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January/February Learning Links: Presidential Campaigning — See below!

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Presidential Campaigning

The race for the presidency is in full force, as candidates market themselves to the American public. This provides a great opportunity for students to critically examine marketing strategies and the media. For example, deconstructing campaign materials, such as TV advertisements, and reviewing historical events can help students better understand how media can influence political outcomes.

The :30 Second Candidate
(middle school through adult)
This site produced by The Democracy Project provides a historical timeline, plus it explains how persuasive advertisements are created and implemented.

The Living Room Candidate
(middle school through adult)
This site at the Museum of the Moving Image provides many examples of television advertisements during presidential races from 1952 through 2004. Ads are categorized by year, but also by Type of Commercial and Issue. Students can also reflect on the major change in marketing strategies that occurred during the 2004 race, when George W. Bush and John Kerry became Desktop Candidates.

Encourage students to follow the 2008 race to compare and contrast marketing tactics, including the candidates' strong presence on the Web. Also, examine and discuss media coverage and potential influence on campaigns and on the voting public. What do students think about CNN using YouTube submissions to allow the public to ask questions for some of the debates?

U.S. Elections — Guide to the 2008 Election
(middle through adult)
This comprehensive section at America.gov is outstanding for outlining the fundamentals of the presidential election process. The Voting page, for example, shows each state's Primary voting date and it explains the Electoral College. It also provides an overview of the Candidates, and the Issues. The State & Local page illustrates the social and economic diversity of America's voting districts.

Copernicus Election Watch — Path to the White House
(middle through high school)
Follow the path from who can run for president to learning about Primaries and Caucuses to the National Conventions and, finally to the Formal the Inauguration. Click points on the path to find additional resources and lesson plans.