Online Inauguration Resources for Teachers
Study the Inaugural Process in the Computer Lab
Jan 11, 2009
The swearing in of an American president is always important, and teachers may want to introduce the historical significance of the inaugural process by showing students past inaugurations on Youtube before watching the current inauguration.
Other classroom resources, including worksheets and lesson plans, are also available to help cement this exciting moment into the minds of students, because a president is elected in November, but people often forget that one does not become president until the swearing-in ceremony.
A Game That Recreates the Election Process
In addition to watching streaming feeds of the Inauguration, the computer lab offers a lot of great learning opportunities for students.
Students can develop a greater understanding of the presidential election process by playing "You're the Candidate"; a web-based game presented by Scholastic. The game is either for individuals or pairs, and allows students to canvass, campaign, and run for president.
It is not necessary to create an account to play. Students go to the site, choose some basic characteristics for their presidential candidate, and then they personalize their campaign to allocate resources and make decisions about getting their messages to different parts of the country.
The time involved in game-play varies according to what options are selected, but the game can easily be finished within 20 minutes. The game is best played by:
- students in 4th grade or above;
- students who have an awareness of major topics of interest in the United States
- students with and a basic understanding of how elections work.
Younger students who participated in a mock election may be ready for the game, but may need help with the vocabulary.
An Opportunity to Write an Inauguration Speech
Slate and MixedInk have created an online collaboration for writing an inauguration speech, and although it is not directed to students, it is appropriate for students who are in middle school or above.
Students will be able to put in phrases and edit sentences to help create the inauguration speech they dream of hearing after the new president is sworn in. In addition (or as an alternative) to participating in the collaborative speech, students can read and rate other speeches in progress. Some key points to remember:
- Depending on the amount of time devoted to this project, it could take from 15 minutes to several hours.
- Rough drafts are not necessary, but a familiarity with famous political speeches will help students understand the tone and purpose of the address.
- Slate will end the activity on January 16th so they can choose the best speech to share on their website.
The site requires registration to participate in the project, so teachers may want to register accounts ahead of time so students can get started right away and to prevent students from revealing personal information. Instead of using first names and last names, teachers can instruct students to use their own first names and the class hours as the last name. For example, one name could be "Allison, 5th Hour Geography".
On January 20, 2009, all U.S. students will have the chance to witness a historical moment that comes every four years, but somehow seems more magical for the 44th president. Teachers should take advantage of the excitement of this election by capitalizing on the "teachable moments" the inauguration offers.
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