Election Activities for Kids
Elections are an excellent opportunity to introduce kids to the concepts of leadership, decision-making, and citizenship. These engaging election-themed STEM activities will not only spark curiosity but also provide a hands-on learning experience for kids.
Through these activities, children will create their own ballot box, build a podium, design a campaign button, and learn about citizenship and leadership using inspiring books like Grace for President, Duck for President, and Sofia Valdez, Future Prez.
Let’s dive into how you can set up these exciting election-themed activities in your classroom!
Election Activities for Kids:
Create a Ballot Box
Build a Podium
Design a Campaign Button
Learn about Citizenship
Simplifying Your Planning Process
These lessons are available on Teachers Pay Teachers.
However, the best way to access them is through the STEM Teachers Club Membership.
The STEM Teachers Club Membership not only provides high-quality lesson plans but also offers a structured approach to implementing them. With weekly themes and suggested read-alouds, you can easily integrate STEM into your daily schedule. Through the STEM Teachers Club you are able to gain access to our full catalog of lessons with unlimited downloads and you can cancel anytime.
1. Build a Ballot Box: Inspired by Grace for President
Nothing says “election day” like a ballot box! After reading Grace for President, kids can engage in a STEM challenge to build their own functional ballot box. This activity is a great way to help students understand the voting process.
Activity Overview:
Materials Needed: Cardboard boxes, craft paper, scissors, glue, markers, and tape.
Objective: Kids will design and build a ballot box where their classmates can cast votes.
STEM Focus: Engineering and problem-solving skills will be put to the test as students work through how to make a sturdy and functional ballot box. Will it have a slot at the top or a door that opens? How will the votes be collected and counted? Encourage students to think critically about these design features.
This activity gives students the opportunity to collaborate and develop communication skills as they discuss and implement their ideas.
2. Build a Podium: Inspired by Duck for President
Every candidate needs a podium for their speeches! After reading Duck for President, challenge your students to design and build a podium for Duck. This activity will get kids thinking about structure and functionality.
Activity Overview:
Materials Needed: Non-consumable building materials (LEGO, KEVA planks, Magna-Tiles, or similar items), Duck printable
Objective: Students will work together to design and build a podium that duck can see over.
STEM Focus: This challenge highlights creativity and engineering, as kids need to figure out how to construct a podium that is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing.
3. Design Campaign Buttons: Inspired by Duck for President
Another fun and creative way for students to engage in the election process is by designing their own campaign buttons! After learning about the history of campaign buttons, students can create their own to show support for duck.
Activity Overview:
Materials Needed: paper, markers, button maker (optional).
Objective: Students will design and create a campaign button to help duck get elected.
STEM Focus: This activity encourages creativity and design thinking. Students will plan their button design, thinking about how to visually communicate their ideas effectively in a small space. Whether creating paper buttons or real buttons, this hands-on task helps kids express their support through artistic representation.
By allowing students to wear their creations, you also bring a tangible, real-world aspect to the lesson, making them feel even more connected to the election process.
4. Learning About Citizenship: Inspired by Sofia Valdez, Future Prez
Being a leader is about more than just being in charge; it’s about helping others and making positive changes in your community. Sofia Valdez, Future Prez is a wonderful book that teaches kids about citizenship, problem-solving, and perseverance. This story can inspire a discussion on what it means to be a good citizen and how students can contribute to their communities, just like Sofia does.
Activity Overview:
Materials Needed: Poster paper, markers, craft supplies.
Objective: After reading the book, students will work on a STEM challenge to design a new park. This is a collaborative challenge where each student or group will work on a different aspect of the park before the pieces are combined to create the final project.
STEM Focus: This challenge allows students to explore civic engineering and environmental responsibility while considering how their designs will benefit the community. It encourages them to think like leaders and take ownership of the changes they want to see.
This activity is a perfect way to integrate citizenship lessons with STEM and creativity, helping students understand how they can take action and become leaders in their own lives.
These lessons are available on Teachers Pay Teachers.
However, the Carly and Adam STEM Teachers Club Membership offers the best value for educators. With this membership, teachers gain unlimited access to Carly and Adam's extensive library of STEM resources, including ready-to-use lesson plans, activities, and challenges including all of our election resources.
*These resources can also be purchased on Teachers Pay Teachers, but the STEM Teachers Club Membership is the Best Deal.
Have more questions or need additional resources?
You can get all 500+ STEM Challenges by Carly and Adam as part of the STEM Teachers Club Membership. Save $5 on your first month using coupon Code: CarlyAndAdamBlog.
We hope you have found this blog post helpful. To stay connected with Carly and Adam's teaching tips and classroom freebies be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and subscribe to our blog!