Debate Checklist
Election Day:________________________
The format for the mock election will be as follows:
1. Introduction of candidates
a. At this time you may pass out and any “bribes” you have to sway public opinion in favor
of your candidate.
b. Campaign signs will be displayed during this time.
2. Opening statements (30-60 seconds each) and campaign ads will be played for the class.
3. Debate
a. The moderator (your amazing Government teacher) will ask a series of questions relating
to your candidate’s political platform. These have been provided to you prior to the day
of the debate. Not all questions will be asked but both President and Vice Presidential
candidates must be prepared to answer all questions.
b. After I have asked the formal questions, there will be a chance for your candidate to ask
rebuttal questions of the other candidates.
c. The debate will end with a brief, closing statement from each candidate.
4. Voting: Each student will receive a secret ballot. Votes will be counted and the winner
announced at the end of class.
Final Day Checklist
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Poster
Debate Prep Worksheet
2 Copies of Opening and Closing Statement
Any Bribes
Awesome Attire!
(A Can-Do Attitude)
Opening and Closing Statements
This is your Presidents first and last impressions, so make it good! Your statements should be 30-60
seconds in length and written with input from your entire group. The statement should touch on the
main points of your political platform, but should mostly be about your candidate’s major
qualifications, experience, and personal characteristics and how he/she can use those to make this
country better. Opening statements must be typed and submitted on the day of the election. There
must be two separate copies, one for you and one for the moderator.
Debate Rubric
Campaign Team Names:
Debate Participants _____________________________________________________________
4-Advanced
Opening Statement is 30-60
Statement seconds. Opening
statements have been
typed and submitted
on the day of election
Content
Includes main points
of political platform,
qualifications,
experience, and
personal
characteristics.
Attire
Dress should be
appropriate to the
candidate, (lawyer=
suit and tie)
Speech is loud enough
to hear, inflection in
voice, no mistakes,
body language is
appropriate
Voice
Closing
Statement is 30-60
Statement seconds. Closing
statements have been
typed and submitted
on the day of election
3-Proficient
Statement goes
slightly over or
slightly under 3060 seconds.
Opening statement
has been typed
and submitted on
the day of the
election.
Includes: short
biography, views
on issues,
affiliation to party,
interest groups
supporting, and
why voters should
vote
Dress is
appropriate and
exemplifies the
candidate closely
Speech is loud
enough to hear,
some inflection,
few mistakes, body
language is
appropriate
Statement goes
slightly over or
slightly under 3060 seconds.
Closing statement
has been typed
and submitted on
the day of the
election.
2-Basic
Statement is
somewhat over or
under 30-60
seconds. Opening
statement has
been hand written
and submitted on
the day of the
election.
Includes: views on
issues, affiliation
to party, why
voters should
vote, with errors,
missing some
content
1-Below Basic
Statement is far over
or under 30-60
seconds. Opening
statement is not
written out and was
not submitted on the
day of the election.
Dress is
appropriate, does
not fit the
candidate closely
Volume is audible
but needs to
increase, little or
no inflection,
many mistakes,
no body language
Statement is
somewhat over or
under 30-60
seconds. Closing
statement has
been hand written
and submitted on
the day of the
election.
Dress is not
appropriate, does not
fit the candidate
closely
Volume is not loud
enough, no inflection,
many errors, no body
language
Includes: vague
descriptions of
information, lacks
coherent content,
many errors, missing
specified content
Statement is far over
or under 30-60
seconds. Closing
statement is not
written out and was
not submitted on the
day of the election.
Poster Checklist
Due:_________________________
The purpose of your campaign poster is to very quickly grab the attention of the electorate and convince them to
cast votes for your candidate. You are “selling” your candidate to the public. Your poster should be attractive and
eye-catching, as well as informative. Use the checklist below to ensure you have all the elements of a successful
campaign poster!
Content:
_____ Slogan (brief and catchy!)
_____ Logo (either party logo or created logo if independent)
_____ Picture of presidential candidate
_____ Names of presidential and vice presidential candidates
_____ Disclaimer saying who paid for pamphlet – candidate, interest group, PAC
Attractiveness/Quality:
_____ Creative and colorful! Remember this is POSTER size! You should be able to see
everything from across the room
_____ Well-organized information and thoughtful, attractive layout
_____ No typos, spelling, or grammatical errors (PROOF READ!)
Poster Rubric
Campaign Team Names:
Campaign Poster _______________________________________________________
Content
Quality
Visually
Appealing
4-Advanced
Includes slogan,
logo, picture of
presidential
candidate, names
of both
presidential and
vice presidential
candidates.
Disclaimer saying
who paid for
poster is listed
accurately.
Creative and
colorful with
well-organized
information and
no typos, spelling,
or grammatical
errors.
Poster is well
organized,
visually
appealing, colors
match, not
cluttered,
appropriate use
of space –
POSTER size.
3-Proficient
Includes slogan,
logo, picture of
presidential
candidate, names
of both presidential
and vice
presidential
candidates.
Disclaimer saying
who paid for
poster is listed.
2-Basic
Includes slogan,
logo, picture of
presidential
candidate, names
of both
presidential and
vice presidential
candidates.
Disclaimer saying
who paid for
poster is not
visible.
Creative and
Colorful with
colorful with well- organized
organized
information and
information and 1- 3-4 typos,
2 typos, spelling, or spelling, or
grammatical errors. grammatical
errors.
Poster is well
Poster is
organized, visually organized, colors
appealing, colors
scheme slightly
match, semimatches, poster is
cluttered, space use cluttered and too
is appropriate –
busy – not poster
POSTER size.
size.
1-Below Basic
Includes slogan,
logo, picture of
presidential
candidate, names of
both presidential
and vice
presidential
candidates.
Disclaimer saying
who paid for poster
is not visible.
Not colorful with
disorganized
information and
numerous typos,
spelling, or
grammatical errors.
Poster is
unorganized, colors
don’t match, poster
is very cluttered and
too busy – not
poster size.
Pamphlet Checklist
Due:_________________________
The purpose of your campaign pamphlet is to grab the attention of the electorate and convince them to
cast votes for your candidate. You are “selling” your candidate to the public. Your pamphlet should be
attractive and eye-catching, as well as informative. Use the checklist below to ensure you have all the
elements of a successful campaign pamphlet!
Content:
_____ Slogan (brief and catchy!)
_____ Logo (either party logo or created logo if independent)
_____ Picture of presidential candidate
_____ Names of presidential and vice presidential candidates
_____ Brief biographical paragraph of presidential candidate (based on candidate sheets)
_____ At least FIVE, brief and well-articulated issue position statements for political platform.
Attractiveness/Quality:
_____ Creative and colorful!
_____ Well-organized information and thoughtful, attractive layout
_____ No typos, spelling, or grammatical errors (PROOF READ!)
Pamphlet Rubric
Campaign Team Names:
Pamphlet/Brochure _______________________________________________________
Content
Issue Position
Statements
Organization
Visually
appealing
4-Advanced
Includes slogan,
logo, picture of
presidential
candidate, names
of both
presidential and
vice presidential
candidates. Brief
biographical
paragraph is
interesting and
accurate.
3-Proficient
Includes slogan,
logo, picture of
presidential
candidate, names
of both
presidential and
vice presidential
candidates. Brief
biographical
paragraph is
accurate. There
are few errors.
There are 5 BRIEF,
well-articulated
issue position
statements for
political platform.
There are 0-1
errors throughout.
Each section has a
heading,
information is well
organized, flow is
smooth
Pamphlet is
visually appealing
through
organization, flow,
design, and colors
with no typos,
spelling, or
grammatical
errors.
There are 4-5 issue
position
statements for
political platform.
There are 2-3
errors throughout.
Each section has a
heading,
formation is
organized, flow is
fairly smooth
Pamphlet is
visually
appealing, may
lack one of the
following
elements, flow,
design, or color
with 1-2 typos,
spelling, or
grammatical
errors.
2-Basic
Is missing either
slogan, logo,
picture of
presidential
candidate, names
of both
presidential and
vice presidential
candidates. Brief
biographical
paragraph has
few errors. There
are errors
throughout.
There are 3-4 issue
position
statements for
political platform.
There are 3-4
errors throughout.
1-Below Basic
Is missing 2 or more
of the following
components: slogan,
logo, picture of
presidential
candidate, names of
both presidential
and vice
presidential
candidates. Brief
biographical
paragraph is
inaccurate with
numerous errors.
There are 3 or less
issue position
statements for
political platform.
There are 4 or more
errors throughout.
Each section is
semi-organized,
no headings, flow
is choppy
Information is
cluttered with little
or no organization,
flow is very choppy
Pamphlet is
appealing but
may lack some
organization,
flow, design, or
color with 3-4
typos, spelling, or
grammatical
errors.
Pamphlet is not
visually appealing,
lacks organization,
flow, design, and
color with more
than 4 typos,
spelling, or
grammatical errors.
Commercial Checklist
Due:_________________________
The purpose of your campaign commercial(s) is to grab the attention and sway your voters. These should inform,
entertain, and discuss issues and/or qualifications of your candidate and/or your opponents. These will be aired
(assuming they are appropriate) before the debate/election. This MUST be turned in on the due date as it will be
previewed prior to being aired by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Content:
_____ Names of presidential and vice presidential candidates
_____ Appearance of presidential candidate and multiple members of group
_____ Discuss issues and/or qualifications of candidate and/or opponents
_____ Persuasive and informative about issues and/or qualifications
_____ Disclaimer (“Paid for by ….”) is used (interest group, PAC, candidate)
Attractiveness/Quality:
_____ Length (between 1-3 minutes)
_____ Well-organized information and thoughtful, creative commercial
_____ Quality is good and shows that time and effort have been put into commercial
Commercial Rubric
Campaign Team Names:
Campaign Commercial _______________________________________________________
Content and
Quality
Use of
Technology
and length.
Techniques of
Influence
(propaganda)
4-Advanced
Names of president
and/or vice
presidential
candidate
mentioned.
Numerous issues
discussed and/or
qualifications of
candidate and/or
opponents.
Disclaimer (“Paid
for by…”) is used
appropriately.
3-Proficient
Names of president
and/or vice
presidential
candidate
mentioned. Some
issues discussed
and/or
qualifications of
candidate and/or
opponents.
Disclaimer (“Paid
for by…”) is used
appropriately.
No technology
problems and
everything runs
well. Appropriate
length and
maintains interest
throughout
Very good use of
influence and very
persuasive
1-2 technology
More than 3
problems.
technology
Appropriate length. problems. Video is
ether too short or
too long.
Some use of
persuasion and
somewhat
persuasive
2-Basic
Names of president
and/or vice
presidential
candidate
mentioned. Few
issues discussed
and/or
qualifications of
candidate and/or
opponents.
Disclaimer (“Paid
for by…”) is used.
No use of
persuasion and
somewhat lacking
clear message
1-Below Basic
Names of
president and/or
vice presidential
candidate
mentioned. No
issues discussed
and/or
qualifications of
candidate
and/or
opponents. No
disclaimer (“Paid
for by…”) is
used.
Technology
doesn’t work at
all. Video is
either too short
or too long.
No use of
persuasion and
no clear message