This Inauguration Day, I wanted to find some resources to supplement our homeschooling. And while there are many activities lists online, I found myself wanting links to very specific things. Here’s the list I’ve started to put together of links and some of my own activity ideas, mixed with existing ones. (I have also started a list of other links about presidents here.)
Our White House – Coverage of the Inauguration for youth, hosted by Keke Palmer. Guests, ASL translation, and interesting facts on side bar
Video with questions from kids about Inauguration Day (Scroll down to Virtual Field Trip: I Do Solemnly Swear)
Inaugural Address
—Read past Inaugural Addresses (Scroll to the bottom for a graph comparing word lengths)
Activity Ideas:
—Write your own Inaugural Address
Inauguration Poetry Readings
—Links to past poetry readings
—Amanda Gorman’s poem transcript and video
–More of Ms. Gorman’s poems
—A PBS interview with Amanda Gorman
Activity Ideas:
–Read through poetry and ask your student which poem they would choose for an Inauguration and why.
–Have your student write their own Inaugural Poem
Inauguration Day Guest Speakers/Artists
—2021 Virtual Concert hosted by Tom Hanks
—More about the Biden concert
Activity Ideas:
–If you could choose guest poets, musicians, and performers for your Inauguration Day, who would you choose? What would you like for them to perform?
Virtual Inauguration Day parade
Inaugural Ball
—Ideas and activities for your own Inaugural Ball
–Photos from past balls
—More photos
Activity Ideas:
–Look at past invitations from Inaugural Balls and have your student design their own. (Or use this as a template–Presidential Inaugural Ball invitations with blanks)
–Dress up for your own at-home version of an Inaugural Ball. Or, have your student design and draw their outfit instead.
–Decide on a menu for the evening and write it up
–Research past musical guests from Inaugural Balls and then have your student decide on who they would invite to perform at theirs
Indoguration
–New White House dog, Major, the first-ever rescue dog at the White House, got his own Indoguration on January 17. With guest appearance by Josh Groban
Moving Day
—An article that explains January 20th moving day
—A video about moving day