5 Presidential Inauguration Activities for Students

Inauguration Day ceremonies take place at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

On Inauguration Day, the president-elect is sworn into office. The ceremony takes place every four years on January 20 (or January 21 if the 20th falls on a Sunday) at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, D.C. The inauguration offers fundamental lessons about the ceremonies and traditions involved in the transfer of power. If you’re following the events with your class, here’s what you can expect. After the swearing-in ceremonies, the new president will deliver an inaugural address that highlights plans for delivering on campaign promises. Next up is the Pass in Review, a military tradition reflecting the peaceful transfer of power in which the president inspects the readiness of our troops. The president is then escorted by the military to the White House. Inauguration Day festivities also include a parade and balls.  

Inauguration classroom activities and lessons

Here are five activities that will help you teach students about the presidential inauguration and its ceremonies and traditions. They can be adapted for a range of learning levels.

1. I do solemnly swear (Grades K–12)

Share the presidential oath of office (see below) with students. Consider previewing some of the words (solemnly, swear, affirm, execute, preserve) beforehand. You might also explain that the Constitution is the highest law in the United States and it lays out how our government works. (Here are six activities for teaching students about the Constitution.) 
 

If you're teaching older students, ask:

• What does it mean to “faithfully execute the office of president”?
• What is the Constitution and why must the president promise to defend it?

Students can learn about presidential duties, qualifications, and skills in Article II, Sections 1–4, of the U.S. Constitution.

If you're teaching younger students, ask:

• What is an oath?
• Why do you think presidents must take an oath?
• What is the president promising to do?
• Do you think this is a necessary part of becoming the president? Why or why not?

Finally, have students write another promise to add to the oath that they think the president should make to the American people. Allow time for students to share their ideas with the class.
 

2. Tell it to the president (Grades K–12)

Younger students can write a question they have for the president or a short message about their school, their life, or their hopes and dreams. Older students can research an issue that concerns them, such as health care, immigration, taxes, the environment, education, or the economy. Tell them to summarize the different views on the issue before deciding where they stand. Once they’ve done their research, have them write a letter to the president describing the part of the issue that they find most concerning and how they would wish the president to address the problem. 

Students can send an email to the president or send hand-written letters to:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

3. Compare the speeches (Grades 5–12)

Tell students that George Washington began a tradition that future presidents would take up when he delivered the first inaugural address on April 30, 1789. Ask: What do you think is the purpose of an inaugural address? What do you think the president should try to accomplish in the speech?

Challenge students to compare and contrast two inaugural speeches of their choice. Find links to all U.S. presidents’ inaugural addresses at the American Presidency Project. Have students take notes on the similarities and differences in a Venn diagram, which you can download for free on Shaped. Here is a list of questions students might consider as they analyze the speeches:

• What is the tone of the speech? How can you tell? Point out specific words and phrases to support your idea.
• What is the purpose of the speech?
• What can you tell about the country's challenges from the speech?
• What are the president's goals for the country?
• What do you think the president hopes to accomplish with the speech?
• What did you learn from comparing the two speeches?

4. My fellow Americans (Grades 4–12)

During elections, people have differing opinions. One goal of the inaugural address is to bring the country together, unite citizens around common goals, and set the tone for the upcoming presidency. Ask: What do you think the president should say in the inaugural speech to unify the country? Why do you think that would help?

Challenge students to write a one-minute speech aimed at bringing Americans together. Allow time for students to recite their speeches for the class. Younger students might simply draw a picture of what unity looks like to them or complete the following sentence starter: My hope for America is __________.

Watch the president's speech with your class on Inauguration Day. Have older students take notes on the president's calls for unity. Discuss student's findings after the speech. Ask: Were the attempts at unity effective? Why or why not?

5. Plan a parade (Grades 4–12)

Tell students that Inauguration Day often includes a parade. Ask: Why do you think inaugurations include a parade? Imagine that you are in charge of planning the inaugural parade. What events would you include? Make a list of ideas.

Share with your middle or high school students that past inaugural parades celebrated America’s heroes, Americans in different states and regions, the diversity of our people, and the resilience of our country.

Separate students into groups and provide each with one theme from past parades:

1. America’s heroes
2. Americans in different states and regions
3. Diversity of our people
4. Resilience of our country

Tell students their challenge is to plan a parade that covers all these themes. For example, the first group will brainstorm ways to celebrate America’s heroes. They should consider: Which American heroes should we spotlight? How will we spotlight them in a parade? Those in Group 3 might consider what diversity in America looks like and how they can celebrate that diversity in a parade. Each group should write up a plan for their portion of the parade and share their ideas with the class.

More ideas for teaching the inauguration

How do you teach the inauguration? We'd love to hear your ideas. Share them with us via email at shaped@hmhco.com or reach out on Instagram or Facebook.

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This blog, originally published in 2021, has been updated for 2024.