In an exciting lesson about democracy, kindergarten through third grade students at Dows Lane Elementary School took part in a mock election on Nov. 4. The young voters faced a decision about whether their school should host a food or clothing drive. The activity was designed to teach students how voting works and how it can make a real difference in their community.
“Our goal was to teach students what an election is and create a way for our students’ voices to be heard,” Principal Dr. Andrea Kantor said. “All classes learned about elections, and the students had collective conversations about the benefits of a clothing drive or a food drive.”
Guided by teachers Andrea Plunkett and Adam Schwartz and school counselor Alissa Campbell, the project was based on the BOCES Social Studies curriculum. Together, the teachers developed a tailored plan for Dows Lane. The students will discover which drive got the most votes on Nov. 6.
Aligned with the district’s Portrait of a Graduate, the mock election encouraged the students to become engaged citizens. They examined the ideas of a food or clothing drive from different perspectives and started to become aware of how their actions can impact the community and world around them.
