The methods in which candidates, political parties and interest groups promote their positions and policies have evolved since the first television campaign ads aired. In this lesson, students will view videos of historical presidential campaign advertisements and analyze the features found within each to determine the overall effectiveness.
2020 Elections: Competitive Senate Races
This lesson has students look at recent polling and analysis to identify competitive Senate elections around the country. Included in this lesson are campaign ads and breakdowns of these competitive Senate races. Students will be able to identify pathways for both the Democrats and the Republicans to win majorities in the Senate and evaluate the likelihood of each.
Evaluating Election Ads
In this activity, students examine some of the techniques political campaigns use in ads to persuade voters, including assertions of fact and appeal to emotion. Students evaluate these techniques over time by comparing and contrasting historic and contemporary political ads.
Going for the Jugular
It happens sooner or later in every presidential race: attack ads drown out the promises of positive campaigns. Do these dark battles have any value?
NewsFeed Defenders
NewsFeed Defenders is a challenging online game that engages players with the standards of journalism, showing you how to spot a variety of methods behind the viral deception we all face today. Join a fictional social media site focused on news and information, and meet the challenge to level up from guest user to site admin. This can only be achieved by spotting dubious posts that try to sneak in through hidden ads, viral deception, and false reporting. In addition to maintaining a high-quality site, you are charged with growing traffic while keeping the posts on topic.
FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life (2007)
Can the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act restrict issue ads from airing months before an election? This case summary shows how the Supreme Court answered that question in 2007.
Greater New Orleans Broadcasting v. United States (1999)
Does a federal law banning media ads of lawful private casino gaming violate commercial free-speech rights? This case summary shows how the Supreme Court answered that question in 1999.