7th/8th Grade Election Day Activities

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Learning Targets for Election Day Activities:

—I can compare and contrast persuasive commercial advertisements.
—I can analyze how words, images, graphics, and sounds work together in various forms to impact meaning. This means that I can interpret how visual and sound techniques influence the message.
—I can evaluate the role of media in focusing attention on events and informing opinion on issues. This means that I can evaluate various techniques used to create a point of view in media and the impact on audience.

Part One: Election Day Trivia
Directions- Read through the following websites to learn about Election Day.

1) Explore current coverage of the election with Scholastic. Make sure to explore the results of the Scholastic Student Election, information about the Electoral College, and more information about each candidate.
2) Read student-generated reports about the election with Time for Kids. Focus on understanding how the candidates view important issues and meet the vice presidential candidates.
3) Learn more about campaign finance and read Tweets from the presidential candidates with CNN.
4) Did you know that there are other candidates besides Obama and Romney running in the presidential election? Meet the third party candidates with Al Jeezera.

Part Two: Rhetoric in Commercial Advertisements
Directions- Follow the steps below to analyze political advertisements from presidential candidates in the 2012 election.

1) Think about what you already know about political commercials:
*  What kinds of commercials have you seen on the TV or internet about       the election?

* What kinds of political ads are most memorable? Why?

2) Watch one of commercial clips listed below two times. Just watch the clip during the first showing, and take notes on their graphic organizer during the second showing.
3) Complete the graphic organizer for the commercial. Now, choose another commercial clip listed below. Watch the clip two times (just watch the first time, and take notes during the second showing).
4) Complete the graphic organizer for the commercial. Repeat for all of the clips below.

YouTube Links for Advertisements:

Obama Sponsored

Romney Sponsored

5) After you have viewed all of the commercial advertisements, reflect in a blog comment below. Look back over your notes. Which campaign has the most effective ads? Why?

Try not to be persuaded by who you think is the best candidate; strictly focus on the advertisements. Post your response and rationale below. Make sure your post is listed under your first name. Do not put your last name; if needed, just put the last initial.

Please refrain from discussing the policies of the candidates. Keep your post focused on the effectiveness of the advertisements.

Your post will not immediately show on the site. I will go through this afternoon and approve them. Check back later to see which candidate had the most effective advertisements!

Reposted from missmcintire.com

“What do I do when I am finished?”

  • Turn in your completed packet to Mrs. Caskey.
  • Continue your tone assignment for HoMS.

6 thoughts on “7th/8th Grade Election Day Activities”

  1. Obama’s ads are more persusive and he approves all his ads instead of some like Mitt Romney. Obama’s ads has a less serious tone than Romney and he criticizes Romney’s failures at making more jobs and he uses a song almost everybody knows and lists Romney’s tax raises.

  2. Romney’s advertisements were more effective as they relied more on statistics rather than the promises. His advertisements also included Obama speaking of what he has not done for for the country. A few of Obama’s advertisements involved irrelevant things such as Romney going agains Big Bird.

  5. I think the Obama commercials were more effective because the all:

    a)said “this is President Obama and I approve this message.”
    b)I liked how at the beginning it had Obama smiling and talking to workers/laborers in the beginning
    c)Iliked how they always stated a problem and how he planned to fix it.

  6. Sean- Mitt Romney has the most effective ads, he uses the Logos form of appeal. Statistics and prices are what will bring Obama down. His record does not match he promised in 2008. Obama does not have very effective ads, he uses the Ethos form of appeal because he can not run on his record. He attacks Romney with what Romney has said in the past and makes himself look trustworthy while he makes Romney look inferior.

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