President For A Day
This activity provides a job description for the presidency, so students understand what kinds of skills and competencies are necessary in that office. Students have the opportunity to role play the president for a day, making decisions about different events that a president might actually experience (meetings with Cabinet members, speeches to the public, bowling in the White House).
Related Lesson Plans:
Dear Presidential Diary (LA, SS): In this creative writing exercise, students develop five first-person diary entries exploring the duties and privileges of the presidency.
Presidential Places Quilt (SS, LA, M): Honor past presidents and explore their connections to Washington, D.C. landmarks through research and the creation of a class quilt, to be displayed in the school and presented to the U.S. president through digital photography and creative writing.
Painting Presidential Portraits (SS, LA): Redesign U.S. paper currency to recognize six U.S. presidents and describe their significant accomplishments.
The Perfect President (SS, LA): Identify the legal requirements, previous experiences, and personality traits that equip someone to be a successful president. Write a job description and a newspaper article. Evaluate how selected past presidents measure up to the criteria generated by students.
I.O.U.? An Introduction To The National Debt (M, SS): One of the President's most important duties?setting national priorities through the federal budget?is explored here, with a special focus on the national debt, explained in introductory terminology.