Election 2008 Lessons for Kids

Have you discussed the election with your kids? This year's race is turning out to be a very interesting one, and provides a wonderful opportunity to explore government and politics with our kids. Mine are a little young to understand the intricacies of modern day politics, but we are discussing the structure of our government and the process of electing officials, as well as some of the key issues and how they effect individuals.


Here are some great resources to get our youngsters involved:
Time for Kids- Meet the candidates, see where they stand on issues, play games, and more.
Scholastic- Play President, submit a question to candidates, create a campaign poster and find lesson plans
BrainPop- cool video shorts on government and history, kid-friendly and fun
Weekly Reader- explore the issues and test your vocabulary with the Election Word Wheel
PBS -curriculum Guide and resources

And for tweens and teens (grown ups too :D):
A fun quiz to help you decide where you stand on key issues.
Candidate biographies
Electoral College Map
How the Electoral College Works
Curriculum Guide and Resources
Fact Check Ed
PBS- curriculum and resources
And Lydia over at Little Blue School has a fabulous Election Unit Study (thanks Shez for the head's up).

Free Election Lapbooking Kit (please consider making a small donation if you use these resources)