{"id":11142,"date":"2025-01-14T21:25:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T02:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/?p=11142"},"modified":"2025-01-14T21:16:42","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T02:16:42","slug":"make-history-come-alive-teaching-the-2025-presidential-inauguration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/2025\/01\/make-history-come-alive-teaching-the-2025-presidential-inauguration\/","title":{"rendered":"Make History Come Alive: Teaching the 2025 Presidential Inauguration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"America 101: What Happens on Inauguration Day? | History\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/viCQBcZ3vRc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2025 Presidential <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usa.gov\/inauguration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Inauguration<\/a>, set for Monday, January 20th at noon ET, offers a powerful teaching opportunity that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.learningforjustice.org\/magazine\/teaching-the-inauguration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bridges past and present<\/a>. More than just a ceremony, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehousehistory.org\/collections\/presidential-inaugurations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">inaugurations<\/a> serve as living snapshots of American politics, culture, and society throughout our nation&#8217;s history. While the political nature of this event may create sensitive moments in the classroom, it also provides <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adl.org\/sites\/default\/files\/7-ideas-for-teaching-about-the-presidential-inauguration_1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rich opportunities for student engagement<\/a> across multiple subjects. From analyzing inaugural addresses to exploring inaugural traditions, there are countless ways to make this historic moment meaningful for students. To help navigate potentially challenging discussions, we&#8217;ve included <a href=\"https:\/\/greatergood.berkeley.edu\/article\/item\/Resources_for_Finding_Your_Balance_During_Stressful_Election#parentseducators\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">social-emotional learning (SEL) resources<\/a> that support respectful political dialogue in the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2025_JAN_13_ran_14_Presidential_Inauguration_Silva.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2025_JAN_13_ran_14_Presidential_Inauguration_Silva-200x300.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2025_JAN_13_ran_14_Presidential_Inauguration_Silva-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2025_JAN_13_ran_14_Presidential_Inauguration_Silva-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2025_JAN_13_ran_14_Presidential_Inauguration_Silva.png 735w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s important to ensure students understand the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c-span.org\/classroom\/document\/?23677\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">basic concept of an inauguration<\/a>. At its core, an inauguration is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aoc.gov\/what-we-do\/programs-ceremonies\/inauguration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">formal ceremony<\/a> marking the beginning of a new president\u2019s term in office. Make students feel like they are there through a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoveryeducation.com\/learn\/inauguration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">virtual field trip<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xBdQr4QtogM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">streaming<\/a> the actual inauguration. The inaugural speech, where the new president shares their vision for the country, is a key moment. Lines from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.presidency.ucsb.edu\/documents\/presidential-documents-archive-guidebook\/inaugural-addresses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">past speeches<\/a>, like Franklin D. Roosevelt\u2019s \u201cThe only thing we have to fear is fear itself\u201d or John F. Kennedy\u2019s \u201cAsk not what your country can do for you,\u201d still stand out because they resonated with listeners. Students can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.educationworld.com\/a_lesson\/01-1\/lp2295.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">compare<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLB247883C1EB850D1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">analyze previous<\/a> inaugural addresses. Use <a href=\"https:\/\/ourwhitehouse.org\/great-presidential-inauguration-websites\/#quizzes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">inaugural quizzes<\/a> incorporating inauguration facts as actual quizzes or scavenger hunts. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hmhco.com\/blog\/classroom-presidential-inauguration-activities-for-students?srsltid=AfmBOooysqknwPTaOvSlTIRgWwcH0jKVNJwG8zcNCp7hHyxoA8Rl0VcI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Classroom activities <\/a>can be long or short, depending on how much time you devote to the inauguration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mountvernon.org\/george-washington\/the-first-president\/inauguration\/timeline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">very first inauguration<\/a> was simple, with Washington taking the oath in New York City. Over time, inaugurations have become more elaborate, including <a href=\"https:\/\/ourwhitehouse.org\/presidential-inaugural-parades\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">parades<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehousehistory.org\/inaugural-balls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">balls<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article\/from-sinatra-to-gaga-an-annotated-history-of-inauguration-performers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">concerts<\/a>. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/spc\/inauguration\/lesson_media.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">media coverage<\/a>, especially with modern <a href=\"https:\/\/ourwhitehouse.org\/how-technology-transformed-inauguration-day\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">technology<\/a>, ensures the event reaches a global audience. Students can study many interesting topics such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/spc\/inauguration\/fashion.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fashion<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/unwritten-record.blogs.archives.gov\/2017\/01\/10\/a-look-at-inauguration-day-through-the-years-inaugural-photographs-and-facts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">photography<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/guides.loc.gov\/presidential-inaugurations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">primary sources<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.educationworld.com\/blog\/inauguration-day-fun-factspossible-interactive-notebook-activity-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">trivia<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.educationworld.com\/a_lesson\/01-1\/lp2294.shtml#google_vignette\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">weather,<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.loc.gov\/music\/2017\/01\/inauguration-music-of-yesteryear\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">music<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.educationworld.com\/a_lesson\/01-1\/lp2297.shtml#google_vignette\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">art<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.educationworld.com\/a_lesson\/01-1\/lp2296.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">poetry<\/a>, and much <a href=\"https:\/\/ourwhitehouse.org\/inaugural-activities-and-discussion-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more<\/a> through the lens of the inauguration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Teaching the inauguration can be an interesting and engaging classroom activity. For more information, check out TeachersFirst <a href=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/search_action.cfm?grade_low=0&amp;grade_high=12&amp;searchtext=inauguration&amp;searchtype=all\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">resources<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.com\/blog\/?s=inauguration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">previous blog posts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 2025 Presidential Inauguration, set for Monday, January 20th at noon ET, offers a powerful teaching opportunity that bridges past and present. More than just a ceremony, inaugurations serve as living snapshots of American politics, culture, and society throughout our nation&#8217;s history. While the political nature of this event may create sensitive moments in the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/2025\/01\/make-history-come-alive-teaching-the-2025-presidential-inauguration\/\" class=\"more-link\">read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[50,46,54],"class_list":["post-11142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-classroom-application","tag-instructional-strategies","tag-lesson-ideas","tag-resources"],"modified_by":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11142"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11241,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11142\/revisions\/11241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teachersfirst.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}