(20-30 minutes)

OBJECTIVE
Students write a suggestion for their community on a "campaign button" which also acts as a reminder for parents and guardians to vote.

MATERIALS
If Elected... handout; tape; markers, colored pencils, crayons, etc.

GET READY

• Duplicate If Elected... Buttons.
• Gather colored pencils, marking pens, etc. for decorating the buttons.
• This activity works best close to an election, preferably a mayoral election, but it is not essential.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Say, Let's pretend that each one of you is a candidate for mayor, and you need to do one important thing for our community. What would that be? (Possible student responses: make the community cleaner, create more parks, support the police, and so on.)
• Tell students to write or draw their idea on the button handout. Remind your students to think of an improvement that would benefit the entire community. (Students can draw a picture of what they would do if they do not have a strong ability to write.)
• Give students time to color and cut out the buttons as well as to write their ideas. Make adhesive tape "hinges" to attach the buttons to their shirts.
• Have students share their suggestions with the class by forming an "Inside Outside Circle" to read each other's ideas. (It also makes good reading practice.) Children form two concentric circles and turn to face each other. After reading the partners' buttons, one circle moves clockwise to the next person and the new pairs read each others' buttons. Proceed until perhaps five pairs have shared.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• What were some of your suggestions? Who would benefit from these improvements?
• Is there a way that you can help your suggestion come true? What can you do?
• How might voting make your suggestions for our town a reality?

DOWNLOAD THIS ACTIVITY WITH HANDOUT