Having to learn about the election process can be very interesting. However, the best way to do a practice election is to hold for a mock election, or much better, a school election allowing only the kids to run one office after another. With all this areas, having them to experience and participate cements their concepts and learning.

There are Ideas on teaching about election, this would include:

For Pre-Schools and Grade 1

There are good books that talks about and discuss the elements of election along with its process and proceedings. After going through the discussion on election process, we now make the campaign posters, in which the students use the drawing program on the computer and type "Vote for -----"(the name of the election candidate in huge letters. They will add decorations, arts and crafts to complete the poster. The parents will do the print in color and staple to the chosen construction papers (to prevent minor accidents). We now hang the campaign poster on their bedroom doors to remind them of what they learned about the election.

For the Basic Education Grades 2 and 3

There is also an election book guide available for grade schools. Discuss the election procedures but also reiterate that honesty is a big factor during the election process. One scope of the book is a debate. I had two students join me upfront, and stimulate a debate. There will be times that we have to tell one of them to make use of their imagination on what they would do if they were to win the election debate. After finishing with the debate we concentrated on the ways a student can help improve the school.

As the children get older they get smarter. And because of that we would need to jump on to a more advanced method, the Electoral College. By the 6th grade, they are now ready to explore more on the issues pertaining to the candidates, school organizations and administration. They will be asked to research these issues on the websites provided to them. The information gathered should be presented in any manner known to them. However, they should be able to compare the issues and/or use organizing software that is inspired by web information.

The overall context is to give the student the learning process about how the election would be. Their experience gathered in this actualization will assist them on embracing patriotism within our country.