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Inauguration Resources Round-Up


I've been gathering links to resources on President-Elect Obama's inauguration and have listed them below.

Public School Insight has put together some resources to help educators and parents take advantage of this historic moment.

The Our White House Inauguration Celebration Kit for Kids!

The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance’s Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out book and website overflow with stories, poetry, articles, and art about our presidents, our White House, and our history that will enhance any inaugural celebration you plan for the young people in your life. Some of the ideas and activities we suggest spring directly from the content and illustrations in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, which you can find at your local library or bookstore—but many of the suggested ideas and activities can be used independently of the book. Although the inauguration is Tuesday, January 20, 2009, variations on these ideas and activities can also be used at home, at schools, and in libraries throughout Presidents’ month in February, and to complement other American history lessons, celebrations, and anniversaries throughout the year.

The Library of Congress provides links to The Lincoln Inaugural Bible, Chapter and Verse. The Library of Congress often provides Bibles from its vast collections for the use of Members of Congress during their swearing-in ceremonies. But it is not every day that a president-elect makes the same request for his inauguration. It is rarer still when that Bible is the same one upon which Abraham Lincoln first took the oath of office in 1861.

Horn Book's January monthly special focuses on books at all levels that feature the American Presidents.

Audible.com is providing free downloads of the inaugural speeches of presidents from 1933 to the present.

Through a joint effort between the National Education Association (NEA) and kidthing®, children all across the United States have a chance to share their hopes, dreams, and ideas with incoming U.S. President Barack Obama. To participate, kids send in their ideas in the form of letters or drawings by mail or e-mail attachments. The top submissions will be featured in kidthing's Dear Mr. President digital book, which will be unveiled in the kidthing store on President's Day, February 16, 2009. kidthing will offer this special digital book for free. A limited edition print will also be sent to the White House. Applicants must hurry: the deadline for submissions is January 20, 2009. For more information, visit the NEA website or the kidthing website.

Reading Rockets is hosting Letters from the White House, a national creative writing contest that encourages students in grades PreK through 12 to explore the useful arts of letter writing and journaling, to take a look at the history of our country, and to tap into their own creativity when they imagine and write about themselves as having a role in a past, present or future White House. Contest resources for educators and parents can help make this a fun and meaningful project for the classroom, after school program or for families at home. The contest will launch on January 20, 2009, Inauguration Day, with entries due on February 16, 2009, Presidents Day. Five finalists will be chosen in each competition level and a grand prize winner will be named in each level on April 30, 2009, the 100th day of the new presidential term.

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