Objective

By the end of this lesson, Penelope will create her own campaign poster for a fictional candidate running for president, learning about the importance of communication in politics and expressing her creativity through art.

Materials and Prep

• Paper (any kind will do!)
• Colored pencils or crayons
• Markers (if available)
• Scissors (if needed for cutting out shapes)
• Glue (if needed for sticking things together)
• Access to basic information about the presidential election process (books or online resources)

Before the lesson, review some basic facts about how elections work, such as what a campaign is and what candidates do to win votes.

Activities

• Design a Campaign Poster: Penelope will create a colorful campaign poster for her fictional candidate. She can choose a name, a slogan, and draw images that represent what her candidate stands for, like helping the environment or making schools better.

• Candidate Speech: After making her poster, Penelope will write a short speech (3-5 sentences) that her candidate would say to convince people to vote for them. She can practice saying the speech out loud!

• Vote for Your Favorite: If possible, invite family members to look at Penelope's poster and hear her speech. They can vote for their favorite candidate (which can be Penelope's or another fictional one) to make it feel like a real election!

Talking Points

• "What do you think a candidate needs to do to get people to vote for them?"
• "Can you tell me why it's important for people to have different ideas in an election?"
• "What will your candidate do to help our community? Think about things that matter to you!"
• "How can colors and pictures help people understand your candidate's message?"
• "What makes a good slogan? Can you think of a catchy phrase for your candidate?"
• "Why do you think people vote? What does it mean to have a say in who leads us?"
• "How did you feel when you created your poster? Did it help you think about what you want to change in the world?"