Our classroom recently got a hands-on lesson in civic engagement while preparing for an exciting spring field trip to the movies. Instead of choosing a film ourselves, students participated in their very own classroom vote to decide which movie we will see.
Before voting, we talked about some important civic vocabulary, including words like vote, ballot, opinions, and facts. Students learned that voting is one way people share their opinions and help make decisions in a community. We also discussed the importance of being an informed voter (someone who gathers information before making a choice).
To help students make their decision, we watched the trailers for two possible movie options: The Pout-Pout Fish and Hoppers. Students carefully watched each trailer and shared their thoughts about what they noticed and what they liked.
Then it was time for the big vote! Each student had the opportunity to cast their own ballot for the movie they wanted to see on our spring field trip. After counting the votes from our first grade voters, we officially have a winner…Hoppers!
The whole grade buzzed with excitement as students shared their opinions and participated in the voting process. Not only did they have fun, but they also got a small taste of how voting works in the real world! It was a great way to show students that their voices matter.
