Objective
By the end of this lesson, Penelope will understand basic math concepts through fun activities related to the Road to the White House, such as counting votes, understanding simple addition and subtraction, and recognizing patterns in election data.
Materials and Prep
- Paper and colored pencils or markers
- A timer (can be a clock or a phone)
- Simple math problems related to voting (addition and subtraction)
- Access to a printout of a simple election map (optional)
Before the lesson, prepare a few simple math problems related to counting votes and create a fun scenario where Penelope can act as a candidate running for president.
Activities
- Vote Counting Game: Create a mini-election where Penelope can vote for her favorite snack or toy. After voting, help her count the votes and discuss who won. This will involve addition and subtraction as she calculates the total votes.
- Election Map Art: Draw a simple election map and color different states based on imaginary election results. Penelope can practice counting how many states she colored for each candidate and compare them.
- Math Relay Race: Set up a relay where Penelope has to solve math problems to "campaign" for her candidate. For every correct answer, she can move forward a space. This combines physical activity with math practice!
Talking Points
- "What do you think a candidate needs to do to win an election?"
- "If we have 10 votes and 3 people voted for one candidate, how many votes do the other candidates have?"
- "Can you show me how to draw a map of the states? How many states do you think we have?"
- "Let’s pretend you are running for president! What would be your first campaign promise?"
- "How can we make sure everyone gets to vote? What if some people can’t vote?"
- "What happens if one candidate gets more votes than the other? What does that mean?"
- "Can you think of a way to make math fun like a game? Let’s do that!"