New Lesson Plan: Creating a Campaign Platform and Advertisement

Posted by on November 3, 2008

* NEW LESSON PLAN * Elect me! Creating a Campaign Platform and Advertisement

During The Dirksen Congressional Center’s annual Congress in the Classroom® workshop – http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm – participants are asked to introduce the lesson plans, resources, and techniques that have proven successful in teaching about Congress in their classrooms. A 2008 participant, Jan Loyd, Cabot Junior High South, Cabot, AR, presented a lesson entitled, “Elect Me! Creating a Campaign Platform and Advertisement.”

Students will be a candidate for an election as a United States Representative or Senator in the upcoming election. They will need to decide which party fits their political views best. Next, they will plan and present a 3-5 minute campaign commercial about them as a candidate, their platform, and why the voters should vote for them.

Questions students should be able to answer prior to creating their campaign commercials:

1. Which office are they running for and why?
2. Which party fits their political views the best?
3. Which platform and plank?
4. Why are they better than other candidates?
5. Which type of voter are they appealing to?
6. How are they going to attract the voters’ attention?
7. Which propaganda method will they use and why?

Find “Elect Me! Creating a Campaign Platform and Advertisement” at: http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_electme.htm