Curated OER
Hillary Clinton's Voting Record Distorted
Students examine how political advertisements can be used to deliver messages and stir emotions. Using a political ad from the 2006 Senate election, students generate questions based on the claims in the ads. They research information to...
Curated OER
911 As History
Students recognize persuasive techniques, think criticaly about the messages contained in various media, and discuss controversial issues in constructive ways. They analyze the deeper messages contained in children's literature, and...
Curated OER
Federalist 47
Students will analyze and evaluate political propaganda. In this lesson on the Federalist movement, students will examine the Federalist papers and analyze the Anti-Federalist argument mage against constitutional ratification. This...
Media Smarts
Authentication Beyond the Classroom
In an age of fake news, alternative facts, and Internet trolls it is essential that 21st Century learners develop the skills they need to authenticate the facts in viral news. Here is a great way to begin with a resource that provides...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Marketing a Bad Idea: Why So Many People Joined the Klan in the 1920s
How did the Klu Klux Klan manage to gain so many members during the 1920s? Class members examine Klan documents and promotional materials to gain an understanding of the propaganda techniques used to attract members.
Curated OER
John McCain's Tax Stand Misrepresented
High schoolers examine how political advertisements can be misleading. Using a political ad against tax reform, students generate questions based on the claims in the ads. They research information to support or refute the claims in the...
Curated OER
Anti-Railroad Propaganda Poster -- The Growth of Regionalism, 1800 - 1860
Students research the anti-railroad movement of the mid-19th century. They review propaganda from the period and consider various points of view. They develop role-plays and write essays using their research.
Curated OER
Andrew Jackson and the Formation of Political Parties
Eighth graders explore the political election process. They identify how the system changed during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. Students use analogies and discussion, and answering questions to explore Jackson and his cabinet. ...
Curated OER
Animal Farm Lesson Plans
In the novel "Animal Farm" students explore persuasion and the art of propaganda through the media and advertisements.
Curated OER
The Power of Images
Students explore emotions represented in artwork. In this cross curriculum social studies and art lesson, students explain examples of political and social issues expressed in artwork by Dorthea Lang, Diego Rivera, Dan Eldon, as well as...
Curated OER
Determining Author's Point of View: The Sneeches
Determine the author's point of view in a text. Young readers read Dr. Seuss' The Sneeches and identify the author's purpose in the story. They identify persuasive techniques in writing, asking and answering questions to better...
Curated OER
The First World War
Students examine the process and effects of World War I on different segments of the population, beyond the political, diplomatic and military framework of the war. They analyze the memoirs of soldiers, read poetry of the time, and...
PBS
Women's History: Parading Through History
Want to teach your pupils about debate, effective speech techniques, propaganda, and the women's movement? The first in a sequential series of three, scholars analyze real propaganda images from the the historic women's movement, view a...
Curated OER
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
Seventh graders create a multimedia, image only ad campaign on a contemporary controversial issue. They base their public service announcement, Powerpoint presentation, Web page, or video on methods used by Martin Luther during the...
Curated OER
The Other Roman Empire
Students interpret their findings from resources and explain each Eastern Roman Emperor's policies. They compare Eastern and Western Roman Empires and explain how the transfer of power from the Western Roman Empire to the Eastern Roman...
Curated OER
Harry S. Truman - Campaign of 1948
Students establish the major events leading up to the election in 1948. In this U.S. History instructional activity, students research details about Harry S. Truman, then they participate in a class discussion about him so that they are...
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
Why Did Some Colonial Virginians Continue to Support the King?
Not all colonials supported the American Revolution. A resource from the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown ask young historians to investigate the reasons why some colonial Virginians were loyalist and continued to support King...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Animal Farm: Allegory and the Art of Persuasion
Introduce your class members to allegory and propaganda with a series of activities designed to accompany a study of George Orwell's Animal Farm. Readers examine the text as an allegory, consider the parallels to collective farms and the...
Curated OER
Warfare Without Bullets
Students identify the basic elements of effective propaganda techniques. They make generalizations regarding the purpose of War time propaganda after interpreting several propaganda pieces. They view a Powerpoint presentation.
Curated OER
Antisemitism
Eighth graders explore antisemitism and propaganda and stereotypes. They make connections to current-day antisemitism, racism, prejudice and bigotry.
Curated OER
To War or Not To War!
Ninth graders examine the various types of propaganda used during World War II. In groups, they make notes on each example and determine why they believe the opinion of the United States involvement in the war changed. They share their...
Curated OER
Looking at Photographs
Sixth graders evaluate photographs as historical documents. In this social studies lesson, 6th graders analyze photographs as propaganda.
Curated OER
Ideal Objects
Young scholars make connections between two design objects intended for different purposes and analyze the social and political meaning in the designs. In this design analysis lesson, students complete image based discuss activities....
Curated OER
Causes of the American Revolution
Young scholars access websites for background information and learn how to interpret political cartoons. They incorporate higher-order thinking skills to determine if the information presented in the cartoons is accurate, what the...