Meet the Candidates!
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MARKETING TEAM

Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and work?  In the next few weeks you have some major tasks to accomplish! Teamwork and cooperation will help make the job easier.  At the end of each class, if you have spare time, go to Scholastic's Election Blog and keep current with what's happening in the real campaign!

 

Week 1-3

How to Run for President

  1. Not everyone can become the President of the United States! Print out your Qualifications and Duties worksheet. Fill in the information by visiting the websites listed to the right.
  2. Find out how the President is elected. Visit the links to the right and research the election process. 
    1. Create a flowchart in Inspiration that explains the process of electing a U.S. president. OR
    2. Create a timeline that explains the process. You may use CircaVie or Timeliner software. You should collect images for your timeline and save them in a folder on your computer,

RESOURCES

 

 

 

 

 

Week 2

Jigsaw Time!

Members of each team will mix together to share research from previous week (15 minutes). Here's a video for you to watch called "Electing a President in Plain English"!

 

 

Electing a U.S. President in Plain English. 2 Aug. 2008. YouTube. CommonCraft. 4 Sep. 2008 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok_VQ8I7g6I>.

Weeks 3-6:

Selling Your Candidate: Develop Your Media Literacy Skills

Your candidate is visiting a large city in a few weeks, and the campaign manager has requested that you create posters and buttons advertising your candidate. Your job is to create an advertising campaign that projects a positive image of the candidate. Will your posters and buttons focus on the major issues or the candidate’s qualities? What words and images will be most effective in getting this message across to the voters? Consult the "Inside the Issues" bulletin board that THE POLICY RESEARCH TEAM has created, as well as the "Candidate Fact Sheets" that THE PUBLIC AWARENESS TEAM has created.

FIRST: Examine some 2008 campaign materials in the slideshow to the right. Then watch the CBS News analysis of some real TV and Web campaign ads for Obama and McCain (to the right).

 Your poster must include:

  1. A photo of the candidate
  2. The election year
  3. The party symbol
  4. A slogan

***Be sure to visit the rubric page to know what is expected of you!

You may design buttons however you like, but be sure to include the candidate's name!

Instructions:

  • Discuss with your team which major issue or candidate's quality you will focus on.
  • Click on Presidential campaign slogans to see some real presidential slogans. Also explore some real Political Buttons.
  • Which slogans are your favorites and which ones were the most effective? Why? What makes an effective or memorable campaign slogan? Most presidential candidates have more than one campaign slogan. Brainstorm with your team to come up at least two slogans for your candidate.
  • Break into teams of two.  Each team is responsible for creating one campaign poster.
  • Optional: Create political buttons and badges for your candidate.

 

(This video is available online.)

McCain Ad Mocks Obama's Fame. 31 July 2008. YouTube. CBS. 5 Sep. 2008 .

Scholastic's Campaign Ad-Venture

Scholastic's "Create a Campaign Poster"