Did you know Abraham Lincoln wore a size 14 shoe? This was huge for the 1800s! Did you know that Theodore Roosevelt was a champion wrestler? What about President Coolidge having a pet raccoon named Rebecca?

Honestly, there are so many surprising and fun facts to learn when studying our national leaders. When students learn from these quirky and unique facts, they begin to understand the person who made decisions that affected so many lives.

Lessons need to go beyond just memorizing names and dates. They need to be about making our national leaders more personable.

Luckily, using a U.S. national leaders scavenger hunt activity is the perfect way to do this! Students will love searching for details while learning about many influential people. 

Why Should Students Understand National Leaders?

Understanding national leaders is vital for several reasons. It empowers citizens to know who leads our country. This helps students feel connected to the government and inspires them to participate civically.

Additionally, learning facts builds historical context. Leaders are often at the center of historical events, and this knowledge gives them a framework to understand the past. It even helps show the present and future.

Understanding national leaders also helps students find role models, which is crucial! They learn how others were courageous and determined, even during hard times. This is a great way to help motivate students to pursue their own goals.

Scavenger Hunt Activity

It is essential to make learning hands-on! So, the U.S. national leaders scavenger hunt activity gets students up and moving. Ideally, it is for students in 3rd-5th grade to explore the branches of the U.S. government and learn about national leaders. Students will need to write down their answers on a piece of paper. However, if you want everything done and laid out perfectly, check out the citizenship of the US unit! This has the activity completely ready to go. 

Step 1

The first step is to have your students visit the official White House website, www.whitehouse.gov. They will need to answer the following questions: 

• Who is the current president of the United States? 
• Who is the current vice president? 
• If applicable, who is the first lady or first gentleman? 
• Who is the second lady or second gentleman? 

Ultimately, these questions allow students to determine who is at the head of the executive branch.

Step 2

Students will stay on the same website and click on the Cabinet section on the White House website. They will find the answers for the Cabinet in the executive branch. These include: 

• Who is the first person in line to become President if something happens to the President? 
• Who is the Secretary of State? 
• Who is the Secretary of the Treasury? 
• Who is the Secretary of Defense? 
• Who is the Attorney General? 
• How many total members are in the President’s Cabinet? 

Step 3

It is now time to explore the Senate! As we travel on the U.S. national leaders scavenger hunt activity, students will study senators in their state. So, they should go to www.senate.gov/states and select their state. Then, they should answer the following questions: 

• What are the names of the two senators representing your state? 
• What political party does each senator belong to: Democrats or Republicans? 

Step 4

Lastly, they’re going to discover who their representative is. Students will now travel to house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative. They will type in the address of their school or home to find their related congressional district. Then, they should explore the information to answer the following questions: 

• Who is your US representative? 
• What congressional district do they represent in your state? It’s going to be some type of number. 
• What political party is your representative affiliated with? Are they Democrats, Republicans, or another party? 

Extension Activity 

Students will love the U.S. national leaders scavenger hunt activity! To continue their learning, they can find fun facts or write a biography of national leaders. They can even create a timeline of their accomplishments! Students can publish their writing in a student-created newspaper explaining different parts of the government. 

It is so important for students to learn about our national leaders. They are the people in charge of making decisions that significantly impact our lives. Thankfully, the U.S. national leaders scavenger hunt activity allows students to learn fascinating information in a fun, hands-on way!