miniQUEST
Presidential Elections

Introduction/ Step 1/  Step 2/ Step 3/ Step4/
Conclusion


Essential Understanding
Americans continue to define the role of government in their lives
through civic participation in relevant political, economic, and social issues.

Who Can Be President?

Outcome:     Students will demonstrate understanding of how the United States Constitution allocates power and responsibility in the government. (MLO SS 6.3)

Indicator:  Students will explain the rights and responsibilities of being a citizen of the United States.

Technology Indicators:

    3.1 Students will employ technology resources to support personal productivity, group collaboration, and learning through the curriculum.
    5.2 Students will employ technology tools to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.

Introduction:
Americans elect a new President every four years.  Can anyone become President of the United States?  Could YOU become President of the United States when you are grown?  You and your partner will gather information about the qualifications required to become the President of the United States.  You will also read to find out about the duties of the President. Once your research is completed you will describe the qualifications and duties of the President as outlined in the Constitution, as well as the personal qualities you feel that a president should possess.


Step 1 (Qualifications)

Working with a partner, one of you will be the Reader and the other will be the Recorder.  The Reader will  work on the Internet, moving between this webquest and the links, and the Recorder will record information in a program such as Kidspiration or Inspiration.

Read from Article II, Section 1, 5, and 6 of the U.  S. Constitution to find out about the qualifications needed to be president. Record your information in Kidspiration or Inspiration.
 



Step 2 (Duties)
Read from Article II, Section 2 of the U. S. Constitution to find out about the President's duties.  Record your information in Kidspiration or Inspiration.

1. What are some duties of the President of the United States?

2.  What can the President do, if he or she receives the Senate's approval?

3.  What can Congress expect the President to do?

Step 3 (Personal Qualities)

Think about why our forefathers wrote the qualifications and the duties for the Presidency into the Constitution.  If someone has those qualifications, does that guarantee that they will be an effective president?  In a program such as Kidspiration or Inspiration, brainstorm with your partner the personal qualities you feel that a person should have to be an effective president.


Step 4 (Draw Conclusions)
You now have information about the presidential qualifications and duties required, as well as the personal qualities you feel are needed to be an effective president.
Next, write an explanation for your peers of why you think the writers of the Constitution considered those qualifications and duties to be important  and also what personal qualities you feel a president should have and why.


Conclusion: Think about the qualifications and duties for the President that are forefathers wrote. Do you think these qualifications and duties will be appropriate in the year 2100? How do you think they will be different or will they stand the test of time?

 
 
 

Created by Paula Itnyre and Marie Jett
Last  Updated September 2002