Resource Unit

1
Resource Unit Ed 417 Jodi
Ellis Laura Mros KathyAnn Black
Presidents 3rd grade
2
Table of Contents Presidents
Section Page Number Introduction
..3 Content.4 Objective
s.9 Activities.....
10-16 Evaluation...17-21 Instructio
nal Resources..22 Teacher
References22-23 Student
References24-26 Media
References..27-32
3
Introduction -3- Presidents
It is important for students to be aware of what
our United States Presidents have done in the
past for our country as well as what they do
for us today. It is also important that they
realize that they can play a part in who our
president is when they are old enough to vote or
by encouraging those who are old enough to vote.
In this resource unit the third grade students
will realize the importance of the president. As
well as the important achievements that different
presidents have made for our country. This unit
will take about seven days to go through. The
students will gain an understanding of the Untied
States Presidents through activities, videos,
hands on experiences, and computer software.
With all the knowledge they obtain from this unit
they will be able to help convince their parents
to vote if they do not already.
4
Content -4- Presidents

• President background
• On the first day the students will take a look
  at the president
• that they choose. They will look at his
  lifestyle before he
• became president. The students will do this
  through creating
• a time lime of events that happened during the
  life of the
• president before they became president.
• 2.Presidents Campaign
• On day two the students will take a look at what
  all goes into
• a campaign for presidency.The students will
  achieve this
• through a web diagram.

5
Content -5- Presidents
3.Election The students will learn what an
election is and all that goes into a election.
They will do this through a mock
election. 4.Events On the fourth day the
students will learn about what took place during
their presidents presidency. They will then add
these Dates and events to their time line. They
will also recreate on of these events in any
form they feel suit the situation.
5.Achievements On the fifth day the students
will find out some of the greatest achievements
of their presidents. They will present these
accomplishments through a poem.
6
Content -6- Presidents
6.Political Party The students will take a look
at what political party their president
represents. They will gather information and
then create a poster board displaying this
information. 7.Importance of a President The
students will look at the importance of having a
president. The students will do by listing out
what they think is important and then we will
graph it as a class to see what most children
feel is important. 8.Responsibilities The
children will look at what the president is
responsible for. They will do this through a web
diagram.
7
Content -7- Presidents
9. Evaluation On the final day of the lesson the
children will be given a test over the
information discussed during the unit. The test
will be multiple choice and essay. The children
will also have a choice if they would like to do
an extra project for an additional fifteen points
added to their test score.
8
Content -8- Presidents
Concepts

• Democracy
• Republican
• Independent
• Election
• Family
• Military
• Campaign
• Debate
• Sponsors
• Backers
• Impeachment
• Amendments

• Bill of Rights
• Civil Rights Act
• Ballot
• Candidates
• Popular vote
• Electoral vote
• Declaration of Independence
• Presidents Names
• President Cabinet
• White House
• First ladies
• Registration

9
Objectives -9- Presidents
Given the opportunities to correct materials, the
students will be able to
1.Give a definition of there presidents
political party. 2.Name the three political
parties. 3.List three that go into a
campaign. 4.Name five thing about an
election. 5.Name four events that took place
during there presidents term. 6.List three of
there presidents greatest achievements. 7. The
students should be able to tell why a president
is important. 8.List five of the presidents
responsibilities. 9.Name at least five presidents
of the united states.
10
Activities -10- Presidents
Day 1 Presidents Background
IntroductionThe teacher will introduce the unit
and briefly talk about the activities to come
over the next two weeks. The teacher then will
talk about a few of our presidents to spark the
interest of her students. She then will have the
students come up a row at a time and pick a
president they would like to research. It will be
first come first serve so the row that is sitting
best will get to choose first. Then the students
will make a time line of events that happened to
their president before he became
president. Outcome The students were introduce
to the unit on presidents. They have a president
that they will now continue to find information
on throughout the unit. Today they learned about
there presidents background. Development.The
students will develop library skills, math
skills, creativity, English skills, and history
skills. All these skills will be developed
through the library research for materials to use
and the time line they are going to create.
11
Activities -11- Presidents
Day 2 Presidents Campaign

Introduction The students will be introduced to
the different parts of a campaign through a video
and other material showing previous campaigns of
the presidency. Outcome The students will
explore all the different aspects of a campaign
further through web diagrams. Development The
teacher will ask the students things they would
use in their campaign if they were running for
presidency. They will later experience some of
this during the mock election.
12
Activities -16- Presidents
Day 3 Running for President
Introduction The students will be introduced to
a variety of president campaign slogans. The
students will also watch videos that contain
campaign slogans. Outcome The students will
then use this information and create their own
slogan as if they were running for presidency.
The students will make posters with their slogan
on it, and they will use the poster during the
mock election. Development This will help the
students see all that is involved when running
for presidency. The students will also develop
their language arts skills when coming up with a
catchy slogan.
13
Activities -13- Presidents
Day 4 Events
Introduction The students will be introduced to
some of the important events that took place
during different presidencys through a word
search. This will help them to first become
familiar with some of the words. Outcome
Students will use the words they found in the
word search and determine which event took place
during their presidents term. they then
will recreate this event in however they see fit.
They will be able to get a start on this in class
and will finish at home. Example might be to
recreate a war with figures and materials or
recreate a document. Each recreation needs to
have a description with it telling the importance
and the effects the event had on the president
and the country. All students will then present
their recreations to the class. Development This
lesson will develop the students creativity
skills as well as there historic knowledge. This
will also show you how a student is learning
through their recreation.
14
Activities -14- Presidents
Day 5 Achievements
Introduction The teacher will try and spark the
students interest by telling them about all she
has achieved in life. Then she will ask them
what they have achieved. For instance if they
know how to ride a bike and what they had to do
to accomplish this achievement. Outcome The
students then will use the materials they have
gathered on their president and write a poem that
contains all their presidents achievements. Deve
lopment This will help students develop their
research skills, language arts skills, and
writing skills.
15
Activities -15- Presidents
Day 6 Political Party
Introduction The teacher will bring in pictures
and objects that represent the symbols used for
each political party, and discuss the importance
of the symbols. Outcome The student will
develop knowledge about the different political
parties that exist. They then will be able to
create a poster with the information on the
political party of their president. Development
The students will develop their creativity
skills, political skills, and reason skills.
16
Activities -16- Presidents
Day 7 Election
Introduction The students will be introduced to
the materials and aspects of election through
pictures and objects the teacher will bring in.
OutcomeThe students will then use what they
learned earlier and on previous days to create
a mock election. Development This will help
develop the students collaboration Skills. They
will also learn the importance of an election and
how one vote can make a difference.
17
Evaluation -17- Presidents
Unit Test- Presidency
Name______________
Multiple Choice (1 point each)

• Which president was the only president to be
  elected
• unanimously?
• a). George Washington
• b). George W. Bush
• c). John F. Kennedy
• d). Thomas Jefferson

18
Evaluation -18- Presidents
2. This president authorized the Lewis and Clark
expedition. a). Ulysses S. Grant
d). Thomas Jefferson b). Harry S.
Truman c). Bill Clinton 3. Who was
the oldest man to be elected president? a).
George Washington c). Thomas Jefferson
b). Ronald Reagan d). John F.
Kennedy
19
Evaluation -19- Presidents
4. On January 23, 1863, this president issued the
Emancipation Proclamation. a). Bill
Clinton c). Abraham
Lincoln b). Ronald Reagan d).
George Washington 5. The two major political
parties in the U.S. are the _______ and
__________. a). Socialists, Democrats
b). Libertarian, Socialists c). Democrats,
Republicans d). Reform, Libertarian
20
Evaluation -20- Presidents
True/False (2 points each)

• There has been a total of 38 presidents thus
  far. T F
• If false, correct the statement below to
  make the statement true.
• 2. The president can stay in office for a total
  of 10 terms. T F
• If false, correct the statement below to
  make the statement true.

21
Evaluation -21- Presidents
Short Essay (5 points each)
Read each question carefully, then answer the
questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1).
If I were president I would 2). Each of you
had to research one president, I would like you
to state at least five things you learned
about your president.
22
Resources(Teachers) -22- Presidents
Beyond the Cherry Tree Stories of the
Presidents. Activity book. J. Weston
Walch. 1996. Designed to help students identify
withthe person behind the presidency.each of
the 41 biographies in this activity book begins
with colorful anecdotes from the presidents
youth, then discusses the major events of his
adult life and term of office. Contains
discussion questions, and group activities. Our
Federal Government. 3 VHS videos, 3 guides.
Rainbow, 1993. This video series provides a
straightforward introduction to the three
branches of government, emphasizing their
cooperative roles in governing the nation.
Contains review questions, activities, a
reproducible quiz, and script. The American
Presidents. Activity book. Monday Morning. 2000.
This learn-by-doing book ties 130 simple craft
projects to intriguing facts about our chief
executives. Contains president and first-lady
cards, the White House, flags and symbols, and a
50-state map.
23
Resources(Teachers) -23- Presidents
We the People. Paperback book. Teachers guide.
Center of Civic Education. This teacher-written
book embraces the Constitution, the Bill of
Rights, and what it means to be a responsible
citizen. Contains copies of the Declaration
of Independence and the Constitution, biographies
of framers, and a glossary. Electing a
President The Process. VHS videocassette.
Rainbow, 1993. This traces the evolution of
presidential elections from Washington to
Clinton. Topics include president eligibility
requirements, the electoral college, primaries,
conventions, and debates. Contains a teacher
guide.
24
Resources(Students) -24-
Presidents
You are the President. Hardback book. Nathan
Aaseng. The Oliver Press. 1994 This book contains
a series of challenging questions designed to
make students weight options, plot strategies,
and make risky decisions about all aspects of a
presidents life. The students decisions are
them compared to the decisions by the great
presidents. Hail to the Candidate. Paperback
book. Keith Melder. Smithsonian Press, 1992 A
212-page reference book celebrating 200 years of
presidential campaigns. Fully illustrated volume
shows the devices used to capture voter attention
from Washington to Bush. Captures the essence of
the election and campaigning. Electing a
President. 30 poster worksheets. Teaching
Learning Company. 1996 Hands-on projects that
teach how elections work. Students apply
research, thinking, and artistic skills to
illustrate the election process. Presidents of
the United States. 82 cards, guide. Media
Materials. 1996 Provides a wealth of activities
and games for learning centers, individual or
cooperative play, or class openers. 41
presidential biography cards and 41 picture cards
to play games.
25
Resources(Students) -25- Presidents
Presidential Puzzlers. Activity Book. Good Year.
1999 Presidential tidbits form the basis for
word-searches, crossword puzzles and other games.
Students might need to do a little research at
the library to find some of the answers out.
Presidential Elections A complete Resource
with Historical Information. Activity book. 1999
Priming future voters for elections in 2000 and
beyond, the lessons in this book help them learn
about political parties and conventions, the
mechanics of running a campaign, and the election
process itself. Contains directions and
worksheets for staging mock presidential election
in the classroom. Beginnings -Civilization and
GovernmentTell Me Why. VHS Videocassette.
Penguin Productions. Students are shown the
origins of American institutions and customs in
this entertainment program based on the acclaimed
Tell Me Why Books by Arkady Leokum.
26
Resources(Students) -26-Presidents
Encyclopedia of the Presidents and Their Times.
Hardback book. David Rubel. 1997 This
easy-to-use, one-volume reference surveys
American history by examining the terms of the
presidents from Washington to Clinton. Electing
the President Inside the Government. Hardback
book. Barbara S. Feinberg. Twenty-First Century
Books, 1995. This book contains an overview of
all the steps involved in electing a president,
including primary process, national conventions,
and campaigns. Contains illustrative historical
examples. Presidents of the United States Fact
Cards. Fact cards. Toucan Valley. Second edition.
2001 An ideal starting place for student projects
and reports, these reproducible 8 1/2 x 11
double-sided cards are conveniently housed in a
three-ring binder. Each illustrated card displays
basic data for each president from George
Washington to George W. Bush.
27
Resources(Media)
-27-Presidents
Hail to the Chief Presidential Elections VHS
Videocassette. Sunburst. 2000 In concise
narration accompanied by graphics and archival
footage, this basic introduction looks at the
history and present-day procedures involved in
electing a U.S. President. The American
President VHS Videocassette. Boxed set.
WNET/Kunhardt. 2000 These videos are compelling
12-20-minute profiles of Americas first 41
presidents and they are organized
thematically. The Presidency VHS Videocassette.
Rainbow. 1993 The responsibilities of the chief
executive are outlined, as are the many offices
and departments that help the president discharge
those duties. The 30-Second President. VHS
Videocassette. CEL/BDM. 1984 This is a
documentary of political advertisements on
television. Specific coverage of presidential
elections. Top ad execs analyze the effects this
countrys most memorable commercials had on that
one-day sale held in America on a Tuesday in
November.
28
Resources(Media)
-28-Presidents
Electing a President VHS Videocassette.
Rainbow. Tracing the evolution of presidential
elections from Washington to Clinton, this video
introduces students to eligibility for office,
the electoral college, primaries, conventions,
and debates. State Government Hardback book.
Ernestine Giesecke. Heinemann Library.
2000 Concise and easy to understand, this volume
defines the purpose of state government, and
introduces the functions of the three branches of
government. Readers also learn about who can run
for office and how they are elected. Presidents
Hardback book. Eyewitness books. James Barber.
Dorling Kindersley. 2000. A richly pictorial,
chronological catalog of Americas presidents
amplifies its terse summaries of their terms in
office with full-color captioned portraits,
images of campaign paraphernalia, political
cartoons, and archival paintings and photographs.
29
Resources(Media)
-28-Presidents
All About Elections CD-ROM Software. Thomas S.
Klise Company 1999 Full-color cartoon slides,
clear audio, and informative text explain the
election process. A factual introduction explains
the basics who may vote and the election
process. Difficult words are highlighted and
linked to definitions. The American Presidency
CD-ROM Software. Grolier. 1999 Biographies of the
presidents drawn from three different
encyclopedias make this CD-ROM a perfect starting
place for research and report writing. Students
can also use hot links to jump directly from the
CD to the World Wide Web and access the home
pages of presidential libraries and
birthplaces. Campaigns, Candidates, and the
Presidency CD-ROM Software. Comptons New Media.
1995 This software has an in-depth analysis of
the issues, events, and outcomes of every
presidential campaign from Washington to Clinton.
CD contains narrated montages of the elections
and terms of office. Contains a presidential
trivia game that lets students make their own run
for the high office.
30
Resources(Media)
-29-Presidents
Elections Activity book. Carson-Dellosa.
1998 This book covers election basics in 17
articles with multi-level worksheets. The
activities include running for election, who
votes, opinion polls, campaign financing, and
what it takes to win. Candidates, Campaigns, and
Elections Activity book Scholastic. 2000 This
three-part book features high-interest games and
activities geared to different ability levels.
Election Basics surveys the electoral process,
voter registration, and voting. Contains a
fold-out poster, Electing Our President. U.S.
Presidents Puzzles Puzzle book. Carson-Dellosa.
2000 The 16 crosswords, five word searches, and
one grand scramble with every presidents first
and last name balance fun with learning. Fact
sheets with pictures of each chief executive give
the information needed to solve the puzzles.
31
Resources(Media)
-30-Presidents
Our Nations Capital Activities and Projects for
Learning About Washington, D.C. Activity book.
Scholastic. 1996 Readings, activities, and a game
introduce the landmarks and history of Americas
capital. Presents each landmark-the White House,
Capitol, Supreme Court, Smithsonian, and the
Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, and Vietnam
Memorials. The Voting Machine HyperCard
Presentation, Career Publishing This presentation
transfers a computer into an official balloting
machine for school elections. Menu driven and
very easy to operate, the program allows the user
to prepare ballots, collect votes, and tally
results. Contains an extensive guide, I voted
today labels, and three wall charts. Branches of
Government Posters. Knowledge Unlimited.
1996. Displayed together, these colorful posters
help students compare the executive, legislative,
and judicial branches of government and
understand checks and balances. Also shows the
qualifications, terms of office, and basic duties
of the president.
32
Resources(Media)
-31-Presidents
Executive Branch Posters Posters. Waterwheel.
2001 This is a black-and-white poster of
portraits of each of the presidents in
chronological order against a colorful
background. United States Presidents Posters.
White Mountain. 2001 Captioned portraits of every
president surround a map of the U.S. filled with
facts about our chief executives, including
birthplaces, monument sites, fascinating tidbits,
and accomplishments while in office. Election
2000 Issues and Personalities of Campaign 2000
in Caricature and Cartoon. Transparencies.
Highsmith. 2000 Using 12 cartoons, the lessons in
this booklet deal exclusively with the 2000
presidential election. Transparencies of the 12
cartoons focus class discussions and debates on
the parties, the candidates, and the issues most
on the minds of the voters.
33
Resources(Media)
-32-Presidents
American Government. Laserdisc. CEL. 1994 This
covers two main areas. Parties and Campaigns and
The Presidency. The disc is organized into 40
segments of interactive full-motion video.
Content includes clips from a televised election
night and in-depth analysis of this election.
Contents include a 35-page guide containing
thought questions, classroom exercises, reading
lists, and biographical data.