Resource Guide - Grace for President

About the show

“Where are the girls?” asks third grader Grace Campbell when her teacher rolls out a poster of all the U.S. presidents. Frustrated by the lack of female faces in the White House, Grace decides she wants to be president and inspires a school election. But things prove harder than she thinks when the most popular boy in school runs against her. Through the throes of campaigning and pep rallies, Grace and her classmates discover what it takes to be the best candidate in this timely story based on the bestselling book.
THEMES: Elections and voting, hard work, determination, women’s history

The BIG questions before the show

  1. What are some issues that are important to you that you would like to see change at your school?
  2. What do you think makes a really good leader?
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.(K-5).2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media. 

Vocabulary Enrichment

Pick three words from the list and use them in an original sentence or paragraph. You can also draw a picture, illustrating the definitions.
  • Philosophic adj. rationally or sensibly calm, composed 
  • Vote v. when people choose one thing over another
  • Presidential adj. relating to the presidency 
  • Candidate n. a person who seeks office 
  • Qualifications n. the conditions required by law or custom to hold office 
  • Democracy n. government by the people, exercised by voting 
  • Accomplishment n. anything acquired or achieved 
  • Triumphant adj. rejoicing over success
  • Representative n. a person who represents others, usually in government 
  • Rights n. what the law says you can do or have
  • Election n. the selection of a candidate for for office by vote
  • Government n. the form or system of rule.
  • Résumé n. a short written document of your qualifications and accomplishments.
  • Campaign n. a competition by rival political candidates for office.
NCES Literacy L.K-5.4 Determine and/or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases

Activity 1 - President Pop-Up

Give each student a card representing one of the former/current US Presidents with their name, their president number, and one fun fact about them. Once all students have their President’s card - have students walk around the room until the teacher says “freeze.” All students must freeze in a silly pose that they can hold, and when the teacher taps them they come alive, recite the information on the card and freeze again.
NCES History K- 5.H.1 Understand the role of various people, events, and ideas in shaping the United States. NECS Civics & Government.K-5.C&G.1.1 Identify the roles and responsibilities of the three branches of government. (Focusing on executive branch) NCES Theatre Arts K-5.C.2 Use performance to communicate ideas and feelings.

Activity 2 - Presidents Meet & Greet

Using the same president from their card, students will now act like a president using their best presidential voice and presidential body language to introduce themselves to 5 other presidents in the room. After each student has met at least 5 presidents, bring the class back together and ask students to volunteer which presidents they meet and what they learned about them.
NCES Theatre Arts (K-5).C.1.1 Use a variety of postures, gaits, and mannerisms to express character in the presentation of stories.NCES Theatre Arts K-5.C.1.2 Apply appropriate volume and variation in pitch, rate, and tone to express character. NCES.HEALTH.(K-2).ICR.1: Understand healthy and effective interpersonal communication and relationships.

What is the Electoral College?

A nominee needs a majority of the electoral votes to win the presidency. By the end of election night or early the next morning, the nation usually knows the winner of the election, but that is not always the case. In the 2020 presidential election, it took a few days before President Joe Biden was officially announced as President Elect - winning the election. Although, the president is not officially elected until the members of the Electoral College cast their state’s votes in December, and then Congress counts those votes on January 6. A winning candidate needs at least 270 votes.
Click on the link below provided by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration and make your prediction for the 2024 election. It includes histories of disputed elections and how the Electoral College has changed over the years.
2024: Make Your Prediction

*Extension Activity* - Electoral Vote vs Popular Vote

Electoral vote vs. popular vote Instruct the students you will provide a snack for the entire class the next day. Give them the option of two equally desirable snacks and explain that they are going to vote for the snack you'll provide. Arrange students into small groups of varying sizes and assign one student to be the representative for each group. Have members of each small group vote on the snack they want and ask each group's representative to tally the votes and then cast one vote for the entire group. After the representatives have cast their votes and the snack has been determined, poll the entire class to learn their individual votes. Determine whether the “popular vote” and the "electoral vote" produced the same result. Discuss with students how it may be possible that the candidate who gets the most votes might not be the election winner

The BIG questions after the show

  1. How did Grace feel when she discovered there had never been a president who was a woman? Why do you think she felt this way? Do you think the United States will ever have a female president?
  2. What were some of the campaign promises made by Grace and Thomas? If you were running for class president, what campaign promises would you make?
  3. Sam is caught in the middle when Grace and Thomas are campaigning for his vote. Thomas even tells him he has to vote for a boy because, “Boys stick together.” Have you ever been stuck between two people making a decision? Did you choose a side or was there another way around the problem? 
  4. Grace and Thomas both talk about their qualifications to be class president. What qualities do you think are most important to be a leader? What qualities should be avoided to be a leader?
  5. Musical theatre is a form of theatre that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. Each element helps to tell the story. Did any single song stand out to you in particular? Which song was it and why?
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.(K-5).2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media. NCES-SocialStudies.(3-5).C&G.1: Understand the development, structure and function of government in the United States. NCES-HealthEd.3.ICR.1.4: Illustrate how to effectively and respectfully express opinions that differ.

Activity 3 - Journal

In the play Grace made a checklist of all of her qualifications. Make a list of what would make you a great candidate for school or classroom election. Don’t worry about anyone having more accomplishments than you. Mrs. Barrington reminded Grace that her accomplishments were different but also very good. She was kind, she excelled at creative writing and really cared about the environment. List 3 things you feel that you are really good at.
NCES ELA- Writing W.3-5.2 Write informative /explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. NCES ELA - Literacy W.K-2.3 Select an event or personal experience and use drawing, writing, or dictating to compose a message about it.

*Extension Activity* - Student Resume

Want to give students more time and make this a little more fun? Have students create a student resume. In the song, My Accomplishments, Thomas can’t help but brag about what he's achieved and how his student resume gets longer every day!! Have students create their own student resume listed with their accomplishments, awards, and qualifications for their upcoming campaign. This activity can be used at the start of the week leading up to the day they visit CTC to see the show or used right before they create their own campaign.
NCES-SocialStudies.(3-5).C&G.1: Understand the development, structure and function of government in the United States.

Activity 4 - Create Your Campaign

“Ask not what your classroom can do for you, but what you can do for your classroom.” - Grace
Have students imagine themselves running a campaign for an election in their school or classroom. Ask them to consider the following in order to develop their campaign.
  1. Think about your answers you shared before in the BIG questions before the show - what issues are important to you? 
  2. In the play, Grace made a new rule on the playground so that no one was standing by themselves or playing alone. What will you try to do or what changes will you try to make in the school or classroom if you win? What promises will you make?
  3. Create a campaign slogan (n. a short and memorable phrase). Ex. Zachary Talyor (1848) - “For President of the People.” Ulysses S. Grant (1868) “Grant Us Another Term.” Calvin Coolidge (1924) “Keep Cool and Keep Coolidge.” Barack Obama (2008) “Yes We Can.”
  4. Draw your campaign posters.
  5. Write a short speech you will deliver to your classmates to convince them to vote for you.
Afterwards, display the campaign posters around the room. What qualities make you prefer one poster over another? Do they give you an idea about what the candidate represents? If there is time, share your campaign speeches with the class.
NC K.B.1.3 Summarize stories that illustrate how positive character traits such as empathy, resilience, and respect, help people contribute to their communities. NCEA-VisualArts.(K-5).VA.V.2: Apply creative and critical thinking skills to artistic expression.

Talk about jobs in the theatre

Every play Children’s Theatre of Charlotte produces is created by a talented team of designers, technicians, actors and a director. As a class, discuss what you experienced when you saw the performance.
  1. Name three things you noticed about the set. Did the set help tell the story? What sort of set would you design?
  2. What did you like about the costumes? Did the costumes help tell the story? What sort of costumes would you design?
  3. Talk about the actors. Were there moments you were so caught up in the story you forgot you were watching a play?
  4. Were there any actors who played more than one character? What are some ways you can show you are a different character?
NCES-TheaArts.(K-5).TA.A.1: Analyze literary texts and performances. NCES-TheaArts.(K-5).TA.AE.1.2: Understand how costumes [and technical elements] enhance dramatic play.

Recommended Reading

If you enjoyed the show, travel to ImaginOn or your local Charlotte Mecklenburg library branch and check out these books. Check availability at cmlibrary.org.

Additional Resources

Grace for President
Book, Music & Lyrics by Joan Cushing | Adapted from the book GRACE FOR PRESIDENT by Kelly DiPucchio, Illustrations by LeUyen Pham, © 2012 Kelly DiPucchio, LeUyen Pham | By special arrangement with Gurman Agency LLC.

About the Author

Kelly DePucchio
Kelly DiPucchio is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over 30 stories for children. Her books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold more than one million copies worldwide. Kelly’s titles include Grace For President, Gaston, and The Sandwich Swap – a picture book she co-authored for Queen Rania of Jordan. Her books have appeared on Good Morning America, The Oprah Show and The View and have received numerous starred reviews and awards. Kelly travels the country speaking to kids about the importance of kindness, overcoming adversity and personal empowerment. She lives in southeastern Michigan with her growing family which includes three crazy dogs and three perfect grandchildren. To learn more about Kelly Dipucchio check out her website at https://www.kellydipucchio.com/

About the Playwright

Joan Cushing
Joan Cushing, a former elementary school teacher and cabaret performer, is best known for her political satirical revue Mrs. Foggybottom & Friends, which opened in 1986 at New Playwrights Theatre, and moved to the Omni-Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., where it ran for 10 hit years, and four years on the road, including performances at Don’t Tell Mama and The Triad in NYC. Also in New York, she performed her solo nightclub act Lady Sings the News! at the Ballroom, filling in for Blossom Dearie, appeared in Gary Trudeau’s Tanner for President series on HBO, directed by Robert Altman, and studied musical theatre writing at the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop with Lehman Engel and Maury Yeston. More recently, she adapted 16 popular children's books as musicals, receiving over 400 productions and 5 national tours: Miss Nelson Is Missing!, winner of the 2003 Nat’l Children’s Theatre Festival; Junie B. Jones & a Little Monkey Business!; Miss Nelson Has a Field Day!; Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood (2007 NY Musical Theatre Festival); Heidi (w playwright Martha King De Silva); and George & Martha: Tons of Fun, all commissioned by Imagination Stage, Lawrence, commissioned by Gabrielino High School; Brave Irene, commissioned by Adventure Theatre, and Diary of a Worm, a Spider & a Fly, commissioned by Oregon Children's Theatre. Other theatres which have produced her work include Seattle Children’s Theatre, Childsplay Theatre, Omaha Theatre Co., Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Dallas Children’s Theatre, Orlando Shakespeare Festival, North Shore Music Theatre, South Coast Repertory, First Stage Milwaukee, Walnut Street Theatre, Stage One Louisville, Nashville Children's Theatre, Emerald City Theatre, Stages Theatre, Orlando Rep, Manhattan Children's Theatre, and California Theatre Center. According to TYA Magazine, she is “the most produced playwright in children's theatre” and Miss Nelson Is Missing! is “the most produced play.” In 2002 she worked with Young Playwrights Theatre to help turn their play Pieces of Life, written by local middle school students, into a musical, which was performed at the Kennedy Center and toured the D.C. schools. She was also commissioned by Oak Crest High School to write a musical for 100 girls using Broadway songs, Belles Are Ringing! To learn more about Joan Cushing check out her website at https://www.joancushing.com/