Meridian Stories Challenge #3 Presidential Campaign Spot

Table of Contents

  1. The Challenge
  2. Range of Activities
  3. Process
  4. Essential Questions
  5. Student Outcomes
  6. Evaluation Rubric
  7. Curricular Goals

The Challenge

  • Choose one of the Presidential candidates from the Republican party or the incumbent, President Obama, from the Democratic party.
  • Research the candidate, using at least three sources from three different media formats – the Internet, a newspaper and a magazine or book – and select two signature issues that help to define the candidate.
  • Create a 60 second commercial that promotes the candidate to an audience of your peers, with a focus on the two signature issues that your team has selected.
    • In this challenge, the 60-second time limit will be interpreted as being no less than 50 seconds and no more than 65 seconds.
    • The commercial can make use of up to 15 seconds of existing footage of the candidate in question.
    • Deliverables include the commercial, the script and storyboard, and a two  - three page paper, called the Presidential Rationale. The Presidential Rationale should include:
      • A brief but thorough presentation of the two select issues and the candidate’s positions on them;
      • A description of the rationale for the creative approach taken in the commercial;
      • A statement outlining the intended effect on the target audience; and
      • A citation page that references all relevant sources used in the development and production of the commercial. Be sure to include at least one primary source.

Range of Activities

  • Research and Analysis of current politics – multiple sources
  • Creative Brainstorming – concept development
  • Scripting and Storyboarding
  • Video  - Pre-production, Production, Post-production

Process

This Meridian Stories Challenge must take place inside of a three-week time frame. The students must work in teams of 2 -4. In the description below, all suggested teacher reviews are at the discretion of the teacher. Below is a suggested breakdown for the student’s work.

During Week One, student teams will:

  • Select their candidate.
    • This selection can be based on class discussions about all the existing candidates or can be researched individually by the teams themselves.
    • The teacher may want to emphasize to the teams that they do not have to necessarily agree, politically, with their choice and in fact, having to research and defend the opposing position can be an exponentially more valuable experience.
    • It does not matter if the select candidate drops out of the race after the team starts their work.
    • Using multiple resources, the teams research their candidate and settle on the two positions that they will feature in their spot. Their choices and sources are presented to the teacher for review and comment. This work becomes the basis for the Presidential Rationale Paper.

During Week Two, student teams will:

  • Brainstorm and articulate how they want to communicate a) a clear statement of each position; and b) a clear reason for the viewers to support this statement. This will form the basis for their script.
  • Brainstorm and articulate their creative approach to communicating the information above, keeping in mind that the target audience for their commercial is youth like themselves.
  • Create a script and storyboard for the commercial.
    • A storyboard is ‘picture writing’. Set in a sequence of rectangular shapes, or ‘panels’, a storyboard places actions in a logically sequenced order. Each panel is a place for the writer to put pictures, symbols, or text.
    • We recommend that at least two drafts of the script and storyboard should be created, with teacher review occurring in between each draft.
    • Begin pre-production. This primarily includes casting; choosing the setting/location for the scenes; choosing the costumes and props for the characters; and planning the logistics for the shoot.
    • Rehearse and block the scene in your chosen location(s).

During Week Three, student teams will:

  • Shoot the video.
  • Edit the video.
  • Post-produce the video, adding music and sound effects as desired.
  • Complete the Presidential Rationale paper.

Essential Questions

  1. In a political environment, what is the relationship between an idea, the personality presenting the idea and the ideology informing the idea?
    1. When working with content that is shaped by ideology and personality, how does the team use sources to help them separate fact from fiction?
    2. How does one research, select and organize content from a variety of sources in order to present a compelling, convincing and persuasive narrative?
    3. What’s the difference between creating media to communicate and creating media to persuade?
      1. What needs to be done to the core content in order to successfully ‘re-package’ it for a niche audience (i.e., youth 12 – 18)
      2. What are the challenges to producing a story using primarily imagery?
        1. How has immersion in the production of digital media deepened the overall educational experience?
        2. How has working on a team changed the learning experience?

Student Outcomes

  1. The student will gain a deeper awareness of the complexities of political campaigns through an exploration of the relationship between an idea, the personality presenting the idea and the ideology informing the idea.
  2. The student will understand the processes involved in researching content from a variety of sources; selecting relevant information from those sources; and organizing this information in a persuasive and cohesive narrative.
  3. The student will understand the difference between creating media to communicate and creating media to persuade.
  4. The student will know the basic constructs of using video media to effectively communicate content and character.
    1. The student will know some of the basic constructs of the commercial video genre.
    2. The student will have an increased awareness of the challenges and rewards of team collaboration.

Evaluation Rubric – The Presidential Rationale Paper (for Teacher’s only)

Clear and well documented communication of content
Criteria 1 – 3 4 – 7 8 – 10
Communication of Content – The issues and the candidate’s positions. The written prose is grammatically weak. The communication of the issues and the candidate’s positions is not well developed The written prose is grammatically sound. The communication of the content is inconsistently effective The written prose is grammatically sound. The communication of the content is thoroughly developed, concise and expressive
Communication of Content – The Creative Approach The creative approach is not presented clearly or convincingly. The creative approach is presented clearly, but it does not consistently service the content The creative approach is presented clearly and it services the content effectively and imaginatively
Multiplicity of Sources The effective and balanced use of multiple sources, including primary and secondary sources, is not clearly in evidence The effective and balanced use of multiple sources, including primary and secondary sources, is uneven The effective and balanced use of multiple sources, including primary and secondary sources, is exemplary
Source citation The sources are not clearly or properly cited There are not three different media formats cited The sources are cited clearly and properly in most cases There are at least three different media formats The sources are clearly and properly sited There are at least three different media formats

Evaluation Rubric – Presidential Campaign Spot

CONTENT COMMAND – Clear understanding of the select issues and the candidate’s position on them
Criteria 1 – 3 4 – 7 8 – 10
Communication of Content – The Issues The communication of the issues is not well developed The communication of the issues is inconsistently effective The communication of the issues is thoroughly developed, concise and expressive
Communication of Content – The Candidate’s Positions The communication of the candidate’s positions is not well developed The communication of the candidate’s positions is inconsistently effective The communication of the candidate’s positions is thoroughly developed, concise and expressive
STORYTELLING COMMAND – Effective creative approach to persuade and engage
Criteria 1 – 3 4 – 7 8 – 10
Script The narrative is hard to follow and/or the scripting is lackluster and ineffective The narrative is presented clearly, but the scripting is inconsistently engaging The narrative is presented clearly and the scripting is engaging and effective
Creative Approach The creative concept does not service the content clearly or appropriately The content is presented clearly, but the creative approach does not consistently service the content The content is presented clearly and the creative approach services the content effectively and imaginatively
Persuasion The commercial does not successfully persuade The commercial is inconsistently persuasive and engaging The commercial is persuasive and thought-provoking
MEDIA COMMAND – Effective use of the media to communicate content through narrative
Criteria 1 – 3 4 – 7 8 – 10
Visual Shot Selection The combination of still and video shots does not effectively communicate the content The combination of still and video shots inconsistently communicates the content The combination of still and video shots effectively and engagingly communicates the content
Editing The overall editing detracts from the narrative The piece works, but there are occasional editing distractions The piece is edited cleanly and the pacing is effective.
Music The selective use of music detracts from the drama inherent in the scene The selective use of music works inconsistently to support the content and enhance the overall viewing experience The selective use of music enhances the content and the overall viewing experience

Curricular Goals

The Presidential Campaign Spot Challenge addresses a range of curricular objectives that have been articulated by two nationally recognized sources:

  1. The new Core Curricular Standards – English Language Arts; and
  2. The Themes of Social Studies, as outlined by National Council of Social Studies (NCSS).

Below please find the standards that are addressed.

Core Curricular Standards – English Language Arts Standards

The Standards 8th 9th/10th 11th/12th
W1 WRITING Text types and Purposes Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
W8  WRITING 

 

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

 

 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.
SL1 SPEAKING AND LISTENING Comprehension and Collaboration Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher- led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one- on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL5 SPEAKING AND LISTENING Presentation of Knowledge and Skills Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
L1 LANGUAGE Conventions of Standard English Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L3 LANGUAGE Knowledge of Language Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
RH2 HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES Key Ideas and Details Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
RH9 HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES  

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

 Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic. Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources. Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.

 

Goals – NCSS  – The Themes of Social Studies

Theme – Power, Authority and Governance
The development of civic competence requires an understanding of the foundations of political thought, and the historical development of various structures of power, authority, and governance. It also requires knowledge of the evolving functions of these structures in contemporary U.S. society, as well as in other parts of the world. Learning the basic ideals and values of a constitutional democracy is crucial to understanding our system of government. By examining the purposes and characteristics of various governance systems, learners develop an understanding of how different groups and nations attempt to resolve conflicts and seek to establish order and security.
Theme – Civic Ideals and Practices
An understanding of civic ideals and practices is critical to full participation in society and is an essential component of education for citizenship, which is the central purpose of social studies. All people have a stake in examining civic ideals and practices across time and in different societies. Through an understanding of both ideals and practices, it becomes possible to identify gaps between them, and study efforts to close the gaps in our democratic republic and worldwide.

 

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