Title: Tricks of the Trade: Use of propaganda in political advertisements Lesson Author: Megan, Debbie, and Dylan Key

Words: propaganda, bandwagon, card stacking, glittering generalities, plain folks, transfer, mudslinging Grade Level: 8th grade Civics Time Allotted: 45 minutes Rationale/ Purpose
To be a responsible citizen, students must understand how propaganda techniques are used by candidates and political parties in political advertisements. Students must be able to analyze political advertisements in the media so that they can make informed choices.

Key Concept(s) include definition: Voters evaluate information presented in political campaigns to make reasoned choices among candidates. Candidates use propaganda techniques such as bandwagon, card stacking, glittering generalities, plain folks, transfer and mudslinging to gain votes.

NCSS Standard(s) SOL Information NCSS Theme (s) with indicators: Theme 10: Civic Ideals and Practices
Teachers should facilitate learner efforts to locate, access, analyze, organize, synthesize, evaluate, and apply information about selected public issues identifying, describing, and evaluating multiple points of view. Teachers should guide learner efforts to identify, analyze, interpret, and evaluate sources and examples of citizens rights and responsibilities. CE.1 c) The student will develop the social studies skills responsible citizenship requires, including the ability to analyze political cartoons, political advertisements, pictures, and other graphics. CE.5 c) The student will be able to analyze campaigns for elective office, with emphasis on the role of the media.

SOL:

Essential Knowledge
Strategies for evaluating campaign advertisements for accuracy such as detecting bias, evaluating sources, and identifying propaganda.

Essential Skills Analyze political cartoons, advertisements, pictures, and other graphic media.

Guiding Question(s): How do candidates and political parties use the media to win voters? What propaganda techniques can candidates use to sway voters to vote for them? Assessment Tool(s): Propaganda Vocabulary Words worksheet, Political Campaign Ad Analysis worksheet, and class discussion of the Just Do It, advertisements, and the guiding questions

Background:
This lesson will be in the unit on political parties (CE.5 a and b) and interest groups after studying the impact of the media and along with the study of the influences on government including public opinion and interest groups.

Lesson Objective(s) (Please number): 1. Students will be able to recognize the six given propaganda techniques. 2. Students will be able to analyze political advertising in the context of propaganda techniques. Materials: Handouts Additional Materials/Resources: PowerPoint Elmo

Political Ads Notes Political Ads PowerPoint Political Ads Vocabulary Sheet Campaign Ad Worksheet Campaign Ad Modified

Worksheet

Procedure/Process:
JUST DO IT! The Hook: A political cartoon will be shown in the PowerPoint (see attached Just Do It sheet) with the following questions for students to individually respond to: 1) What does this cartoon express about politicians use of the media? And 2) Do you agree with the sentiments of the cartoon? The student will first write answers in written form and the discuss answers with class.

Obj # See above.

Processing Activity and Procedure include directions, question frames, assignment detail to be given to students (these should all be made into explicit materials (e.g. see material A), and time estimates

Check for Evidence of Understanding -Either Formal or Informal(Checks Essential Knowledge and Skills)

Students will enter the classroom and sit in groups according to the seating chart Class discussion after the posted on the PowerPoint. Students are Just do it. students have had time to to individually respond to questions on the individually respond. PowerPoint in response to a cartoon about political campaigns. 5 minutes. Two students will re-enact a political cartoon on a PowerPoint slide. The chosen students will express their beliefs about the use of the media in campaigns as well as the message they believe the cartoon is conveying. A Transition: discussion about the classes opinion about the role of media in political elections will follow, leading into the Political Campaign Ads lecture. 5 minutes Vocabulary worksheets are The students will learn the propaganda filled out and checked by Objective techniques through the lecture and relate teacher. To be finished at 1 it to their prior knowledge by using the home and checked by teacher vocabulary worksheet. 15 minutes the next day. Transition: Objective 2 The last example given in lecture will be a campaign ad from the VA gubernatorial election which will then correlate with the activity. Using information from the lecture, students will fill out the guided question worksheet for their individual groups Completed worksheet and class discussion.

(assigned as the students entered the classroom) campaign ad. Procedures will be modeled by the teacher prior. See campaign ad worksheet. 15 minutes.

Modifications/Accommodations for Diverse Learners: Modified worksheets for campaign advertising Closure/Writing Prompt/Rubric: Class discussion on guided questions. How do candidates and political parties use the media to win voters? What propaganda techniques can candidates use to sway voters to vote for them? Materials: 1. Just Do It cartoon and questions 2. PowerPoint Slides on Propaganda 3. Political Campaign Ads-Student Handout 4. Propaganda Vocabulary Words worksheet 5. Analyzing Campaign Advertisements example worksheet 6. Analyzing Campaign Advertisements worksheet 7. Analyzing Campaign Advertisements modified worksheet