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Presidents: The Secret History for Teachers and Parents

American Experience is known for its award-winning documentaries and Web site on the Presidents. Presidents: The Secret History looks at a few colorful aspects of presidential history in a format designed especially for kids.

The site features a cartoon elephant and donkey, who look at historic, unusual campaign memorabilia from American presidential campaigns. Kids weigh in on the issues that are important to them, and what qualities they would seek in a president. And kids can explore a dossier of "secrets" -- little-known facts about each of the American presidents.

For Teachers:

1. Political campaigning is as old as politics itself. As a class, review Hit the Trail and the 20 historic objects, from hankies to lollipops to magnets, from American presidential campaigns. Discuss these as a group: which objects do students find the most and least appealing? Why? Would any of them be likely to influence voters to choose a candidate? Now ask each student to design one object apiece for his or her own presidential campaign. Have them draw a picture of it and write a one-paragraph explanation of what it is, who they would distribute it to, and why they think it would be effective. Post the pictures around the room for the class to view. If you choose, have the class vote for the top three objects.
   
2. Have students read all of the Secrets About the Presidents. Then assign each student one or two presidents, and have the students look up their assigned presidents on American Experience's The Presidents Web site. Each student should take a piece of paper and write down their president's name, state of birth, and birth and death (if applicable) dates. Then, write the president's "secret" from this site on the same piece of paper. Does knowing the secret change the way students think about their president? Go around the room and have each student discuss their impressions. What qualities do they think their president had? What qualities are important in a president? Finally, point students to the Kids for President feature on this site, where they can read a few kids' thoughts about what makes a good president. Students can write their own comments and share them with the class.
   

For Parents:

1. With your child, read a few or all of the Secrets About the Presidents, and if you choose to learn more together about any of the presidents, visit American Experience's the Presidents Web site. After exploring the lives of the presidents that interest you, talk with your child about those presidents. What qualities did they have? What qualities are important in a president or a leader? Together, look at the Kids for President feature on this site, where you can read a few kids' thoughts about what makes a good president. Do you and your child agree with any of those kids, or do you disagree with any of them? You and your child can write down your own list of comments about what you think is important.
   
2. Kids can learn about the political process first-hand, in your town. Look at Hit the Trail! together to see some campaign memorabilia of the past. Which items seem effective? Then, during a local or national election season, save campaign fliers you receive in the mail or at your door, and when you have several of them to compare, sit down with your child or children to discuss them. How do the fliers use pictures to present the candidate? What do you and your child think of the candidate, based on what the flier looks like and says? Is it effective in attracting your vote? You might also take your kids to your polling place when you go to vote, and show them the system at work. If you are personally involved in politics in your community, talk to your child about why you choose to be involved, and what issues matter to you. Then ask your child what issues matter to her or him, and whether they think those issues are concerns a plurality of people would share. Discuss what could be done to cause a political body (your school board, town council, state representative, and so forth) to address them (e.g. letter-writing, petitions, publicity about the issue, public meetings). If a real issue emerges that you and your child feel you want to address, write a letter together to your local paper about it, or otherwise express your opinions.
   
3. Together with your child, visit the ZOOMout the Vote Web site, an offering from the popular PBS kids show, ZOOM. Explore the activities on that site: get a crash course on Elections 101, read other kids' comments on what qualities presidents should have (and your child can share his or her own), take a poll, and learn about voter registration.