Hobbies And Interests
Voting Experiment
Teach the children how much one vote matters in an election's results with this experiment for class. Start by having the class nominate three of their peers to "run for president of the class." Write down the three nominees' names on copies of paper with a check box to the right of each name. Place the ballots on a table in a corner of the room, as well as a ballot box. Tell the children they can vote if they choose and allow them to do it at any time during the class. Once a few hours pass, gather up the ballots from the box. Then, tell everyone they are required to vote this time. Once the children have all voted and placed their ballots in the box, count the first round of ballots and the second round. Present the results to the children and explain how one vote can often change an entire election.
Voting Button Craft
Prepare the kids for the fervor of an upcoming election by crafting some voting buttons. First, gather your materials: red, white and blue felt, some craft glue, scissors, a pin back and a variety of glittery paint markers. Have the children trace the bottom of a cup about 3 or 4 inches in diameter onto the white felt and cut the circle shape out. Then they create the button's ribbon-shaped end by cutting out the shape from the blue felt. The children can now decorate the circle and ribbon end with the remaining felt and paint markers. Have them write on the circles with their paint markers something along the lines of "Voting matters!" Once the children have decorated their shapes, glue the top of the ribbon-shape to the back of the circle. Glue the pin back to the back of the circle so the children can wear their buttons.
Acrostic Voting Poem
See what the children have learned about voting with this activity. Write the word "Voting" in a vertical line down the left edge of a paper. Make copies for all the children. Tell the children you want them to write a poem. They have to use each of the letters in the word "voting" to start a new line of their poem. If you have younger children taking part in the activity, simply have them use the letters as the starting letters for each new word so they have six words total when they finish. Allow all the kids to present their poems to the classroom.