need ideas on mock elections

[teacher cat 1]

Our administrators what our 5th grade classes to have a mock election. Does anybody have any ideas or sites I can look at?
Thanks!

[teacher5]

Instead of who is going to pretend to be McCain, Palin, Obama, & Biden; first have them generate the important issues. Once the list is established: (i.e. the economy, the war, energy crisis, health care, education, etc.) put them in groups to research the issues. Scholastic usually has good sources and good weblinks. After doing the reseach, have each group break down into Republicans and Democrats. Tell them to take the collected data and present it from each party's stance or platform. Also, try to find some good lessons about the electoral college so they can truly understand who makes the decision of electing a president and vice president. Allow each issue to be presented to the entire class or at least the upper grades of the student body. You can get photos of McCain and Palin and Obama and Biden blown them up and attach them to posters or styrofoam board. Have them promininetly dispalyed while each issue is being addressed. Encourage the audience to ask questions of the candidates, too. When all of this is done, set up a mock voting both with a curtain and a ballot box behind the curtain for all to vote. In this manner no one student is role playing a candidate, and there is greater and total involvement in the issues. Good luck.

[dtrim]

I'm writing a review of mock elections for online publication next Monday. My favorite site? Youth Leadership Initiative. Great free materials, easy voting interface, lots of lesson plans (sorted by grade level).

[christine]

I'm with dtrim, my favorite is http://www.youthleadershipinitiative.net/index.jsp. We've used it for years at my school.