ACTIVITY 1 – Scoring the Debate
While watching the 2012 presidential debate or a previous debate, students will use the scoring card (see Appendix E) to determine which candidate did a better job. To score your debate scoring card, use the “How to grade the debate” form (see Appendix E).
ACTIVITY 2 – The voting process
- SS 7 C 2 7 Conduct a mock election to demonstrate the voting process and its impact on a school, community, or local level.
The students will run for student council elections. They will campaign for themselves and create a brochure providing information about themselves and why their peers should vote for them.
- Campaigns Use Early Voting to Register New Voters 2008 (NBC Learn)
- Voting Myths Debunked 2008 (NBC Learn)
- Who Can register to Vote 1992 (NBC Learn)
- Most Students Have Little Interest in 2004 Presidential Campaign (NBC Learn)
- Portraits of Leadership (NBC Learn)
ACTIVITY 3 – Current political parties
- SS 7 C 2 8 Identify America’s current political parties and illustrate their ideas about government.
The students will research the 2012 presidential candidates and their ideas on government. They will complete a venn diagram comparing the candidates’ ideas as they relate to the political party ideas (see Appendix D).
- Democratic Party Chairman Ron Brown Discusses Democratic Party Goals (NBC Learn)
- Barack Obama Addresses the 2008 Democratic National Convention (NBC Learn)
- George W. Bush accepts the nomination as the republican candidate (YouTube)
- Democratic and Republican Parties Feud about Campaign Spending Laws (NBC Learn)
- Buchanan Explains Why He Left Republican Party (NBC Learn)
- Political Parties (YouTube)
- Reviewing Political Parties and Campaigns (YouTube)
ACTIVITY 4 –
- SS 7 C 2 9 Evaluate candidates for political office by analyzing their qualifications, experiences, issue-based performances, debates and political ads.
- SS 7 C 2 10 Examine the impact of media, individuals, and interest groups on monitoring and influencing government.
The students will watch the 2012 presidential candidates’ commercials on television and analyze them on positive versus negative campaigning.
- The Rising Influence of Internet Blogs on Politics 2006 (NBC Learn)
- Rupert Murdoch in Hot Seat for Abusing Power of the Press 2012 (NBC Learn)
- Will New York Times Report Affect McCain's Campaign? 2008 (NBC Learn)
- Politics in the Internet Age (NBC Learn)
- Romney Tries to Prove He's Authentic (NBC Learn)
- Former President Clinton Defends President Obama's Record (NBC Learn)
- Political Ad, "Strong Leadership" (Romney, 2012) (NBC Learn)
- Political Ad, "Believe in America" (Romney, 2012) (NBC Learn)
- Political Ad, "Go" (Obama, 2012) (NBC Learn)
- Political Ad, "We've Heard It All Before" (Obama, 2012) (NBC Learn)