2009 Presidential Inauguration Lesson Plans
Jointly Produced by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA)

On Jan. 20, 2009, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. Teachers across the country can bring this historic event to life in their classrooms using a wide array of free resources and technologies. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) have jointly developed a series of general instructional activities to give teachers lesson ideas to help their students understand the historic significance of this presidential inauguration.

Use these instructional activities to teach students about the history of the inauguration and the connections between Obama and previous U.S. presidents (Learning History); to prepare students to witness the Obama inauguration (Making History); and to follow the events during President Obama's term (Living History). Teachers should use their professional judgment to adapt these materials to the particular needs (grade, reading level, etc.) of their classrooms and to best determine how much time should be spent on the activities. The materials have been designed to allow teachers to adapt them to fit into a single class period or to extend over several class periods.

Learning History
—Two Presidents from Illinois (Grades 6-12, with adaptations for grades preK-5)
—History of the Inaugural Address (Grades 6-12, with adaptations for grades preK-5)

Making History
—Inaugural Address of Barack Obama (Grades 6-12, with adaptations for grades preK-5)
—2009 Inaugural Events (Grades 6-12, with adaptations for grades preK-5)

Living History
—An Interview with Lincoln (Grades 6-12)
—The First 100 Days (Grades 6-12)

Recommended Reading

Additional Inauguration Resource:
AFT is a member of The Learning First Alliance, which is a partnership of 18 education associations dedicated to improving student learning in America's public schools. The Alliance has also developed a Web site of resources to help teachers and students learn about the 2009 Inauguration. www.publicschoolinsights.org/inauguration

AFT Presidential Campaign and Election Lesson Plans
These AFT-designed general lesson plans were developed to give teachers lesson ideas to support students' understanding of the historic significance of the recent presidential campaign and election. Teachers should adapt them to the particular needs (grade, reading level, etc.) of their students. The links to the right provide a wide variety of supplementary materials suitable for various grades and reading levels.

• Understanding the 2008 Presidential Election Process (Grades 3-6, with an option for preK-3 included)
• The Use of Technology in the 2008 Presidential Election (Grades 5-8)
• Why the Election of President Barack Obama Is a Significant Event in the History of the United States of America (Grades 5-8)
• Words to Actions: Examining Obama's 2004 DNC Keynote Address in the Context of His 2008 Presidential Run (Grades 9-12)