2012 U.S. Presidential Candidate websites
Screenshots of the presidential candidate websites
The use of the www.mittromney.com and www.barackobama.com websites was due to the students’ interest in learning more about the 2012 U.S. presidential election. The activity consisted of having students check off the goals that they agreed with that the presidential candidates stated they would achieve if elected president. Then the student are to research the goals that they agreed with using the classroom iPads and going to both of the candidates' websites to see which presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, President Obama or both candidates, have stated they would achieve that goal if elected president. Many of the students had their own views, ideas, and even misconceptions surrounding the candidates. The students based their views about the candidates on their parents’ political affiliation and on the basis of ethnicity and race. To guard against stereotypes, misconceptions, and to help student inquiry surrounding current events this artifact and activity was to help students discover their own political views and to discover more about the candidates as well as debunking misconceptions students had of the candidates. This artifact and activity helps build student skills of research, critical thought, and inquiry. It also exemplifies the I.B. mission and my own personal teaching philosophy to help students become critical global thinkers by helping them develop and apply critical thinking skills to issues that are relevant to them. Students were surprised to learn that the two candidates shared similar views, only disagreed on a few issues and some were even surprised to find out that perhaps their political views align with a different party than the one they originally said they identified with.
which_presidential_candidates_policies_fit_your_beliefs.pdf |
2012 Presidential Campaign Attack Ads
The development of the artifact was in response to the many students inquiring about the presidential candidates during the 2012 election. The artifact use was to adapt the curriculum to student interests and adapt to different student learning styles. The artifacts are two presidential attack ads found on http://pcl.stanford.edu/campaigns/2012/. One half of the class would watch “Mandatory”, a Barack Obama attack ad, and the other half of the class would watch “New Normal, a Mitt Romney attack ad on their iPads. After watching the video, the students are to watch it again to try to answer the questions on their campaign ad analysis sheet and to discuss with their partner what they found, saw, heard, and felt about the ad. Then the pairs would find a pair from the other half of the class and share their ads and ideas with each other. The lesson adapted to visual learners needs as video provided pictures and informational text, while also adapting to auditory learners through the narrative of the video and through the student discussions. The students were able to observe and discuss the information in the ads to help them think about the candidates views about their opponent and think about the purpose of the ads. The lesson was able to provide current events, help students learn about the issues that are plaguing the nation, while catering to different student learning styles.
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Gun Control Legislation
“Feinstein has assurance assault weapon ban will get a vote” news article was to help give students a better understanding of current events as well as helping them develop meaningful connections between the world around them, current events, and the curriculum content. The students had been learning about the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and the article made these documents socially-relevant to the students. The objective was to help students gain a better understanding and grasp of current events while making greater connections using historical documents, the Bill of Rights, and using their knowledge of U.S. government. The recent school shootings at the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado and Sandy Hook Elementary sparked a massive debate over gun control, gun rights, and brought back the debate over the Second Amendment rights throughout the nation among other debates. Students were to use the article, Bill of Rights, Constitution and their knowledge to write an essay responding to the prompt, “Do you feel that the assault weapon ban will pass through legislation”. The students discussed the article and many found it helpful to answering their questions surrounding the shootings, and the actions that the government is taking to keep its citizens safe after the recent tragedies. The students also found it helpful in thinking about how guns and guns laws affect their own community as well as other communities different than their own.
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