Election activities,

School Activities For The 2016 Presidential Election

1-2-3 Come Do Some Election Activities With Me

When it comes to election activities, it's often hard to find something quick, easy & fun that's age-appropriate for early elementary.  I basically wanted something simple to help my students become familiar with the 2016 Presidential candidates.

With that in mind, I designed 3 election-themed craftivities that I think your students will really enjoy. They are featured in this blog article, along with today's special FREEBIE.

election crafts, election activities, election centers, election activities for early elementaryFirst up is a Presidential Candidate Slider, which is easy enough for preschoolers, and still appropriate for kindergarten and 1st grade as well.

Simply pick one of two star options, or give your students a choice.

They color and trim, then insert their "slider" which features the 4 presidential candidates for the 2016 election.

I've included black and white patterns for students to color, as well as colorful templates, so that you can quickly and easily make a sample to share.

election crafts, election activities, election centers, election activities for early elementaryWhen everyone is done, review the names of the candidates by pulling the portraits of the 4 nominees through the star "window".

You could also go over the party that they are affiliated with, as well as their Vice Presidential running mates.

Afterwards, check comprehension by calling out a name, party or running mate; students slide the matching picture to the window, then hold up their star.

You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.  Next up is a versatile writing prompt craft I call the "Democracy Dangler". 

election crafts, election activities, election centers, election activities for early elementaryThere are many options for putting this  craft together. 
Children can simply choose the candidate that they are going to vote for in your school’s mock election, or the candidate that they would vote for if they were 18.

They can pick the full-page large oval or the smaller, 2-on-a-page version.

Writing Prompt Options: On the back older students write the reasons why they support that candidate, reasons why they are going to vote for that nominee or the things that they like about that person.

election crafts, election activities, election centers, election activities for early elementaryStudents could also pick 2 candidates, glue these ovals back-to-back then complete a comparison-contrast writing prompt which they’d write on the back of the “Election 2016” square. OR …

Children feature all 4 candidates in the order that they like them, the top one being the one that they will be voting for, then write factual information on the back of each oval, or things they like and dislike about each candidate.

Ovals can be glued on a length of yarn or patriotic ribbon, with a loop at the top for hanging,

election crafts, election activities, election centers, election activities for early elementaryI’ve also included real photograph-ovals of each candidate which you can use:
* to introduce your lesson,
* help explain things,
* test for comprehension of who that nominee is, and/or
* use for a display.

Completed projects look awesome dangling from the ceiling, as a border along a hallway wall.  I’ve included a “Hanging Out With The Candidates” poster you can use for your display as well.

election crafts, election activities, election centers, election activities for early elementaryFinally, the "Flip For Facts" writing prompt craft, is a nice introduction to doing research, and practicing technology skills, and is wonderfully simple!

Students can practice their research skills and find X number of facts (I ask for 3), about each candidate via books, magazines, newspapers or on the Internet.

Older kiddos can cite their sources on the back.

I’ve also included some general biographical and campaign information on all 4 candidates that you can share with your students as well.
These can be read as non-fiction passages for older students.

election crafts, election activities, election centers, election activities for early elementaryRun off the pattern, which children fold over, color and snip to create “flaps” for “flipping”.
Underneath they write their “bulleted” facts.

election crafts, election activities, election centers, election activities for early elementaryGive students a star sticker to place on their favorite candidate.
When everyone is done, have students share their “flipper flapper” with the class, telling one interesting fact that they found.

Besides the BW template for students to color, I’ve also included a pattern in color, as well as a completed set of facts, so that you can quickly and easily make a sample to share.

Completed projects make a terrific bulletin board too.
I’ve included 2 patriotic posters for the center of your display. 

election crafts, election activities, election centers, election activities for early elementaryToday's featured FREEBIE is a 40-page, election-themed number packet, which practices a variety of math standards suitable for PK-1st.

election crafts, election activities, election centers, election activities for early elementaryWell that's it for now.  Thanks for stopping by.

My granddaughter is celebrating her 2nd birthday this week, so it's time to do some shopping. 

Wishing you a carefree and happy-go-lucky kind of day. 

"Age is strickly mind over matter.  If you don't mind, it don't matter." -Jack Benny

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Election Time: Teaching Digital and Analog Time

It’s Time To Vote! Teaching Time With Election-Themed Games

election activities, election lessons, election ideas, election ballot, election buttons, election posters, election activities for early elementary, election writing prompts, election centers, election crafts, election stuff, election word wall words, election vocabulary, election dictionary, voter registration card, election venn diagrams, election graphs, election state maps, election arts and crafts, The final countdown for the election is here! Are you still looking for a few things to do that fit in with your standards? How about studying analog and digital time with an election-themed game? This 7-page packet does just that!

Students spin the vote spinner that looks like an analog clock and write in the digital time in the correct order from 12:00 to 11:00 on the ballots that look like they’re going into the ballot box.

The 1st student to complete their ballot box or the one with the most times filled in when the timer rings, is the winner.

In the Time To Vote blank analog clock game, run off the template.

Students play with a partner. Children take turns rolling 1st one dice for number times 1-6. iif they roll a 1, they put that number on their clock and then draw a red circle around it. You are covering several math concepts this way.

Students use a red marker or crayon for ODD numbers and a blue one for EVEN numbers. This will make an ABAB pattern around the clock face.

Once students have filled in those times, they get to play with 2 dice. They then add the dice together to get numbers 7-12 covering addition.  If you want, you can have them show you the equation on a scrap sheet of paper.

The 1st child to fill in their vote clock, or the one with the most numbers filled in before the timer rings, is the winner.

I have filled in the 12. as an example. When a child rolls a combination of numbers that add up to 12 they can trace the blue circle.

election activities, election lessons, election ideas, election ballot, election buttons, election posters, election activities for early elementary, election writing prompts, election centers, election crafts, election stuff, election word wall words, election vocabulary, election dictionary, voter registration card, election venn diagrams, election graphs, election state maps, election arts and crafts, If you want children to make a Vote Clock, so that you can whole group, or individually assess your students, have them cut out their VOTE clock circle and glue it to a paper plate, then poke a hole in the center of the O in vote. Add construction paper hands, or a large and short paper clip attached by a brass brad.

To whole-group assess analog time, choose a quiet student to call out a time. Children manipulate the hands to show the correct time.

When they have positioned the hands, they hold up their clocks.  Continue, ‘til all of the times have been called.

The packet also includes traceable digital time cards to the hour and half hour + blank analog clock cards to be filled in as an assessment or skill practice.

These games will help you practice Common Core State Standard: 1.MD.3

Click on the link to view/download the Election Time Packet.

election activities, election lessons, election ideas, election ballot, election buttons, election posters, election activities for early elementary, election writing prompts, election centers, election crafts, election stuff, election word wall words, election vocabulary, election dictionary, voter registration card, election venn diagrams, election graphs, election state maps, election arts and crafts, If you are looking for other Election Themed Activitiies like Election Writing prompts, Election buttons-badges-posters, Venn diagrams, graphs & maps, Election math lessons, Election easy readers, or Election word wall words with a dictionary, simply click on the link to go to my Election-themed section. Scroll down and choose the Election lessons you want.  I even have a voter registration card and ballot for you to use in your own mock election on Tuesday.

Thank you for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.

“Our task is not to fix the blame for the past, but to fix the course for the future.” –John F. Kennedy

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