Description
Students will use their analytical skills to create a new format for presentation of a source. Students will work constructively together, through discussion in groups and as a class, to come to consensus and structure their own project. Students will create a new format for presentation of information, using suggestions and ideas from the class, as well as their own personal skills and creativity such that the format is an improvement on the ori
Procedures
Websites Needed for this Lesson:
STEP 1.
Discuss or assign the vocabulary to introduce the topic. You can do this in note form, or have students use computers to look up information, share and come to common definitions.
**STEP 2.
View the following videos of the Democratic and Republican party chair-persons discussing the midterm elections.
VIDEO CLIP: Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL) (0:38)
VIDEO CLIP: Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus (0:35)
STEP 3.
Have students explore each party’s website and then answer the questions below. Depending on the technology available, you can have students work together or separately. You could also do this as a jigsaw assignment, with each student in a group answering a different question.
Questions on Committee Websites:
a) How are their sites similar (set-up, colors, pictures, issues, focus, fundraising, etc.)?
b) How are their sites different?
c) What are the significant messages you notice when you first look at each website?
d) In your opinion, what are the top 3 areas of focus for the Republican National Committee website and why?
e) In your opinion, what are the top 3 areas of focus for the Democratic National Committee website and why?
STEP 4.
Ask students to share their responses. Discuss what an effective party’s website should include and look like.
Consider the following questions:
a) What do they think is most effective in communicating the messages and ideas of the party?
b) What makes a website easy to navigate?
c) What might make it more complicated (more difficult for a user)?
STEP 5.
Have students refer to the party websites to give specific examples and create two lists: one of desired traits for the website, one for the areas to avoid or change.
Extension Activity:
Have students choose one of the website to redesign. This can be completed through a variety of methods based on teacher preference and the available technology/materials. Ask students to present their improved websites and explain why this website is an improvement.
Vocabulary
- Conservative
- Debbie Wasserman-schultz
- Democratic National Committee
- Gop
- Liberal
- Midterm Election
- Reince Priebus
- Republican National Committee