I met with my team last week (via Zoom!) and we talked about how to teach our students about the elections this year. During these turbulent times, it can be challenging to even say the word “president” or “voting” without bringing up strong emotions.
So how can you teach about the elections, without getting political? Great question! In this blog post, I will explain how and what you can teach your students about the upcoming 2020 Presidential election.
We know not to tell our students who their parents should or should not vote for, but what SHOULD you teach your students?
What to Teach About the 2020 Election
The goal is to help your students be more informed United States citizens and understand the voting and presidential election process. Below is a list of ideas about what to teach about the 2020 elections.
I wrote the following topics in the form of “I can” statements, which you can post as learning targets for your students:
- I can explain how someone becomes President.
- I can name the main political parties.
- I can identify the two candidates running for President.
- I can explain how the electoral college works.
- I can describe what happens on Election Day.
- I can identify some rights of United States citizens.
- I can identify some responsibilities of United States citizens.
- I can describe what happens on Inauguration Day.
Holding a Mock Election in Your Classroom
Another way to teach about the voting process is to hold a mock election in your classroom! This is such a fun and motivating way for young kids to learn about the voting process. I have a FREE class president activity for you to download.
Click on the picture below, or click here: Class President FREE printable
I know that teaching about the election process can be tough, and I am here to help! Whether you are teaching remotely or in-person, I have some resources that can help you.
Help your 2nd to 4th graders be more informed U.S. citizens and understand the presidential election process with this reading passage and set of comprehension questions! Students will learn about the major political parties, the electoral college, the Democratic and Republican candidates, and more with this engaging and impactful resource!
There is a mix of interactive comprehension question worksheets, including true/false, multiple-choice, and short answer.
The story is 13 pages, including colorful and kid-friendly graphics. There are 6 pages of different types of comprehension question worksheets. The story also comes with a black and white option, if you prefer to have the graphics in black and white.
Click here to purchase the PDF printable version of this resource: Presidential Elections 2020
Are you teaching remotely and do you need a digital, online version to use?
The digital, or paperless version is perfect for Google Classroom. The Google link can be shared with your students via Google Classroom or Google Drive. The Google link can also be shared with your students via the SeeSaw platform.
There is a mix of interactive comprehension questions, including true/false, multiple-choice, and short answer. The drag and drop and text box responses provide an easy way for all students to use to answer the questions digitally.
The story is 11 slides, including colorful and kid-friendly graphics. There are 7 slides of different types of comprehension questions.
Click here to purchase the online, digital version of this resource:
All About the United States Elections Digital Version
I hope you find that teaching your students about the election and voting process does not have to be intimidating. Instead, I hope you find their curiosity about the topic refreshing! Teaching our young citizens about the voting process will help them prepare for the day where they are allowed to vote!
