Hail to the Chief

ap.grolier.com

Here you’ll find topical information culled from four Grolier resources: The New Book of Knowledge (elementary, middle school), America the Beautiful (elementary, middle school), Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia (middle/high school), and Encyclopedia Americana (middle/high school). Kids can also locate information about various Presidential programs—such as the New Deal and presidential scandals—such as Watergate. Created by: Scholastic Library Publishing, Danbury, CT. Don’t Miss: One of the most unique elements of this Web site is the comprehensive list of audio and video clip. A valuable resource.Detour: For a fun online activity for middle/high classrooms, visit the “Presidents Scavenger Hunt” created by the Library of Congress.

www.americanhistory.si.edu/presidency/home.html

This fascinating online exhibit covers various aspects of the presidency, from running for office to presidents and the media. Did you know, for example, that Kraft Mac & Cheese came in both Democratic and Republican souvenir boxes in 1996? Created by: The National Museum of American History, Washington, DC. Don’t Miss: The “Hands-on Presidential Activities,” especially the “All the President’s Children” quiz and the “President’s Seal” activity. Both are appropriate for upper elementary kids. Detour: What does being president entail? Middle and high school kids can find out by playing the game “If You Were President”.

www.americanpresident.org

Being President of the United States is no picnic. This site describes how the Commander-in-Chief, in concert with his staff, has managed domestic and economic policy-making, legislative matters, and national security, while administering both the government and the White House. Created by: The Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. With the information and biographies on this site, high school students (and teachers looking for detailed classroom material) can gain real insight into the sheer scope of the job—a glorious burden, indeed. Detour: Upper elementary kids can experience a typical workday for a president in this PBS-created game.

www.ipl.org/div/potus

If you’re looking for quick-reference facts on the executive branch for upper elementary grade students, there’s no better site than POTUS. Of special interest are the election results and biographies of select cabinet members. Created by:The Internet Public Library, School of Information, Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Don’t Miss: Need to get your hands on presidential speeches, letters, or proclamations? Click on the “Historical Documents” link at the top of each biography page. Detour: To test elementary and middle schoolers’ knowledge, have them try out one of the four versions of “Who Is That?” a game based on the U.S. presidency created by the folks at FunBrain. You can find it here.

www.whitehouse.gov/kids/presidentsday

The presidential biographies on the White House’s Kids site were written by fifth graders at Abingdon Elementary School in Arlington, VA. They’re a great resource for brief information and a kid-colored portrait of each president. Created by: The White House, Washington, DC. Don’t Miss: The many interactive online quizzes, among the coolest elements of this site. Click on the “Presidential Occupations Quiz” link to reveal other quizzes, including “Home for the Holidays,” “Presidents & Baseball,” “First Ladies,” “Life in the White House,” and “Pets” (Did you know that President Coolidge had a pet raccoon named Rebecca living in the White House?). Detour: Upper elementary students will enjoy explosive fun on Mount Rushmore by playing the “Dynamite Presidents” game created by the Library of Congress.