Campaign Tools Lesson Plan for 8th Grade Students

Topic:

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify and describe three campaign tools used by Candidates to win elections.

Materials

• Pictures or diagrams of campaign tools (can be real or imaginary)
• Handouts with descriptions of the campaign tools
• Access to a computer with internet for research (optional)

Warm-up

• Ask students if they have ever heard of campaign tools. Ask them to describe what they are and what they are used for.
• Display the pictures or diagrams of the campaign tools on the board or projector and ask students to identify what each one is used for.

Direct Instruction

• Provide a brief overview of the three main campaign tools: advertisements, rallies, and debates.
• Explain that advertisements are used to communicate a candidate's message to the public through television, radio, or print media.
• Rallies are used to bring supporters together to show support for a candidate and to generate excitement and momentum.
• Debates are used to allow candidates to present their positions and ideas to the public and to allow the public to assess their strengths and weaknesses.

Guided Practice

• Provide students with a handout containing examples of advertisements, rallies, and debates.
• Ask them to analyze one example of each type of campaign tool and to describe how it is used to aid a candidate's candidacy.
• Lead a class discussion to discuss the different ways in which the examples were used and the effects they had on the candidates' campaigns.

Independent Practice

• Provide students with a handout containing additional examples of advertisements, rallies, and debates.
• Ask them to analyze two additional examples of each type of campaign tool and to create their own advertisements, rallies, and debates for a hypothetical candidate.
• Have them present their advertisements, rallies, and debates to the class.

Closure

• Review the three types of campaign tools discussed in the lesson.
• Ask students to reflect on the importance of these tools in helping candidates win elections.
• Encourage them to become more engaged in politics and to participate in the electoral process.

Assessment

• Observe students during the class discussion and during the independent practice to assess their understanding of the topic.
• Evaluate class presentations to assess students' ability to effectively use the chosen campaign tool to help a candidate win an election.