The Kid Who Ran For President by Dan Gutman

Basic Outline:
Book Talk
Snacks- lemonade

Ideas & Preparation:
Gather items for obstacle course.
Make Lemonade.
Have a Lemonade stand.
Set up a “Presidential Relay”.

Energy Game:
Have two sets of white shirt, tie, and men’s shoes
Divide boys into two teams. Boys have to go through an obstacle course and put on the clothes then run to the their team. Next boy in line puts on the “presidential clothes” and runs the course. When they get to the end of the obstacle course they take clothes off and run back to their team while tagging the next boy. Boys alternate putting the clothes on and off, while running the obstacle course.
Ideas for obstacle course could be jump over things, zig and zag between things, toss items, etc.

(Other book club ideas can be found in the Cub Scout Citizenship Belt Loop and Academic Pin requirments. Things like going to the Polls with parents and talking about the right to vote, visit a local site of government and interview someone who is involved with the governemntal process, etc.. )

Book Talk-
1. How does Politics change a person? June Syers said , “It rips your heart out and puts a stone in its place.” What do you think she means?
2. What is the first thing you have to do to run for President? (pg 15 make a petition with signatures of registered voters…)
3. What are the two parties Republican or Democrat in favor of? (Republicans are against government having too much power, Democrats are in favor of a strong government system. Pg 27)
4. Which party did Judd pick? (started his own party- the Lemonade Party. Pg. 63)
5. What is the first rule of politics? Pg 75 (Give the people what they want.)
Is it right that Judd make promised he cannot keep? Do you think real politicians do this?
6. Have you ever watched a real Presidential Debate? How does it compare to Moons debate. (pg 122)
7. Did the end surprise you? Would you want to be president?
8. Did you try to peek in the back of the book ?

Field Trip ideas: If you live near the Washington D.C area- what better field trip than visit the White House and other sites!