Rocking the Vote in Nunamakerville!

It's election season in "Nunamakerville."  The students have been busy campaigning, and I am loving the creativity shining through.  Each day the students are given time to campaign "door to door" (i.e., desk to desk) in order to persuade voters that they are the best one of the job.  I love seeing all of the door bells that the kids have made for the candidates to ring when they come to their "doors."  Too cute!

Last week the students campaigned for the following positions: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Senator, and House of Representatives Member.


Congratulations are in order to:
Governor: Rahul
Lieutenant Governor: Chet
Senator: Brooke
House of Representatives Member: Jack

Speeches were fantastic this year.  Coming off of the "fiscal cliff" several weeks ago, decreasing taxes seemed to be at the forefront of each candidate's platform.  Chet ran on an "increase classroom pay" platform, which might have played a major role in securing his Lieutenant Governor seat.

This week the students are campaigning for Senator (we have 2), Mayor, and Attorney General.  Good luck to all of our fabulous candidates!  I'll let you know once the polls are in next Thursday...

I can remember having trouble memorizing the 3 Branches of Government chart in my social studies textbook when I was a third grader.  Several years ago I thought to myself, "How can I bring this to life?"  Viola!  We created a classroom council and it took on a life of its own.  We talk a lot about each position, how it affects the community's citizens, and checks and balances.  The kids have a deep understanding of government because they live it January through June of each school year.

Once a month we hold a "Town Hall Meeting" where citizens of "Nunamakerville" voice their concerns to their representatives.  (This is a great way to teach the concept of representative government.) After that, the council made up of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, 2 Senators, House of Representatives Member, Mayor, and Attorney General meet with me during recess once a month.  We work together under the leadership of the Governor to solve classroom problems.

Solutions can be anything from making a new classroom law to forming a new classroom committee.  My favorite solution over the years has been the creation of the "Friendship Committee" to solve a recess isolation issue.  Our class's "Friendship Committee" became so popular that the entire third grade began coming to our committee for friendship connections during recess.  Kids can be so amazing!