Fourth and fifth graders at Main Street School have been learning about the fundamentals of leadership, the country’s voting rights history, the two-party system, and the Electoral College in preparation for the presidential election on Nov. 5. As a culminating activity in the election unit in their library classes, the students participated in their own election as a way of exercising their authentic voice and engaging in the democratic process in a manner that impacts them. They voted on choosing a student activity to participate in the day prior to the Thanksgiving break.
“By immersing students in this work, they are further encouraged to become informed and engaged citizens now and when they become registered voters in the future,” library teacher Sarah Reilly said. “The level of enthusiasm the students have demonstrated throughout this unit really speaks to the engagement that families have at home with their children, discussing the candidates, the election process, and the importance of their voting rights.”
The activity seamlessly aligned with the district’s Portrait of a Graduate, which aims to create courageous learners, effective communicators, engaged citizens and self-aware individuals.
“I hope students watch the election results on Nov. 5 to see how what they learned in class is executed in the real world,” Reilly said.
