Grade Level: 8

Subjects: Social Studies, Language Arts

Learner Outcomes:

• The student will research and critique campaign commercials via the internet and other sources.
• The student will assume the role of a presidential candidate and develop a campaign commercial.
• The student will use a word processing program to write the script.
• The student will record a commercial with a video camera.

Duration of Lesson: six 45-minute class periods

Materials:

• Paper and Pencil
• Evaluation Forms for critiquing presidential campaign commercials
• Evaluation Sheets for  critiquing student commercials
• Computer with appropriate software
• Books, newspapers, magazines, etc.
• Campaign commercials
• Blank video tapes

Technology Tools/Courseware:

• Computer with internet access
• Word processing software
• Video Camera/video tapes
• VCR
• Television

• Schedule the computer lab in advance.
• Bookmark appropriate sites.
• Make sure internet consent forms are on file.
• If it is a current election year, record campaign commercials for students to preview.
• If your school does not have video recording equipment, ask parents/others for the use of video cameras.
• Make several copies of the Evaluation Forms for Presidential Campaign Commercials  and the Evaluation Sheets for student commercials before students begin viewing and critiquing commercials.

Day 1:  VIEWING/CRITIQUING PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COMMERCIALS
Activity One
Organize students into groups of 3 or 4.

Activity Two
Show students sample commercials from past or present presidential campaigns that you have recorded or book marked.   Three great sites are The Living Room Candidate, Campaign 2000 (Stanford Univ.), and The 30 Second Candidate - Historical Timeline (PBS).  They should view several commercials and critique at least 3.  You may want to assign different commercials to groups, or allow them to choose their own.

Activity Three
Have students to complete the Evaluation Forms for each commercial viewed.  Allow time for discussion of group work.
 

Day 2:  PLANNING YOUR OWN COMMERCIAL
Activity One
Have students decide upon, or assign, the following roles (noting that roles may be shared and students may have more than one role)...

• Recorder (will record all group notes)
• Script Expert (will write the rough draft of the commercial script on paper)
• Computer Expert (will complete the final draft of the script using a word processing tool)
• Camera Expert (will use the video camera to record the commercial)
• Candidate (will assume the role of presidential candidate in the commercial)

Activity Two
After viewing and evaluating at least 3 campaign commercials, students should have formed an opinion as to what makes a commercial effective.  Have students to view Ad -Watcher's Tool kit. Have groups to brainstorm and complete a checklist of things they want to include in their commercial to make it effective.

Activity Three
Have groups to begin writing a rough draft of a script for their own presidential campaign commercial.

Day 3: COMPLETING THE ROUGH DRAFT
Have groups to complete their script for their own presidential commercial.  Rough draft must be turned in and reviewed by the teacher before the final draft can be completed.
 

Day 4: COMPLETING THE FINAL DRAFT/FILMING
Activity One
Groups should complete the final draft of the script using a word processing tool.

Activity Two
Students who have access to a video camera may begin their filming outside of the classroom.  Others may begin filming their commercial during class time.

Day 5: COMPLETING THE COMMERCIAL
All necessary classroom work and filming must be completed.

Day 6:  VIEWING/CRITIQUING CLASSROOM CAMPAIGN COMMERCIALS

Activity One
Each group will give a brief introduction of their commercial and their experiences during the project.  Next, they will show their commercial to the class.

Activity Two
Students will evaluate each commercial. (Evaluation Sheets)

Modifications:

• Follow individualized education plans for exceptional students.
• Students who may experience difficulty with the lesson, should be grouped with more capable students.

Enrichment Activities:

• Each group could do both a positive and a negative "Attack" campaign commercial, and then compare the two experiences.
• Students could research the cost of presidential campaign commercials, time their own commercial,  and then determine how much it would cost to air during prime time.

• Rubric attached

• Social Studies (8.11,8.13,8.15)
• Reading and Language Arts (8.1,8.2,8.3,8.6,8.9,8.11,8.12,8.27,8.28,8.29,8.30,8.31,8.48.8.49,8.50,8.51,8.63,8.64,8.82,8.142,8.144,8.147,8.148)

• Understands economic, social, and cultural developments in the contemporary United States

• Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
• Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media

References:

• The 30 Second Candidate (PBS)
• The White House
• Online Internet Consent Forms
• The Living Room Candidate
• Campaign 2000 (Stanford University)
• Ad-Watcher's Toolkit (PBS)

Authors:

• Mary Ann Patton
• Cari Ryan Pauley
• Connie Briles