I am the Kids Voting Representative for my county. Recently, I received a concern from a school that stated the hesitancy to participate because of the Presidential Election and the possible opinions that might come from home. I used this quote in my response,

Young people need to vote. They need to get out there. Every vote counts. Educate yourself too. Don't just vote. Know what you're voting for, and stand by that. Nikki Reed

I explained that it is important to teach students about the responsibility of voting and why people need to be informed. Everything should be based on facts and finding ways to vote FOR someone and not against someone. So much is based on attacking and name calling that it is starting to hurt the educational process. We have standards and statutes that must be addressed about government and voting. Being afraid to teach something is normal. Nevertheless, it still needs to be taught.

Does anyone have any great elementary activities they use for Constitution Day? While it might initially seem like a holiday that doesn’t need much celebration, now more than ever, students need to understand what the Constitution does and how it affects their daily lives. I’d love to hear what engaging, age-appropriate ideas you’ve tried in your classrooms!

How would you plan a lesson for having students evaluate the significance of key individuals leading to the Civil War? (eg Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, Fredrick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Abraham Lincoln)