Procedures

• Objectives

  • Students will identify important issues from the Presidential Debates.
  • Students will evaluate the effectiveness of the speakers’ message
  • Students will evaluate the debate to determine its effect on the Presidential Election

• Materials

  • Computer(s) with internet connection
  • Projector or Smartboard
  • Debate Evaluation Guide (Google Doc)
  • Debate Discussion Questions (Google Doc)
  • C-SPAN Video Library (Website)

• STEP 1.

  Teachers should choose which debate students will evaluate. Students can be assigned a debate as homework, or it can be watched during class. The class can view the same debate, or small groups can each be assigned different debates or sections of a debate. To save time, teachers may wish to choose sections/issues of one debate. Video links to presidential election debates are included below.

• STEP 2.

  Students should watch the debate or debate sections and fill out the “Debate Guide and Evaluation” worksheet. Once the debate is complete and the chart has been filled out, have students complete the summary question below the chart.

• STEP 3.

  Students should then fill out the first six questions on the “Debate Discussion Questions” worksheet. Students should discuss the questions in small groups, and then together as a class.

• Evaluation

  Students will write a position paper on one of the three “Extension Questions” from the Debate Discussion Questions handout. Students should include specific examples from the debate(s) in their paper in addition to conducting additional research as necessary.

• Extension Activity

  Have students choose a specific election year in which the candidates participated in one or more televised debates. Students should conduct research on one of the elections and determine what effect, if any, the debates had on the election outcome. Students should include specific examples from the debate and their election research to defend their reasoning. Students can report their findings in a research paper, PowerPoint presentation, or any other applicable method. Additional evaluation activities can be found on the C-SPAN Classroom Deliberations website.

• VIDEOS

  2016 Presidential Debates--Hillary Clinton (D) and Donald Trump (R)

  Sept. 26 - First Presidential Debate

  Oct. 09 - Second Presidential Debate

  Oct. 19 - Third Presidential Debate

  2016 VP Debate— Tim Kaine (D) and Mike Pence (R)

  Oct. 11 - Vice Presidential Candidates Debate

  2012 Presidential Debates--Barack Obama (D) and Mitt Romney (R)

  Oct. 03 - First Presidential Debate

  Oct. 16 - Second Presidential Debate

  Oct. 22 - Third Presidential Debate

  2012 VP Debate—Joe Biden (D) and Paul Ryan (R)

  Oct. 11 - Vice Presidential Candidates Debate

  2008 Presidential Debates--Barack Obama (D) and John McCain (R)

  Sept. 26 - First Presidential Debate

  Oct. 07 - Second Presidential Debate

  Oct. 15 - Third Presidential Debate

  2008 VP Debate—Joe Biden (D) and Sarah Palin (R)

  Oct. 02 - Vice Presidential Candidates Debate

  2004 Presidential Debates--George W. Bush (R) and John Kerry (D)

  Sept. 30 - First Presidential Debate

  Oct. 08 - Second Presidential Debate

  Oct. 13 - Third Presidential Debate

  2004 VP Debate—Dick Cheney (R) and John Edwards (D)

  Oct. 05 - Vice Presidential Candidates Debate

  2000 Presidential Debates- George W. Bush (R) and Al Gore (D)

  Oct. 03 - First Presidential Debate

  Oct. 11 - Second Presidential Debate

  Oct. 17 - Third Presidential Debate

  2000 VP Debate—Dick Cheney (R) and Joe Lieberman (D)

  Oct. 05 - Vice Presidential Candidates Debate

  1996 Presidential Debates—Bill Clinton (D) and Bob Dole (R)

  Oct. 06 - First Presidential Debate

  Oct. 16 - Second Presidential Debate

  1996 VP Debate—Al Gore (D) and Jack Kemp (R)

  Oct. 09 - Vice Presidential Candidates Debate

  1992 Presidential Debates—Bill Clinton (D), George H.W. Bush (R), and Ross Perot (I)

  Oct. 11 - First Presidential Debate

  Oct. 15 - Second Presidential Debate

  Oct. 19 - Third Presidential Debate

  1992 VP Debate—Al Gore (D), Dan Quayle (D), and James Stockdale (I)

  Oct. 13 - Vice Presidential Candidates Debate

  1988 Presidential Debates—George H.W. Bush (R) and Michael Dukakis (D)

  Sept. 25 - First Presidential Debate

  Oct. 13 - Second Presidential Debate

  1988 VP Debate—Dan Quayle (D) and Lloyd Bentsen (D)

  Oct. 05 - Vice Presidential Candidates Debate

  1984 Presidential Debates—Ronald Reagan (R) and Walter Mondale (D)

  Oct. 07 - First Presidential Debate

  Oct. 21 - Second Presidential Debate

  1984 VP Debate—George H.W. Bush (R) and Geraldine Ferraro (D)

  Oct. 11 - Vice Presidential Candidates Debate

  1980 Presidential Debates—Ronald Reagan (R) and Jimmy Carter (D)

  Oct. 28 - Presidential Debate

  1976 Presidential Debates—Jimmy Carter (D) and Gerald Ford (R)

  Sept. 23 - First Presidential Debate

  Oct. 06 - Second Presidential Debate

  Oct. 22 - Third Presidential Debate

  1976 VP Debates—Walter Mondale (D) and Bob Dole (R)

  Oct. 15 - Vice Presidential Candidates Debate

  1960 Presidential Debates—John Kennedy (D) and Richard Nixon (R)

  Sept. 26 - First Presidential Debate

  Oct. 07 - Second Presidential Debate

  Oct. 13 - Third Presidential Debate

  Oct. 21 - Fourth Presidential Debate