what is the purpose of presidents day

Lesson Resources and Plans for Celebrating President’s Day 2009 • At www.whitehouse.gov you will find an index to the biographies of all presidents of the United States of America, from 1789 to present in addition to a wealth of other current and past information. **If you have your students use the internet to search the white house site just be sure to have them go to whitehouse.gov not whitehouse.com as they will find inappropriate items on the wrong site. This year’s law day theme is Legacy of Liberty –Celebrating Lincoln’s Bicentennial. As such you can find lesson plans related to the theme at www.lawday.org. www.ehow.com: How to Write Lesson Plans for Presidents' Day By eHow Education Editor: Instructions Step1: Borrow lesson plans from other teachers. Many teachers exchange their lesson plans. You can then use the plan as an outline to write material geared for your students. Step2: Search the library and Internet for information on the presidents. Make a timeline of the presidents' terms. The timeline can organize the information you gather. Visit the White House’s website to find more information about each president. Step3: Play a game of what it would be like to be a president for the day. For younger students, this could be a simple checklist of what duties a president performs. Older students might search for a game online like PBS Kids' "The Democracy Project." Step4: Keep a log of the things that a president does. Look in newspapers and cut out articles to include in your lesson plans. Have kids read the newspapers to find out about the current President's activities. Step5: Study the profiles of several different presidents and compare and contrast them. Use a VENN diagram or another graphic organizer to compare and contrast the presidents. ****This site has an enormous number of lessons for all grade levels!!! www.edhelper.com: At this website home page choose United States and scroll down to the Presidents link. There are also many other topics to choose from including tools for creating word searches and time lines. The following are some sample lessons on this site for all grade levels: Be The President – Making Your Own Budget; PDF time lines for your bulletin board; Reading Comprehensions; Read and Color; Finish the Story; Analogies; Book Units; Multiple Choice Reviews; Who is this President; Crossword Puzzles; Story Prompts; and Activity Puzzles and Printables. Samples: What's in The White House? (Very Quick Reader; Grade 5 Readability) Barack Obama (Short Reader; Grade 5 Readability) The Picture of a President (Short Reader; Grade 6 Readability) Reading Comprehensions: Dolley Madison Saves President Washington (Grades 2-3) • • • A Palace for the President - The Story of the White House, Part 1 (Grades 3-5) A House with Growing Pains - The Story of the White House, Part 2 (Grades 3-5) A Pony in the Elevator and Other Stories of White House Kids (Grades 3-5) Abraham Lincoln, Part 1 (Grades 3-6) Abraham Lincoln, Part 2 (Grades 3-6) Meet Barack Obama (Grades 4-6) Electing Our President (Grades 6-8) The Life of Barack Obama (Grades 7-12) Presidents, Kings, Dictators (Grades 8-10) The Power of the President (Grades 8-10) George Washington (Grades 8-10) Lincoln, Part 1 (Grades 8-10) Lincoln, Part 2 (Grades 8-10) Ronald Reagan (Grades 8-10) Theodore Roosevelt (Grades 8-10) American Government Theme Unit Inauguration Day Theme Unit Finish the Story And the Winner Is... (Grades 4-6) A President's Day Surprise (Grades 4-6) A Great Idea (Grades 6-8) Book Units George Washington's Socks (Grades 3-6) The Kid Who Became President (Grades 3-8) The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey (Grades 9-12) Crossword Puzzles The Executive Branch Presidential Nicknames Departments in the Executive Branch Wartime Presidents Presidential Quotations Story Prompts Story Starter - If I were president, I would ... Write your own story starter printable PLUS LOTS & LOTS MORE!!!! • www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/history/government/presidents: This site has a wealth of k-12 lesson plans on American presidents including worksheets and complete units as well as mini-lessons. Samples: A President’s Home and the President’s House- How does the White House differ from a presidential home such as Monticello? Abraham Lincoln Classroom Activities- Complete unit on Honest Abe. Birthplace of John F. Kennedy: Home of the Boy Who Would Be President- Visit JFK's birthplace and consider the effects of culture and community in shaping character and personality. Choices and Commitments: The Soldiers at Gettysburg- Trace the course of this Civil War battle and consider the wrenching personal choices that were made by soldiers on each side, and evaluate Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and its impact in regard to the occasion it was written to commemorate. Classroom Lincoln-Douglas Debate- "Students will understand a position well enough to be able to respond to arguments against it." If I Were President …- "Students compose a brief essay telling what they would do to solve problems in the United States if they were elected president." Washington and Lincoln theme: Included in this collection are worksheets focusing on reading comprehension skills based on George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. February Helpers Vo. 2: The 30 worksheets in the workbook relate to February themes of interest to early elementary students. The format of the worksheets include phonics, graphic organizers, writing prompts, and word skills. George Washington: The Precedent President- What important developments occurred during George Washington's tenure as the first "President of the United States"? Growing into Public Service: William Howard Taft's Boyhood Home- Visit the home of the only man to serve the country both as president and chief justice, and meet the rest of his public service-oriented family. Hail To The Chief- "Students will acquaint themselves with different styles of music that are available to American musicians and compose variations on the theme of “Hail to the Chief” using these various styles" Harry Truman and Independence, Missouri: "This is Where I Belong"- Learn why the life of the 33rd U.S. President serves as an example of civic duty and explore the town that helped form his character. Herbert Hoover: Iowa Farm Boy and World Humanitarian- Consider the impact of Hoover's boyhood years on his desire to help starving children as the administrator of the Belgian Relief Commission during World War I. How and Why Has the White House Changed?- What changes were made to the exterior and why? How Was the White House Designed?- What process was used for choosing the initial design of the White House? Letter to the President - "Students will decide on a name and identity as a letter writer. They will write to the President discussing what might have been their concerns or criticisms about the government during the time period." Like Father, Like Son: Presidential Families- How unusual is it that a father and son become President of the United States? How often has this happened? Who were the families? Martin Van Buren's "Return to the Soil"- Follow Van Buren's life and political career from his youth in Kinderhook, New York, to his retirement years at Lindenwald. Memories of Montpelier: Home of James and Dolley Madison- Visit the Madisons' plantation home and their world of social prominence, and explore some contemporary views of slavery. Political issues and Opinions- The purpose of the activity is for students to choose a stance on several political issues. Based on their responses and discussion of "liberal" and "conservative" students will be able to align themselves with a political faction. Presidential Campaign Persuasive Speeches- "This lesson covers presidential history, persuasive writing, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and advertising techniques." Presidential Database- "Have the students set up a database that will cover all 43 presidents of the US and their vice presidents..." Presidential Trading Cards- Students will gather data using the Internet to create products related to technology. Springwood: Birthplace and Home to Franklin D. Roosevelt- Understand how Springwood was the keystone in Franklin Delano Roosevelt's public as well as private life by playing host to some very dramatic events in American history. Thaw in the Cold War: Eisenhower and Khrushchev at Gettysburg- Delve into a superpower meeting and see how President Eisenhower's diplomacy temporarily eased Cold War tensions. The Election Process and Political Cartoons- Students organize the information they researched in the previous two lessons to create a flow chart that shows the process for electing a U.S. president and vice-president from the primary elections through inauguration day. The Political Debate as a Means of Informing the Voters During a Presidential Election Year- : The purpose of this activity is to help students understand the nature of the two-party system in American politics and the importance it serves in transferring the public will into political action. The President's Roles and Responsibilities: Communicating with the President- Through these lessons, students learn about the roles and responsibilities of the U.S. president and their own roles as citizens of a democracy. The Battle of Horseshoe Bend: Collision of Cultures- Consider the complex political and cultural differences that existed between European Americans and American Indians during the early 19th century, and learn how the campaign against the Creeks increased Andrew Jackson’s popularity among American citizens, which helped him win the presidency. The Presidental Campaign Game- The purpose of this political game is to give the students experience in working within the political process. The Washington Monument: Tribute in Stone- Understand why George Washington was so revered during his lifetime and beyond, and learn why it took 100 years to complete this famous monument in his honor. Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site: Birthplace of the Modern Presidency- Examine the circumstances under which Theodore Roosevelt first became President of the United States and how his policies and actions modernized the presidency. Thomas Jefferson's Times- "Students explore an online resource to learn about Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States." US Foreign Policy in the 1970s and at the Turn of the Millennium- "Identify areas of problems and progress in US foreign policy 30 years ago and today." U.S. President: Facts - "Students will become familiar with the names of the presidents of the United States." A Walk Through History (Presidents)- "Students will write a biography about one President. Students will also create a picture of the president they did research on to display in the hall." Where Were the U.S. Presidents Born?- This lesson uses maps to process and report information from a spatial perspective. Students will identify the states that have presidential birth sites and will differentiate the states with more presidential birth sites on a map. Who wants to be president?- "This game is very close to the "STAR" student that most rooms in my school have." Woodrow Wilson: Prophet of Peace- Examine Wilson's struggle to achieve lasting world peace following World War I. Write a Letter to the President- "Students will write a letter or send an email to the president of the United States." www.usmint.gov/kids/teachers/lessonPlans/presidential/links.cfm: Things to be found at this site include: Presidents Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies "Facts and Firsts" about the Presidential inaugurations The Library of Congress Meet amazing Presidents! Play the game "Dynamite Presidents" Enjoy "American Memories" through speeches, papers, films, and recordings Learn about "Hail to the Chief," published by Sir Walter Scott Research inaugural materials for 18 Presidents—lithographs, campaign banners, and letters National Endowment for the Humanities Use the "Subject Navigator" to locate lesson plans about Presidents • National Gallery of Art See famous paintings of the first five Presidents by Gilbert Stuart National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior "Just For Fun: Presidential Trivia" Historical Presidential sites, birth places, parks, and national memorials President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, United States Department of Health and Human Services "About the Council" Secret Service History Beginnings of the Secret Service History and the Protective Mission United States General Services Administration Executive Office of the President United States Government Printing Office Ben's Guide to the President of the United States Ben's Guide to songs and oaths and "Hail to the Chief" United States Department of the Interior Printable Presidential election maps beginning with George Washington The United States Mint The Presidential $1 Coin Release Schedule The Presidential $1 Coin Program The Presidential $1 Coin Lesson Plans The Presidential $1 Coin Lesson Plan Resource Center Why President's Day? A day to celebrate our Presidents through coins Presidential Portraits, a quiz-show-style game United States National Archives and Records Administration Historical election results Presidential libraries and museums The White House Historical tour of the White House Identify Presidents by date or by name for biographies Presidential biographies and color portraits by fifth-graders; coloring pages Additional Information The Library of Congress Timeline of Presidents and first ladies through paintings and photos First lady information resources The White House First ladies' biographies The First Ladies Quiz • www.lessonplanspage.com/PresidentsDay: The US Constitution, Executive Branch, and presidential power are the subjects of this lesson Here is a social studies lesson involving writing letters to the president This is an well-developed lesson plan on US Foreign Policy in the 1970s and at the turn of the new millennium (includes many presidents' foreign policies) Here's a great, in-depth lesson plan on the Civil War (includes Abraham Lincoln) This lesson plan is called "Congress in the Classroom" Titled "Class President," this idea can help teach vetoes and the Executive Branch Titled "A Walk Through History," this lesson looks at the US Presidents Here is a good lesson on delivering Persuasive Speeches (as Presidential Candidates) that also teaches Presidential History Students can learn about the presidents with this great technology lesson Here a map of the United States is used to locate important areas in Abraham Lincoln's life This George "W" Bush movie writing assignment taps issues of the presidency, invasion of privacy, international relations, etc. Three branches of American government and three Texas presidents are the topic of this well-developed democracy lesson