Oak Grove Elementary announces its 2016 Mock Presidential Election. Students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade will participate in the democratic process. First students will familiarize themselves with the terminology, practices, and traditions surrounding American elections. Classes chose a state to represent for the election. Then students register to vote for a period of one week. Ongoing during this time, students will also learn about the two major candidates, and the election process.
The Oak Grove Election Day will be held on, Wednesday, November 2. Students will head to the polls armed with information to make an informed decision. The children will be able to vote online or using paper ballots. The popular votes will be tabulated for each state and on the following day, an Electoral College Convention will be held. We are excited that on this day, students will represent their states at our convention, read blurbs about their particular state and pledge their electoral votes toward the candidate their state has chosen. Electoral votes will be totaled at the convention and the school-wide winner will be announced.
Students in grades 3-5 will be used as election officials that will have many jobs including registering voters, working the polls, giving information through our school television station, and tabulating the results. We are inviting local politicians and school officials to observe our convention on November 3, at 8:30AM.
Standards as the relate to ELECTION 2016
All Grades:
- Real world: Children have participated in the entire process. Children “worked” the registration tables and the polls.
- Emphasize the PROCESS over the CANDIDATES.
- Think of anecdotes from your classroom.
- Stress YOUR Grade level Standards
INFORMATION PROCESSING SKILLS GOAL: The student will be able to locate, analyze, and synthesize information related to social studies topics and apply this information to solve problems/make decisions
Kindergarten:
SSKH2 Identify the following American symbols:
a. The national and state flags (United States and Georgia flags)
b. Pledge of Allegiance
c. Star Spangled Banner (identify as the national anthem)
d. The bald eagle
e. The Statue of Liberty
f. Lincoln Memorial (identify image and associate with Abraham Lincoln and Presidents Day)
g. Washington Monument (identify image and associate with George Washington and
Presidents Day)
h. White House (identify image and associate with Presidents Day and the current president)
SSKCG2 Describe examples of positive character traits exhibited by good citizens such as
honesty, patriotism, courtesy, respect, pride, and self-control.
Grade 1:
SS1CG1 Describe how the historical figures in SS1H1a display positive character traits such as: fairness, respect for others, respect for the environment, courage, equality, tolerance, perseverance, and commitment.
SS1CG2 Explore the concept of patriotism through the words in the songs America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee) and America the Beautiful (for example: brotherhood, liberty, freedom, pride, etc.).
Grade 2:
SS2CG2 The student will identify the roles of the following elected officials:
a. President (leader of our nation)
b. Governor (leader of our state)
c. Mayor (leader of a city)
Grade 3:
SS3CG1 Describe the elements of representative democracy/republic in the United States.
a. Describe the three branches of national government: executive (president), legislative
(Congress), and judicial (Supreme Court of the United States).
b. Describe the three branches of state government: executive (governor), legislative (Georgia General Assembly), and judicial (Supreme Court of Georgia).
c. State the main responsibility of each branch: executive (enforcing laws), legislative (making laws), judicial (determining if laws are fair).
SS3CG2 Explain the importance of Americans sharing certain central democratic beliefs and principles, both personal and civic.
a. Explain the necessity of respecting the rights of others and promoting the common good.
b. Explain the necessity of obeying reasonable laws/rules voluntarily, and explain why it is important for citizens in a democratic society to participate in public (civic) life (staying informed, voting, volunteering, and communicating with public officials).
Grade 4:
SS4H4 Examine the main ideas of the abolitionist and suffrage movements.
SS4CG1 Describe the meaning of: a. Natural rights as found in the Declaration of Independence (the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) b. “We the People” from the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution as a reflection of consent of the governed or popular sovereignty c. The federal system of government in the U.S. (federal powers, state powers, and shared powers) d. Representative democracy/republic.
SS4CG3 Describe the structure of government and the Bill of Rights.
a. Describe how the three branches of government interact with each other (checks and balances and separation of powers), and how they relate to local, state, and federal government.
Grade 5:
SS5CG1 Explain how a citizen’s rights are protected under the U.S. Constitution.
a. Explain the responsibilities of a citizen.
b. Explain the concept of due process of law and describe how the U.S. Constitution protects
a citizen’s rights by due process
Voting Rights Act
SS5CG3 Explain how amendments to the U. S. Constitution have maintained a representative democracy/republic.
a. Explain how voting rights are protected by the 15th , 19th , 23rd , 24th , and 26th amendments.