The future depends on great leaders.
Campaign Webquest
Mrs. Duffin
September 2010
Task
Begin
Next
Last
Rubric
Why bother?
Get the right person elected to the job!
You already have a Political Party
(an organization of likeminded individuals pledged to work for their goals).
You have candidates
(people you have agreed best represent your parties’ interests).
Now, You need to get your candidate elected in order
to accomplish your shared goals.
But how?
Task
Begin
Next
Last
Rubric
Why bother?
Begin by understanding the language and strategy of political
campaigns.
Using 12 Basic Guidelines and Political Tactics web pages, create what
you believe is the best campaign strategy for your candidate.
Considering your candidates strengths, your political party’s goals, and
this advice, craft a political message that you want to run throughout
your campaign products. Use persuasive language to make your message
effective.
Before moving on, turn in a copy of the above items with your
candidates’ names and basic biographies.
Task
Begin
Next
Last
Rubric
Why bother?
Next, learn about different campaign products.
Considering this recent source and this historic comparison, what do
you think is important when designing campaign products?
Choose a candidate that you respect from Politics1 and go to their
campaign website then using Bing or Google Images, search for
campaign materials for your chosen candidate (ie. Bumper stickers, yard
signs, campaign posters). How does your candidate stack up against the
advice you have learned?
Analyze a political television advertisement using a presidential
campaign advertisement from Living Room Candidate and deconstruct
it using these questions.
Task
Begin
Next
Last
Rubric
Why bother?
Last, create a campaign for your candidate.
Discuss:
What theme, message, and issues have decided to include in your campaign?
What aspects of your candidates have you decided to highlight?
And then, how are you going to get your message across?
You must include a television commercial (recorded on video),
a radio commercial (recorded on audio), a billboard (displayed), a print ad (inserted into
the magazine you would include it in), a brochure (copied for each voter), a bumper
sticker (displayed in the classroom) and campaign buttons/stickers (for each member of
your party).
The campaign must be cohesive, POSITIVE and must include the sponsoring party's
name on all products.
If any money is spent (ink and paper won't count, but any other items must be accounted for), an
expense report must be created, detailing where the money came from and how it was
spent.
Task
Begin
Next
Last
Rubric
Why bother?
Grading Rubric
Each item will be quality graded on the scale of:
Excellent = 10, Very Good = 9, Good = 8, Fair = 7, Poor = 6, Failing = 1-5, Not completed = 0
Begin by understanding tasks:
Strategy using persuasive language learned from links
Biographies illustrating candidates’ strengths
Next, designing products:
Analysis of campaign product designs
Analysis of campaign strategies
Deconstruction of a television advertisement
Last, products:
Television commercial
Radio commercial
Billboard
Print advertisement
Brochure
Bumper sticker
Campaign button
Overall:
Cohesive campaign in line with strategy
Completion of expense report
Total:
Task
Begin
Next
Last
140 points
Rubric
Why bother?
Why get involved?
Much can be determined by an election.
Your involvement can change the outcome and ultimately change the
direction of a nation.
Few Americans actively work on political campaigns. Voting may not be
enough to get the best person elected.
“Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that
ever has.”
Margaret Mead
Task
Begin
Next
Last
Rubric
Why bother?
Teacher Suggestions
Implementing this Webquest into your classroom.
Webquest was designed for senior level, honors (AP) government.
Objectives:
To understand the language of campaigns and persuasion.
To build a functioning group that works together on a common goal.
To respect the process of campaigning and voting.
Idiosyncrasies of the Campaign Webquest
My students created political parties from scratch before the campaign activity was used.
I read the Rubric together and discuss what the expectations of a project receiving an
excellent are.
My students actually will elect a president and vice president from the established political
parties and those individuals will have real responsibility within the classroom.
The campaign materials are visible within my classroom and hallway outside.
Other materials used and suggested:
PBS Frontline Video: The Persuaders (2004) 90 Minutes
Task
Begin
Next
Last
Rubric
Why bother?