Whether you hate politics or love it, this unit study makes it interesting—really!

Many homeschooling parents only vaguely understand the presidential election process. We vote in the primary (maybe), endure the endless political ads, and then vote again in the general election (probably). In contrast, other families already enjoy politics and arg … uh, discuss their views every time the extended family gathers, yet they haven’t found a way to explain the complex process to their youngsters.

Eight years ago, a homeschooling mom, Fran Eaton, wrote "Homeschoolers for Bush 2000." This gave Republican homeschoolers a way to study about how elections work, learn about the issues, and follow the progress of the campaign while also encouraging the people around them to vote for the Republican candidate. In 2004, she handed it to Carol Gibbs, Melissa Carroll, and me to revamp, improve, and coordinate. This year, the material has again been enhanced, changed, and updated.

Part of the fun of politics is group interaction: the excitement of a rally or the camaraderie in a campaign office. Although we're spread all over the map, by making use of the blogs (with photos and even short videos) and the forums we can bring about a similar sense of working together for a common goal.

Because of the exciting upgrades in the website and the new interactive feature of the program, a small fee has finally become necessary: just $5 per student or $10 per family.

Unit Study

HS for GOP (in Week 1, we’ll learn about this nickname for the Republican party: “GOP” or “Grand Old Party”), makes the process enjoyable. How?

  • Fun activities for students of all ages to get a hands-on feel for politics
  • Practical projects to understand how history affects us today
  • Interactive website to see how other homeschooling families are doing the projects

Website Features

After registration, you will receive access to:

  • Weekly lesson plans for all ages
  • Your own page here on the website to document your family’s adventures
  • Albums to upload photos and videos of your activities
  • Bulletin board forum to celebrate your successes and discuss your questions
  • Wiki editing formatting to comment on how you personalized the study’s activities for your children, or add your original ideas for projects
  • An area to post video tutorials on topics like “How to Make a Campaign Poster” or “Baking Red, White, and Blue Cookies.”
  • A tracker for your child’s points

For All Ages: Kindergarten through High School

The course follows the election process from the primaries through the inauguration in 2009. Students from kindergarten through high school can use it. In fact, many families started it with little ones in 2000, used it again in 2004, and are now working through the projects with high schoolers. We have had a lot of five-year-olds who did it last time and clearly remember coloring in their maps on election night while waiting for the results. Now that they've established an appreciation of politics, they're doing the program again with more advanced assignments. In addition, most parents also learn a lot about the election process!

To complete the course, students earn points by doing projects. The number of points expected for a little one is much lower than those that a high school student will need to earn. A wide variety of assignments are offered, so you can choose which you feel are ones that your children can do, and save the others for a future date. However, many are set up to be done by almost any age, with you adjusting the expectations. For example, when the project is to "read a book about a president," someone with a little one can read aloud an easy book to her child while a high schooler would be expected to read a much more in-depth biography. Or, a middle schooler would "Explain what a delegate is" in more detail than a kindergartener.

Many assignments call for posting the answers on the website. If the child is too young, the parent can do the typing for him while he tells her his answer. A high schooler can get more involved and post questions and answers on the Student Forum. And, there are plenty of activities because they continue through the inauguration, eleven months from now. 

Samples

Here's a sampling of just a few of the activities from the 2004 study; they will be updated, changed, and incorporated in the later part of the study:

  • If there is one near you, visit the boyhood home or library of a President – 100 points
    • Discuss the important events that occurred during that President's term of office – 20 points per event
    • Explain why he was elected and whether he was reelected – 50 points
    • Pray daily for the President, Vice-President, other conservative leaders running, and the whole election process – 10 points for each day
    • Memorize the names of the Presidents in order of service to America – 300 points
    • Memorize any of the following documents:
      • Preamble to the Constitution – 100 points
      • Bill of Rights – 50 points per right memorized
      • Declaration of Independence, first two paragraphs – 300 points
    • Watch School House Rock songs/videos – 25 points each
      • I'm Gonna Send Your Vote to College (about the Electoral College)
      • I'm Just a Bill
      • The Shot That Was Heard Around the World
    • Draw a picture of the American flag. Label the parts – 50 points
    • Invite homeschoolers to your house or other meeting place to watch a video (for example, one by Wallbuilders), discussing America's history, etc. – 100 points
    • Discover which Presidents have been homeschooled for some or all of their education – 20 points for each President found
    • Draw a picture of the White House – 50 points

    Start today

    The study heats up during the last weeks before the election! The state primary elections and caucuses are explained clearly and the study will continue until the inauguration in January 2009. Join us for only $5 per child or $10 per family and find out how the primary elections work!

    If you have a homeschooling group or co-op class who would like to do this study, then they can get a group discount. Please click on "write to us" in the upper right corner box to send a note to ask for details.

    If you prefer to pay by check, use "write to us" in the upper right corner box to request the address.

    A lovely kind and generous donor has made some family scholarships available because she used the program with her own family and wants others to enjoy the memorable activities. If you would like to be a part of HSforGOP but truly cannot afford it, please apply by sending a message to "write to us" in the upper right corner of this page.

    Guarantee

    If you sign up and then request a refund in the next day or two, your money will be refunded cheerfully.

    Following are some comments from moms who participated in "HS for Bush" last year:

    "I am really looking forward to using this as part of my high schooler's government class in the fall. We did the 'Homeschoolers for Bush 2004' study and loved it. I have a senior this year and she will be voting in November." Paula (GA)

    "Money is always incredibly tight in this household, but we got so much out of the 2004 study that I would find a way to pay a membership for my 3 school-aged kids. I've been hoping something would happen again for 2008 as I want to be able to dive in a bit more since the kids are older and we can do more with it. I've been planning to clear our schedule in October so that this will be the main focus of our school at that point. I just have hoped that I wouldn't have to create it." Debra, mom of five, ages 1-10.