Lesson
How Officials Use the Media
How does the use of media help or hinder government officials’ communication with the public?
Guiding questions
Essential Question
- How does the use of media help or hinder government officials’ communication with the public?
Guiding Questions
- How do public officials use the media to communicate with the people?
Objectives
- Students will be able to explain how government officials use the media to communicate with constituents and the public.
Materials
Resources
Student Resources:
- Internet-enabled device with access to social media accounts of the president (or printed off/screenshots from Teacher)
- Graphic Organizer
Teacher Resources:
- Predetermined media sources if not utilizing social media posts
Lesson Components
ActivityGraphic Organizer: Presidential Social Media Analysis
An activity that asks students to evaluate the ways the U.S. President uses social media.
Lesson plan
45 minClick a phase to open it
More Information
Facilitation Notes
- The focus of this lesson is the president’s official social media. Teachers may curate a set of screenshots for students to use instead of real-time social media use in the classroom.
- Social media has been chosen for this lesson because it is the most used means of communication for government officials to reach young people.
- The lesson could be adjusted to suit another public official.
- Teachers can choose other media sources; webpages, news brief clips, or print interviews, set up in stations students can rotate through or ready to be assigned to groups and then shared, depending on teacher choice and time available.