Students in the Lexington Room in the Early Childhood program learned about democracy and wielded the power to vote last week in honor of Presidents’ Day.
Over the past couple of weeks, the students performed an in-depth study of what a president is and what they do, and then they learned specifically about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
Head Teacher Kristin Paresi said, “Presidents’ Day is about respecting the importance of a president and what he/she does for our country and, more specifically, about celebrating two great presidents and how they changed the course of our history.”
Students thought about both the inside and outside characteristics and actions that defined each president, a skill they learned earlier this year by taking a look at what characteristics define themselves and storybook characters.
The students decided that Washington had white hair on the outside and was a leader, creative, and motivated on the inside, among other characteristics. They decided Lincoln was tall on the outside with a dark-colored beard, along with being honest, friendly, and a strong reader on the inside, among other characteristics.
After analyzing both Washington and Lincoln, students then voted on who they felt represented a better president in their mind. They partook in a real election that included ballots, a private voting area, and a voting box.
Discussing the experience, Ms. Paresi said, “The election was very meaningful to them, because they had to reflect on each candidate and utilize their own voice.”
Once all ballots were in, it was revealed that Lincoln won the election 5-4.
“This experience highlights how important it is to make our students an active participant in their learning. It’s one thing to talk about how a president is elected, but it makes it so much more meaningful when they are able to experience it,” Ms. Paresi said.