As we head into this crucial time in our nation’s history, we’re excited to share this memorable and engaging study of the U.S. Presidential Elections Process from our favorite lapbooking company, Homeschool in the Woods. If you’re seeking a resource to help you and your students better understand the elections process (along with various aspects of our representative form of government and the steps leading up to the Presidential election), this unit study provides a fantastic overview of the entire U.S. Elections process – especially for students in elementary and middle school!
A few years ago, our family pieced together a hands-on U.S. Elections unit study covering a brief history of the establishment of the U.S. Government along with how the nation elects its leaders. Now that we’re revisiting American history this year, we’re looking back through our previous work, and… boy! This was such a fun and interactive way to introduce the U.S. Government and its elections process! We not only studied the history behind the formation and structure of the U.S. Government, but we also learned about political parties, caucuses & primaries, the electoral college, campaigning, and much more. It’s one reason our family has so enjoyed Homeschool in the Woods studies – not only have we learned so much, but we’ve also enjoyed revisiting these memories as we look back through the treasures of our past studies!
Suggested for grades 3-8, the U.S. Elections Lap-Pak Unit Study introduces the U.S. Elections process through reading material (which is also provided in audio format so students can read along or work on projects while listening)…
…and 21 corresponding interactive, hands-on lapbooking activities that incorporate creative writing, coloring/drawing, and more.
The activities are designed to teach students through kinesthetic means – primarily through papercrafts and foldables. (Although younger students may need more guidance with the projects, our older students (in Grades 4+) were able to handle the activities independently.)
So… let’s step inside the completed lapbook to take a look at each project!
“The American Experiment” activity (featuring governments of the people throughout history – specifically, Athens, Rome, and England) provides a brief history behind the government our Founding Fathers established.
“The Three Branches of Government” component provides an overview of the Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, and Judicial Branch as set forth in the U.S. Constitution.
Students learn about different forms of government (The Rule of One, The Rule of a Few, The Rule of Many, Anarchy), a “handful” of political parties, and raising money for a campaign.
The “Who Do We Vote For?” activity features the election process for selecting the President, Vice President, Senators, and Representatives.
Students learn about the various aspects of a presidential campaign and how a U.S. president is chosen, including caucuses and primaries,
the electoral race,
statistics and the two main political parties,
campaign advertising and the media,
Super Tuesday, inauguration, suffrage, terms of office, and national conventions.
As students are introduced to new vocabulary, they build a “Vocabinet” of terms.
Step-by-step detailed instructions (with illustrations) contain printing and assembly instructions for each project as well as the overall lap book.
The study also includes a supplemental list of suggested resources should you wish to extend the study with additional reading. The U.S. Elections Lap Pak is available in digital format at Homeschool in the Woods, where you can see additional images and download a sample of the audio that accompanies this study.
Free Electoral Race Project through November 3!
You can grab the Electoral Race activity from this project pack for free through November 3, 2020 using ElectoralRace2020.
Click here to add this to your cart and use the code ElectoralRace2020 at checkout.
If you’re embarking on a study of U.S. history this year, our family has thoroughly enjoyed the Homeschool in the Woods Time Travelers studies! You can download samples from each study at each individual product page. To see what each study was like, visit:
- New World Explorers
- Colonial Life
- American Revolution Study
- Early 19th Century Study
- Civil War Study
- Industrial Revolution through the Great Depression
- World War II
You can save by purchasing the Time Travelers Bundle. If you have questions about any of these studies (or any of the other products offered by Homeschool in the Woods), just give us a shout!