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Hail to the Chief:
Inauguration Lessons

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Every four years on January 20, an important event occurs in the United States: A president takes the Oath of Office during an inauguration ceremony. This week, Education World offers ten super activities to help your students learn about and commemorate the inauguration. Included: Activities in which students write letters to the president, create presidential portraits, complete an inauguration trivia hunt, and much more!

At noon on January 20, 2009, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. Obama will stand in front of the Capitol and take the Oath of Office from the chief justice of the United States.

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The inauguration festivities include an inaugural parade and numerous balls. Many Web sites will provide the latest information about inaugural ceremonies. You might start with Inaugural: January 20, 2009 and PresidentialInauguration.com.

For a historical perspective, check "I Do Solemnly Swear...": Presidential Inaugurations, an extensive online collection of inaugural materials from American Memory, a Library of Congress Web site.

To further assist you in teaching about the inauguration, Education World has created ten great classroom activities. Read the brief descriptions below for each lesson. Click any headline for a complete teaching resource!

Dear President Obama
Students write letters to the new president, including goals they would like to see achieved in the new administration and good wishes to the president and his family. (Grade K-8)

Portrait of the President
Students use current photographs to create portraits of the new president. (Grade K-5)

Inauguration Firsts Trivia Hunt
Students find fascinating firsts and facts about past U.S. presidential inaugurations and answer questions about what they learn. (Grades 6-12)

Inaugural Weather in History
Students learn fascinating facts about weather conditions during past U.S. presidential inaugurations and complete a work sheet based on the information. (Grades 6-12)

Just for Fun

The folks at EducationalRap.com recently added a new rap that reflect Obama's inauguration as #44. Listen to and share with students this new rap song, 44 Presidents.
Comparing Inaugural Addresses
Students compare and contrast inaugural addresses of past presidents of the United States. (Grades 6-12)

Inaugural Poetry
Students compare and contrast the poems that Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, and Miller Williams wrote and read at past inaugurations. (Grades 6-12)

Inaugural Pennant
Students study pennants designed for previous inaugurations and design souvenir pennants for the 2001 inauguration. (Grades 3-8)

'I Do Solemnly Swear'
Students complete a vocabulary work sheet about the Oath of Office. (Grades 6-12)

Inauguration Interview
Students develop questions that a reporter might ask during an interview with the new president. (Grades K-12)

The Inauguration and the Media
Students track media coverage of the presidential inauguration in various types of media -- television, print, and online. (Grades 6-12)

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Primaries, Voting, and Elections

Lois Lewis
Education World®
Copyright © 2008 Education World

Originally published 01/15/2001
Last updated 01/07/2009