American youth attributes much more importance to arriving at driver’s-license age than at voting age. ~Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, 1964
In just over 30 days, America will go to the polls and decide who will lead our country. Never has it been more important for Americans to vote than right now. For many parents struggling to sift through the issues at hand, media election coverage raises questions among children that they may not be prepared to answer.
How do we explain the concept and principles of this years election to our kids? How do we instill within our children a sense of pride in our democracy and freedom to vote?
Scholastic is helping to explain election concepts to children in a way that they’ll understand. If you check out their site, you’ll find books, tools, and online materials relevant to this year’s election. Scholastic aims to explain the contemporary world to children in a relevant and meaningful way. You may not know this but every four years Scholastic develops an initiative related to the current political climate of our country.
On the Scholastic Election website, you’ll find age-appropriate, up-to-date coverage on this year’s election. At present, you’ll find the latest on the first presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain. If you have a child between the ages of 9 and 14, they’ll enjoy reading election stories from the Scholastic Kids Press Corps, a team of 80 kids, who report on the election from their hometowns across the country.
Do you struggle with questions your children ask about this year’s election? Check out the Parent Guide to the 2008 Presidential Election. Their tips on talking to children about the election help to bring the information down to their level within the home.
There is no more effective way to learn than to actively engage in putting the content to use. Dale Carnegie said that “only knowledge that is used sticks in your mind.” My favorite aspect of the Scholastic Election initiative is the Scholastic Presidential Election Poll. Here students can cast their vote for President. According to Scholastic, the outcome of this poll (which started in 1940) mirrored that of the general election in all but two instances. More than half a million students in first through eighth grades participated in the poll during the 2004 election.
The site has a wealth of resources including books and classroom magazines. Scholastic News, Junior Scholastic, and Upfront are age-appropriate magazines containing articles, stories, and activities relevant our world’s current events. You can preview a sample of each on the site.
New for 2008 are two election-focused books for children ages 4-8.
Otto Runs For President by Rosemary Wells
It’s election time at Barkadelphia School and the race for school presidency is on. Will popularity or bribery win? Or will Otto, the only candidate to really listen to the students requests win? The book presents election concepts in an understandable manner and even touches on the issue of mudslinging.
LaRue for Mayor: Letters From the Campaign Trail by Mark Teague
It’s election time in Snort City and Hugo Bugwort is the front runner for mayor. When Ike LaRue, resident dog of Snort City gets word of Hugo’s anti-dog sentiment, he decides to throw himself into the race. The story is cleverly told through letters and editorial news clips. Find out who ends up winning the candidacy in the surprise twist at the end.
You can purchase the above resources directly from Scholastic. Scholastic strives to be current and relevant…even in the online world! Check out the election blog and follow them on Twitter!
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