ClassX Video Lessons Barack Obama for Kids | Learn about the life and contributions of the 44th president of the U.S.
Have you ever heard of Barack Obama? He was the 44th President of the United States and the first African-American to hold this position. Here’s a fun fact: he’s the only president who was born in Hawaii!
Barack Hussein Obama II was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. His parents were Ann Dunham and Barack Obama Sr. When he was just two years old, his parents separated. He spent some of his childhood in Jakarta, Indonesia, with his mom and stepdad. By the time he was 10, he was back in Hawaii living with his grandparents.
As a kid, Obama was called “Barry.” He worked at an ice cream shop called Baskin-Robbins when he was a teenager, but he doesn’t eat ice cream anymore! In high school, he was great at basketball and did well in his studies, graduating with honors in 1979.
Obama went to Occidental College for two years before transferring to Columbia University, where he graduated in 1983 with a degree in political science. In 1985, he moved to Chicago to work as a community organizer, helping people with low incomes.
He also visited Kenya, where he met many of his relatives. In 1988, he started law school at Harvard, where he met Michelle Robinson, who would later become his wife. In 1990, he became the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review and graduated in 1991.
After law school, Obama returned to Chicago to work as a civil rights lawyer and a part-time professor. He married Michelle Robinson on October 3, 1992, and they have two daughters, Malia and Sasha.
Obama is a member of the Democratic Party. In 1996, he was elected to the Illinois State Senate, where he worked on important issues like healthcare. Although he lost a primary election for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, he successfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004.
In 2007, Obama announced he was running for president with a message of hope and change. He wanted to reform healthcare, increase energy independence, and end the Iraq War. On November 4, 2008, he won the presidential election against John McCain, becoming the 44th President of the United States. He was re-elected in 2012, serving two terms in total.
During his time as president, Obama accomplished many things. He passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help close the pay gap between men and women. He also appointed two Supreme Court justices, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Obama was the first sitting president to visit Cuba, among other achievements.
Let’s see what you’ve learned:
False. He served two terms, which is eight years.
True.
Barry.
Great job! Barack Obama has left a lasting legacy and continues to do important work. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll be president too and make a difference in the world!
Thanks for learning with us! Visit us at learnbrite.org for more fun and educational resources.
Explore Your Family History: Just like Barack Obama learned about his family in Kenya, you can learn more about your own family history! Ask your parents or grandparents to tell you stories about their childhood or where your family comes from. Draw a family tree and include some interesting facts about each family member. Share your family tree with your classmates and see how everyone’s family stories are unique!
Community Helper Role Play: Barack Obama worked as a community organizer to help people with low incomes. Think about ways you can help your community. With your classmates, role-play different scenarios where you can be a community helper. For example, you can pretend to organize a neighborhood clean-up or help a friend with their homework. Discuss how these small actions can make a big difference in your community.
Presidential Speech Activity: Imagine you are running for class president. Write a short speech about what changes you would like to make in your school, just like Obama did when he ran for president. Practice your speech and present it to your class. Think about how you can use words to inspire and bring about positive change, just like Obama did with his message of hope and change.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Who is Barack Obama? Do you know who the 44th President of the United States is? Here’s a hint: he is the only president who was born in Hawaii. Need another hint? He was also the first African-American to be elected as president of the United States.
That’s right, it is Barack Obama! Today, we are going to learn more about him. Barack Hussein Obama II was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Obama’s parents, Ann Dunham and Barack Obama Sr., separated when he was just two years old, and he spent the early years of his childhood in Jakarta, Indonesia, with his mother and stepfather. By the time Obama was 10 years old, he was back in Hawaii living with his maternal grandparents.
When he was young, Obama went by the nickname “Barry.” As a teenager, Barack Obama worked at a Baskin-Robbins ice cream store but does not eat ice cream today. In high school, Obama excelled at both basketball and academics and graduated with honors from Punahou Academy in 1979. From there, Obama attended Occidental College for two years and then transferred to Columbia University, graduating in 1983 with a degree in political science.
In 1985, Obama moved to Chicago and worked with low-income residents as a community organizer. He then spent some time in Kenya and met many of his paternal relatives during the trip. In 1988, Obama began law school at Harvard, and that same year, he met his future wife, Michelle Robinson. In 1990, Barack Obama was elected as the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991.
After law school, Obama moved back to Chicago and started working as a civil rights lawyer and a part-time professor at the University of Chicago Law School. On October 3 of that year, Barack and Michelle Robinson were married and later had two daughters, Malia and Sasha.
Let’s talk about his political life and historic election. Barack Obama is a member of the Democratic Party. In 1996, Obama ran for office in the Illinois State Senate and won, working with both Democrats and Republicans to draft legislation that addressed social issues like expanding healthcare. After losing a primary election for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, Obama decided to raise money to run for a U.S. Senate seat in 2004. During this time, he was a vocal critic of the decision to begin the Iraq War. Obama beat a former presidential candidate and won that election, becoming only the fifth African-American to serve in the U.S. Senate and only the third to be elected to the office.
In February of 2007, Obama announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination and ran a campaign with themes of hope and change, with goals to reform the healthcare system, increase energy independence, and end the Iraq War. On November 4, 2008, he defeated Republican candidate John McCain to become the 44th President of the United States. His vice president was Joe Biden, who would later become the 46th president. He won the presidential election again in 2012, defeating Republican candidate Mitt Romney. This means that President Obama served two terms as president for a total of eight years in office.
Obama and his administration were able to accomplish some significant things. Some of these accomplishments include passing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which was designed to close the pay gap between men and women, and appointing two Supreme Court justices, Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Justice Elena Kagan. He was also the first sitting president to visit Cuba, plus many more achievements.
Now that we have learned more about Barack Obama, let’s review:
True or false: Barack Obama only served one term as president?
– False. President Obama served for two terms or eight years.
True or false: Barack Obama is a Democrat?
– True.
What was President Obama’s nickname when he was younger?
– Barry.
Great job, friends! President Barack Obama has left a lasting legacy and continues to do important work to this day. Maybe someday you will be president just like Barack Obama and help advocate for all people, regardless of race, religion, or political party.
Hope you had fun learning with us! Visit us at learnbrite.org for thousands of free resources and turnkey solutions for teachers and homeschoolers.
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