What does the president do?
Duration: One 40-50 minute lesson.
Goal:
Students will understand various parts of the president’s job description.
Objectives:


Students will be able to identify the roles of the president.
Students will be able to compare the role of the president to their hypothetical role of being
“President of the classroom”.
Essential Question: What does the President do?
NCSS Themes:

Theme 5- Individuals, groups, and institutions

Theme 10- Civic Ideals and Practices
Procedures:
Attention Getter:
Ask students to share what their parents or family members do for a living and what they do at their
jobs. Ask students what they think the job description is for various jobs such as firefighting, mail
carrying, and waitressing. Then, ask students to think about what they think the president’s job
description is.
1. Explain to students that United States presidents always have specific roles to fulfill. Tell
students that this lesson is about the different roles of the president.
2. Give a general introduction to how presidential roles are changing over time (see
backgrounder).
3. In this lesson, students will compare the various roles of the President to a hypothetical
“president of the classroom” role they will take on. In order to do this, the teacher will
alternate between whole class instruction and individual seat-work by following the steps of
the graphic organizer. Below is a step by step guide to how the graphic organizer is to be
completed with students:
a. On a chalk board, overhead, or SMART Board, begin the graphic organizer with
students by writing down number one which is “Chief of State”. Write the definition so
students can copy it down on the lines provided. Then discuss examples of the
president fulfilling his role as Chief of State and have students write a couple examples
in the left box.
b. In order to remember what each of the roles mean, tell students that they will
compare what the president does to what they would do as “classroom president.” For
example, the leader or president of the classroom may congratulate honor roll
students just as the president of the United States congratulates people who have
done extraordinary things. Have students come up with scenarios of their own.
Struggling students may need to be prompted for ideas.
c. Repeat letters “a” and “b” for each additional presidential role. For prompting ideas,
refer to the completed graphic organizer.
Conclusion
On an exit card, have students write out which role they think is the most difficult. Have students
explain why they believe that role is the most difficult.
Materials Needed:
“Roles of the President” graphic organizer
Extension Activities
1. This activity can be extended by having students compare the presidential roles with examples
from their home.
Accommodations for students with special needs
1. Provide struggling students with extra prompts while they are filling out the graphic organizer.
2. To complete the organizer, allow some students to take “cloze notes”. In other words, provide
notes with one-word blanks so students can fill them in as they go.
Roles of the President
1. Chief of State:
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
Examples for the U.S. President
What would you do as the classroom
“Chief of State”?
2. Chief Executive:
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
Examples for the U.S. President
What would you do as the classroom
“Chief Executive”?
3. Chief Diplomat:
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
Examples for the U.S. President
What would you do as the classroom
“Chief Diplomat”?
4. Commander-In-Chief:
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
Examples for the U.S. President
What would you do as the classroom
“Commander-In-Chief”?
5. Chief Legislator:
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
Examples for the U.S. President
What would you do as the classroom
“Chief Legislator”?
6. Chief of Party:
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
Examples for the U.S. President
What would you do as the classroom
“Chief of Party”?
Roles of the President
1. Chief of State:
The chief of state acts as the symbol of America.
Examples for the U.S. President

Awards medals

Recognizes citizens

Throws the first pitch at baseball
What would you do as the classroom
“Chief of State”?
If I was the classroom “Chief of State,” I
would hand out pencils to honor roll
students.
games

Promotes charitable causes
2. Chief Executive:
The Chief Executive makes sure laws are being followed.
Examples for the U.S. President

Holds meetings

Hires different workers
What would you do as the classroom
“Chief Executive”?
If I was the classroom “Chief Executive,”
I would hold classroom meetings every
morning to make sure our rules are
being followed.
3. Chief Diplomat:
The president decides how to interact with other countries.
Examples for the U.S. President
What would you do as the classroom
“Chief Diplomat”?

Meet with other countries’ leaders
As a classroom “Chief Diplomat,” I

Helps create agreements with
by to make sure our hallways are
other countries

Travels around the world to build
good relationships with other
countries
would meet with other classrooms close
quieter and cleaner.
4. Commander-In-Chief:
The Commander-In-Chief is in charge of the armed forces (Army,
Marines, Navy, and Air Force) and decides where troops should go.
Examples for the U.S. President
What would you do as the classroom
“Commander-In-Chief”?

Sends troops to certain places
As “Commander-In-Chief,” I would meet

Makes war time decisions
students to come up with a plan to stop

Meets with national security
advisors
with my teacher and a few other
the bullying in the classroom.
5. Chief Legislator:
The Chief Legislator recommends laws that should be passed.
Examples for the U.S. President

Making speeches to convince
lawmakers to pass a certain law

What would you do as the classroom
“Chief Legislator”?
Meets with certain lawmakers to
convince them to vote a certain
way

Signs bills into laws

Has the power to veto
If I was the class “Chief Legislator,” I
would meet with my teacher during
lunch to try to convince her to change a
classroom rule.
6. Chief of Party:
The Chief of Party is the leader of his own political party (Democrat
or Republican) and they try to support people who share similar
beliefs.
Examples for the U.S. President

Support people with same beliefs

Raise money for a political party

Chooses people with similar beliefs
to work in the government
What would you do as the classroom
“Chief of Party”?
If I was the “Chief of Party,” I would
give a speech on the next classroom
election day to support my friend Bob.