Stand tall - voting with kids and celebrating our country

I'm still feeling the buzz from this week's election.

I ran a mock election for all our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders where they were able to vote using an electronic ballot (set up with this Google Form). They loved, loved the feeling that they were able to cast their own votes. We were able to talk about the responsibility every citizen has to vote. We also talked about the right to make a free choice and the right to privacy - that you shouldn't ask friends at the lunch table, "So who did YOU vote for???"

Students have told me that they loved being able to vote like their parents. They sensed the importance of this moment, and how everyone's voice counts. It also gave a sense of a community - that voting is something we all do together.

Yesterday, the fantastic Lara Starr passed on this drawing from the wonderful, creative Tom Lichtenheld:

In his words, “Despite the storm, despite the money, despite the mud-slinging...this thing basically worked. So let's put the elephants and donkeys out to pasture and come up with a new mascot.” – Tom Lichtenheld

Or as Lara said to her colleagues, “Today, there are no Elephants. There are no Donkeys. We are all Giraffes!”

©2012 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books