Here's another super simple idea that you can use throughout the year to empower children with making choices. First, each child will need to decorate a jumbo craft stick with their name. Second, you will need two cups or cans to hold the sticks when the children vote. Write options on index cards and tape them to the cups. (For example, if they were voting on a book you could write the names of the books and tape them on the cups. If they were voting on a game they'd like to play you could write the names of the games on the cards.) One at a time children make their selection and place their stick in the cup. Which one do you think got the most votes? How can we tell for sure? Use a tally to record votes. Write the numerals under the tally marks. Introduce the inequality sign to show which is greater or less. I think I see some math standards here!!!
One thing I
remember from my history of education class was that the purpose of schools in
the United States was to “educate to perpetuate a democratic citizenry.”
You can plant the seeds in your classroom every day by providing children with
the opportunity to vote!
