A guide for using our resources

Children will learn about what happens on Election Day.

Vocabulary: president, polling place, voting booth, future voter

Social Studies Focus: Election Day, voting, citizenship

  1. Watch a Video:

    Time to Vote

     

  2. Read the Issue:

    Hip, Hip, Hooray! It's Election Day

     

  3. Play a Game:
    Make a Campaign Poster

    Skill: text features

  4. Complete Skill Sheets 

    Reading Checkpoint

    Skill: key details

     

    Color by Vowel

    Skill: short vowels

     

    A Letter from Norbert Know-It-All

    Skill: text evidence, writing

     

  5. Lesson Boosters 

  • Paired Text Suggestion: If You Go with Your Goat to Vote by Jan Zauzmer

     

  • Phonics Focus: o_e Makes the Long o Sound

     

  • Hands-on Activity: Time to Vote!

CCSS (and states that have similar standards): RL.1.1 key details; RF.1.2 vowel sounds; RI.1.5 text features; RI.1.10 read and discuss firstgrade texts; W.1.2 writing; SL.1.2 ask and answer questions

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

Paired Text Suggestion: If You Go with Your Goat to Vote by Jan Zauzmer

  • This sweet book follows young animals joining their grownups to vote. It illustrates the experience of Election Day from a kid's point of view and encourages citizenship!

Phonics Focus: o_e Makes the Long o Sound

  • Review what happens to vowels when letter e is added to CVC words.
  • Have students find the word vote in each box. As they are found, ask students to underline the o and e in the word. Practice reading the word.

Hands-On Activity: Time to Vote!

Skill: voting

Materials: Time to Vote! templates, box, crayons, scissors, pencils

  • Have students participate in a class election with the Time to Vote! templates.
  • Prepare the templates by making copies of the ballot, and cutting out the "I VOTED" buttons.
  • Choose a topic for students to vote on. Some suggestions are: a book for a special read aloud, a song for a quick dance party, a border for the class bulletin board, etc.
  • Provide each student with a ballot. Let students know what the choices are, and have them write them on their ballots.
  • Then tape the "Ballot Box" sign on an empty container. Students can place their vote by checking off their favorite option on their ballot and lining up to put it in the ballot box. Remind students that they do not need to put their names on the ballot, should only choose one option, and do not need to tell anyone their choice!
  • As students place their ballots in the box, give them a button to color.
  • When all votes are in, draw a simple graph or chart to track the responses. The whole class can then engage in the activity with the most votes!