Many children are fascinated by the idea of being president, yet they know little about the real duties, powers, and limitations of the job described in Article 2 of the Constitution. Through this Constitution-based program, students will explore and act out the various roles of the president, such as commander in chief and leader of our nation, as they pretend to be the president, members of the Cabinet, and other public officials. This program will emphasize making important decisions while recreating significant historical and current events.

For Educators: Pre-Visit Lesson/Activities

This pre-visit lesson plan and accompanying image sets were designed to prepare students for our "So, You Want to be President?" in-school program, a free outreach program available to teachers in the DC Metro Area.

If you are an educator outside of the DC Metro Area, this lesson includes several engaging activities perfect for classroom use. Instructions for each image set and reproducible can be found within the lesson plan.


Grades 2-3 Pre-Visit Lesson Plan and Background Information

SO, YOU WANT TO BE PRESIDENT? (Grades 2-3)  [PDF]

BACKGROUND  [PDF]


      Grades 2-3 Image Sets:

      1. "The White House - A Place to Live and Work" [PDF]
      2. "Selections from the United States Constitution"  [PDF]
      3. "Campaign Items"  [PDF]
      4. "Inside the White House"  [PDF]


      Grades 2-3 Reproducibles:

      "Presidential Roles" [PDF]



Grades 4-6 Pre-Visit Lesson Plan and Background Information

SO, YOU WANT TO BE PRESIDENT? (Grades 4-6)  [PDF]

BACKGROUND  [PDF]


      Grades 4-6 Image Sets:

      1. "The White House - A Place to Live and Work" [PDF]
      2. "Selections from the United States Constitution"  [PDF]
      3. "Campaign Items"  [PDF]
      4. "Inside the White House"  [PDF]


      Grades 4-6 Reproducibles:

      "Presidential Roles" [PDF]


* These materials are for educational use only and unless otherwise noted, copyrighted by The White House Historical Association

Program Related Online Resources

For more information about the presidency:

The American Presidents
Every Day is President's Day at the White House K-3 Lesson
The Presidents Speak 4-8 Lesson (Soundbite Audio Clips)
Presidential Inaugurations
Mexican State Dinners
India State Dinners
White House at War

White House History Online Resources

Picturing the President's House
White House Time Machine
The President's House and Its People (Betty Monkman)
The President's House (William Seale)