Weekly Election Newsletter for Homeschoolers

Newsletter June 25, 2016
 
Tip #2 for Engaging Your Family in the Presidential Election: Host a Weekly Current Events Roundtable
 
Now that your family is reading up on current events, what can you do with your newfound knowledge? Host a weekly current events roundtable!
 
Current events discussions should be a part of every student’s education in social studies, and the presidential election provides an ideal opportunity for doing just that. Your discussions do not have to be focused just on what the candidates are saying or doing, but they certainly should be a part of it. Feel free to incorporate other newsworthy events. Chances are that if an event is in the news, the candidates will be addressing it too.
 
How do you set up a current events roundtable? It’s easy.
 
1. Set a date
 
Planning ahead is key for current events roundtables to become regular events. We recommend that they happen at least once a week. Determine which days and times work best, and mark them on your calendars ahead of time.
 
2. Invite family and friends
 
Decide on the people you are going to invite. You could just include family members, or you could also invite friends. Roundtables would also be a great activity for co-ops.
 
If you would like a harmonious discussion, invite likeminded people, such as those who are supporting the same candidate you are. This might be a good idea because emotions can run high in presidential elections.
 
3. Find and bring articles
 
Have each student clip one article from the newspaper. Make sure the articles are those they found interesting or important. Students should read the articles carefully before bringing them to the roundtable.
 
4. Set procedures and rules
 
Each student should be given a certain amount of time—two minutes would be fine—to summarize the article before the group. They should hit all of the high points, including relevant facts and statistics. Then allot a certain amount of time—maybe ten minutes—for discussing the article with the larger group.
 
At the outset, parents or leaders should state what kind of conduct is expected. Everybody should be polite. Everybody should be respectful. Nobody should talk when another person is talking. Everybody should have a turn.
 
Make the rules clear at the first event.
 
5. Have fun
 
Events are always more fun when food is involved. Make your event a potluck, where everybody brings a dish to share. You can get really creative and tie your food to a current event. For example, if you were hosting a current events roundtable this week, you might want to talk about the U.K.’s vote on whether to exit the European Union. You could bring fish and chips, pudding, tea and scones, or other British fare. You could also host a traditional brown bag, where everybody brings his or her own lunch.
 
Bring props or visual aids to go with your articles. For example, if your article is about campaign fundraising, you can make a graph showing how much money each of the candidates has raised. Or if your article is about the U.K.’s potential European Union exit, draw the Union Jack, the national flag of the U.K.
 
Educational Benefits of Roundtables

• Enhance knowledge of social studies and world affairs
• Hone public speaking skills
• Increase comfort levels with group discussion
• Connect family’s beliefs and values to current events

 
Examples of Current Events from This Week

• “Brexit”—whether the U.K. should remain in the European Union
• Gun control bills being debated in Congress
• Donald Trump’s firing of his campaign manager

 
Weekly Challenge: Organize a Current Events Roundtable
1. Set a date
2. Invite people
3. Find and bring articles
4. Write out procedures and rules
5. Plan fun food, visuals, or activities
 
Weekly Question for Debate
Why did Donald Trump fire his campaign manager?
  
Coming Up:
Republican National Convention, July 18-21 in Cleveland, Ohio
Democratic National Convention, July 25-28 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 
Want to engage your homeschool student in the presidential election? For more information and fun activity suggestions, try our Presidential Election Unit Study. Available now at Silverdale Press!

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