Subjects: Civics, US Government, US History
Grade Level(s): 8-12
Time Frame [Based on 50-minute periods (e.g., 4, 50-minute
periods)]: 2 or more, 50-minute periods
Objectives [What the student should know and be able
to do at the end of the lesson]:
1.0 Overall: Students will be a candidate for an election as a United States Representative or Senator in the upcoming election. They will need to decide with party fits their political views best, plan, and present a 3-5 minute campaign commercial about them as a candidate, their platform, and why the voters should vote for them.
Bloom’s Taxonomy: CongressLink lesson plans are
built around Bloom's taxonomy. The purpose of the taxonomy
is to provide a coherent format for lessons and to make it
easier for teachers to design them according to CongressLink's
standards. If you are preparing a lesson, be sure to read the detailed
information about the taxonomy -- it will be a big help.
2.0 Knowledge: Students will research and identify the major platforms of the Democratic and Republican Parties.
3.0 Understanding: Students will investigate qualifications and major issues of interest for political officeholders on the local, state, and federal level.
4.0 Application: Students will create a 3-5 minute campaign commercial using at least two different types of propaganda techniques in their presentations.
5.0 Analysis: Students will analyze the effectiveness of different types of propaganda.
6.0 Synthesis: Students will incorporate technology into their presentation.
7.0 Evaluation: The students’ campaigns will be recorded or presented live in class for evaluation by their peers.
Procedure/Sequence
This lesson is done as individual student projects:
Step 1: Hold a classroom discussion about the major points of the platform of the Democratic and Republican Parties.
Step 2: Ask students to research a political office they would like to hold.
Step 3: Once the students determine the office they would like to hold, have them brainstorm three to five possible issues that would be concerns for the electors.
Step 4: Expose students to different propaganda techniques. Have them create a 3-5 minute campaign commercial using at least two different types of propaganda techniques in their presentations.
Questions students should be able to answer prior to creating their campaign commercials:
- Which office are they running for and why?
- Which party fits their political views the best?
- Which platform and plank?
- Why are they better than other candidates?
- Which area of voters are they appealing to?
- How are they going to attract the voters’ attention?
- Which propaganda method will they use and why?
Step 5: The students’ campaign commercials will be recorded or presented live to the class for evaluation by their peers.
Materials
Computer
TV with a DVD player
Video recorder
National Standards [based on National Standards for Civics
and Government, Center for Civic Education, 1994. Citation based
on section, subsection, standard of the document]:
2C- What is American political culture?
3E- How does the American political system provide for choice and opportunities for participation?
5C- What are the responsibilities of citizens?
5E- How can citizens take part in civic life?
Rubric: See: http://www.congresslink.org/rubric/pdf
NOTE: A similar project may be done with the different types of government. Instead of doing this lesson as an individual project, put the students in groups of three. Give them a type of government and have them research the government. Student groups will make a presentation on why the rest of the class should choose their government over the other types presented to the class.
Author(s):
Jan Loyd
Cabot Junior High South
Cabot, AR
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