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, 2005, George W. Bush will begin his second term
as the 43rd president of the United States. Bush will stand in front of
the Capitol and take the Oath
of Office from the chief justice of the United States.
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 Inauguration
of the U.S. President, January 20, 2005, the 2005
Presidential Inauguration Resources & More, and the Armed
Forces Inaugural Committee.
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 Bush
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-2, 3-5, 6-8)
- Portrait of the President
Students use current photographs to create portraits of the new president.
(Grade K-2, 3-5)
- Inauguration Firsts Trivia Hunt
Students find fascinating firsts and facts about past U.S. presidential
inaugurations and answer questions about what they learn. (Grade 6-8,
9-12)
- 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. (Grade 6-8, 9-12)
- Comparing Inaugural Addresses
Students compare and contrast inaugural addresses of past presidents
of the United States. (Grade 6-8, 9-12)
- Inaugural Poetry
Students compare and contrast the poems that Robert Frost, Maya Angelou,
and Miller Williams wrote and read at past inaugurations. (Grade 6-8,
9-12)
- Inaugural Pennant
Students study pennants designed for previous inaugurations and design
souvenir pennants for the 2001 inauguration. (Grade 3-5, 6-8)
- 'I Do Solemnly Swear'
Students complete a vocabulary work sheet about the Oath of Office.
(Grade 6-8, 9-12)
- Inauguration Interview
Students develop questions that a reporter might ask during an interview
with the new president. (Grade K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)
- The Inauguration and the Media
Students track media coverage of the presidential inauguration in various
types of media -- television, print, and online. (Grade 6-8, 9-12)
Primaries, Voting, and Elections
Lois Lewis
Education World®
Copyright © 2005 Education World
01/07/2005
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