Explore how modern campaigns utilize more than policies to elect candidates.

Guiding Questions

• What are the benefits and drawbacks of modern campaigns?
• How do modern campaigns utilize media and technology to construct and promote a candidate’s image?
• What role does a candidate’s personality and performance play in electoral success?
• How has the focus on image and performance in campaigns impacted the substance of political discourse?

Objectives

• Students can explain how various campaign organizations and strategies affect the election process.

Resources

Student Resources:

• Benefits and Drawbacks of Modern Campaigns Graphic Organizer

Teacher Resources:

• Benefits and Drawbacks of Modern Campaigns Graphic Organizer Answer Key
• “I Like Ike” 1952 presidential campaign commercial
• After working in small groups, come together as a whole class and review the benefits and drawbacks that students were able to produce.
• Use the Teacher Answer Sheet to help fill in any gaps.
• Then, instruct students to explain how each of the four focus areas can affect a candidate’s public image.

Facilitation Notes

• This lesson focuses on campaign organization and strategies, not finance, which has a separate lesson plan Campaign Finance Lesson Plan.
• After working in small groups, come together as a whole class and review the benefits and drawbacks that students were able to produce.
• Use the Teacher Answer Sheet to help fill in any gaps.
• Then, instruct students to explain how each of the four focus areas can affect a candidate’s public image.