Lesson Title – Election time

Contributor – Anne Draper

Grade Level – 2nd – 5th grade

Essential Reading Element - Picture Books and Comprehension

Objective(s) – To familiarize the children with the president of the United States and the former presidents in a way that will help them remember each one and comprehend the character of each one.

Procedure – Discuss the upcoming presidential election then introduce What Presidents are made of.  Ask the children how they think the creator of the book did the illustrations.  Show Piven’s other titles and compare them with What Presidents are made of.  Coordinate the lesson with the art teacher so that the children can do portraits of their candidates of choice with objects.  

Implementation – In late October and November as the election draws close.  This lesson was such fun and the children really seemed to enjoy it.  View the slide show of one class making their portraits.

Examples, Resources, and Links - http://www.pivenworld.com/pivenWorldNew.html

http://www.duckforpresident.com/downloads.html

http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=2946

Other titles that may be used with this lesson are:

Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio

Duck for President by Doreen Cronin

See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes and the Race to the White House by Susan E. Goodman

Time for Kids:  Election Connection 2008

 http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/election08/