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Updated 3/10

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GailsGlimmerings

updated:7/10

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WEBSITES of INTEREST:
Ellen Jackson -Children's Author

Tween Tribune-News Stories for Student

DogoNews: Fodder for Young Minds

Time for Kids-Around the World

Glo Adventurer Magazine

BBC Website for Kids

Teach-nology(Online Teacher Resource)

The Social Studies Company: High-Interest Reproducible Activities for Grades 5-8

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Newton's Castle




The official U.S. time - snapshot

VOTE , VOTE, VOTE

Updated 3/10
The RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE HAS BEGUN

Learn some interesting things about our Presidents, the White House,the Presidential Election and More!

NEW: Presidential Election Puzzle at Puzzle section of my website

Electoral Votes...Check out the Map!

  • Go to this site to learn about the electorial map:http://www.electoral-vote.com
    In order to win the 2008 election, the candidate need 270 of the 538 total possible electoral votes.
  • Which state has the most electoral votes?
  • Which state has the least?
  • How many electoral votes does the homestate of Senator John McCain have?
  • How many electoral votes does the homestate of Senator Barack Obama have?
  • How many votes does the District of Columbia have?
  • Which states would most easily reach the needed number to win?
  • *Go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/calculator.html
    and try seeing who can win the election by selecting states.
  • Presidential Traits: Think of three important qualities the President of the United States should have. Explain why you feel these three qualities are the most important.

  • Presidential Election Safari

    1. What are the qualifications to be President of the USA?


    2. Which state is John McCain a senator? Which State is Barack Obama a senator?


    3. What is the number of electoral votes needed to win the presidential election?


    4. Which states has the most electoral votes?


    5. What is the symbol of the Republican party?


    6. What is the symbol of the Democratic party?


    7. How old must you be to have the right to vote?


    8. How often is a presidential election AND in which month is the election held?


    9. Where is the Republican National Convention to be held this summer?


    10. Where is the Democratic National Convention to be held this summer?


    11. Since 1933, Inauguration Day has been held on which day?


    12. How may terms of office may a president have AND before this limit was made, which president was in office for the longest time?




    Learn about the Republican and Democratic candidates:

  • http://www.johnmccain.com/About/

  • http://www.barackobama.com/about/

  • What are three character traits you have learned about the candidate from their biography? Be able to lists a specific fact to back up your character trait!


    Helpful websites on the Presidential Election:


  • http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/index.html

  • http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/

  • http://www.presidentialelection.com/Latest_News/MSNBC_Politics.htm

  • http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/candidate-match-game.htm

  • http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/election2008.htm


  • Presidential Pets!

  • Go to this site to learn more about Presidential Pets:http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0768598.html
  • Which presidents didn't have any pets?
  • Who had a sheep and chickens?
  • Who had tiger cubs as pets?
  • Who had a white mouse as a pet?
  • Which two presidents seemed to have had the most pets?
  • Activities:

  • Go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/abc/
    Learn some cool facts about the white house
  • Go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/whtour/
    Take a virtual tour of the white house
  • Go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/pres_occ/quiz/
    Take the quiz as to the occupations of our Presidents prior to taking office!
  • http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/election/president.htm
    Very informative kid friendly information on the entire election process.
  • If you were the President, what are three things youıd work to do to improve our country?
  • Design a campaign button or banner. Create a slogan for your candidate.
  • Write a letter to a friend about what itıs like being the son/daughter of the president.
  • The President wears many "hats". He is the Chief Diplomat, Head of State, Commander in Chief, Economic Chief, Party Chief, Legislative Leader and Chief Executive. Draw hats for each catagory and find examples on the internet and in the news to show examples of each of the hats worn by the President
  • Hail to the Chief Cyberhunt.http://index.shtml?presidentcyberhunts.html
  • What Do You Know About the White House?

    Go to this site to learn about the White House:

  • http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0877632.html
  • Who was the first to live in the White House?
  • Who tried burning down the White House in 1812?
  • How many rooms and how many bathrooms are found in the White House
  • Before called the White House, what were 3 other names given for the house of the President?.
  • Who gave it the name White House?
  • Did You Know? Presidential Trivia

  • John Quincy Adams brought his pet alligator to the White House He also liked to skinny deep in the Potomac River. A reporter once sat on his clothes until he gave her an interview!

  • The expression OK is said to have come from Van Buren who was called "Old Kinderhook" and sometimes sign papers, OK

  • Ulysses S. Grant is the only president to get a speeding ticket....for driving his horse.(paid a $20 dollar fine).

  • The Baby Ruth candy bar was named for Grover Clevelandıs daughter Ruth

  • William McKinley had a pet parrot who was trained to whistle , "Yankee Doodle".

  • Warren G. Harding had the biggest feet of any president...size 14

  • John F. Kennedy was the first president to have been a Boy Scout

  • Franklin Pierce was the first President to place a Christmas tree in the White House.

  • James Garfield was the first president to be left- handed AND could write with both hands(and different languages at the same time-Greek and Latin)

  • Theodore Roosevelt was the first President to ride in a plane, a car and a submarine.

  • John Coolidge had an electronic horse installed in the White Horse.

  • Herbert Hoover was the President to make the Star-Spangled Banner the National anthem

  • FDR was the first President to appear on television.

  • Jimmy Carter , a speed reader, was recorded reading 2000 words a minute!

  • George Washington was a spelunker, loved searching in caves.

  • Rutherford. Hayes had the first telephone installed in the White House and talked to Alexander Graham Bell, 13 miles away.

  • Benjamin Harrison was the first president to go to a baseball game and usually left the "new electric lights on" in the White House fearing to touch the switches.

  • Martin Van Buren was the first president born a US citizen.

  • Sources include:

    Wooden Teeth and Jelly Beans, the Tupperman Files by Ray Nelson, Douglas Kelly , Ben Adams and Mike McLane. 1995 Beyond Words Publishing Inc. J 973.0992 Wood
    Donıt Know Much About the Presidents by Kenneth C. Davis, 2002 Harper Collins Publishers 973.0992.
    Mr. President, A Book of U.S . Presidents by George Sullivan 2001 Scholastic
    The Last Cow on the White House Lawn and other Little Known Facts about the Presidency by Barbara Seuling 1978 Doubleday and Co J973.0992 Seul

    ****http://www.classroomhelp.com/lessons/Presidents/index.html
    Check out more Presidential Trivia at this site!