presidential" election. They even show the break down by states and include percentages! Some are quite startling. This information, makes for great discussion, as well as an opportunity to compare your class and school's results with theirs.
Finally, Kids Voting USA organizes authentic mock elections. They also have a resource page for the 2012 election and FREE K-12 classroom activities, that cover 4 themes: Elections and Voting, Democracy and the People, Informed Citizens and Civic Engagement.
If you haven't read my previous election-themed articles that I've blogged about, be sure and scroll down. Click on the link to view/download the other election stuff available on teachwithme.
I plan on designing some math-related election activities, as well as "It's Election Time" dealing with digital and analog time. + an easy reader about elections, so be sure and check back all this week and next for new things!
This link will take you to a list of election stuff in the shopping cart. Simply scroll down 'til you find things you want. Just a reminder, everything on TeachWithMe.com is FREE.
Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.
“Those who can,do. Those who can do more, teach!” –Unknown”
