PBS
Pbs: The :30 Second Candidate
Great PBS site for the Democracy Project. This site is all about televisions role in political advertising. There is a timeline, step-by-step process of commercials, and a look at tricks of the trade.
Other
Ad Cracker
In this website students can learn to create an international advertising agency. They will learn to write a brief, create a brand and position the product. They will also be introduced to the fundamentals of creative writing as well as...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Land of Television
The advent of increased television programming helped create a national popular culture. Read about the many kinds of television programs offered in the 1950s.
Museum of the Moving Image
Museum of the Moving Image: Living Room Candidate (Campaign Ads)
Online exhibition of presidential campaign ads, 1952-2008, organized by election year, theme, and political issue. Audio/video presentations of ads can be viewed alongside written transcripts, making Living Room Candidate particularly...
Duke University
Duke University Libraries: Digital Collections: Ad Views
A record of the times as well as of vintage brands, AdViews provides access to commercials created during the postwar period, 1950s through 1980s.
Other
Annenberg Foundation: Fact check.org
This nonpartisan and nonprofit organization monitors the factual accuracy of statements made by United States politicians. In an effort to reduce the level of deception and confusion in US politics, the site reviews statements made in...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Lesson Plan: Persuasive Techniques in Advertising
During this unit, students will learn about many different advertising techniques. Students will investigate the "art of rhetoric" and analyze many print, television, and online advertisements. Using the site's online tools, groups will...
Other
Glossary: Marketing, Advertising, and Promotional Terms
Thorough glossary of marketing and advertising terms and associations (including legal and business) for all media: print, television, radio, display, and Internet. Includes concept, production, process, and philosophy terms as well.
Other
Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth
The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth reports on the marketing practices of alcohol producers and on the dangers of underage drinking. Resources include an overview of alcohol marketing (also available in Spanish), examples of print...
New Zealand Ministry of Education
Nz Ministry of Education: Persuading Others
Identify the elements that make a successful TV advertisement. Identify the difference between verbal and visual features and say how they can be combined. Use the video camera to produce advertisements that show understanding of the...
Council for Economic Education
Econ Ed Link: Did You Get the Message?
Advertising is the primary tool used by businesses to tell consumers about the goods and services they sell in the marketplace. Businesses also use advertising to try to convince consumers to buy what they are selling. Advertisements do...
Other
Dustn.tv: The Essential Guide to What Colors Communicate
An article discussing how colors register in the brain to give the reader emotions and states of mind before even reading a word. Article focuses particularly on choosing colors for a blog design but rationale can be applied anywhere.
PBS
Pbs News Hour Extra: Political Commercials Lesson Plan
Students will have the opportunity to analyze political commercials for truths and misconceptions, then make one of their own.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Responding to Comarison/contrast: Unusual Smear Campaigns [Pdf]
In this PDF lesson, pupils unpack two opposite concepts by creating an imaginary "Smear Campaign," pretending the two concepts are opposing each other in election. Students may create print, radio, or television ads to show how their...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Evaluating and Interpreting Media
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] When people talk about media literacy, they are talking about learning to understand what these messages really mean. This lesson will help you take a closer look at a few...
PBS
Nh Pbs: Nature Works: Coloration
This competent site describes how structural adaptations help organisms survive. Deceptive and advertising coloration are explained.
Other
Media Education Lab: My Pop Studio
[Free Registration/Login Required] Get ready to go behind-the-scenes of the television you watch, magazines you read, music you listen to, and websites you visit! The 'studios' let you.. Create, Comment, Control. Targeted at girls, the...
Curated OER
Kids Health: A Guide to Eating for Sports
Television ads and magazines are littered with new sports drinks and supplements that claim to enhance performance for athletes. Are these claims proven to be true or just cunning marketing schemes? This article delves into the hype and...
Other
The Norman Rockwell Museum at Stockbridge
This museum resource provides images, education resources, and a wonderful biography of artist Norman Rockwell.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: If I Read It, It Must Be True
Working in groups, students identify methods of propaganda and analyze television, magazine, and Internet ads. Groups then create their own ad using one of the identified methods.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Commercial Elections
This is a hands-on, technology-based U.S. Government lesson in which students will view a series of political television advertisements from the 1950s-2000. Students vote on which presidential candidate has the best commercial after each...
Other
Rader Programs: Media and Eating Disorders
Advertisements, television, and magazines often boast beautiful individuals that make a particular product seem as attractive as the model. This trend has caused many individuals to question their body image and attempt to change it in...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Whose Voice Guides Your Choice?
In this one-two week unit, middle schoolers explore the role media has in influencing public opinion. Students analyze advertising in print, video, and online formats. An optional visit to the Museum of Television and Radio via distance...
American Forum for Global Education
American Forum for Global Education: International Conflict & the Media (Unit)
This curriculum guide broadly examines the relationships between the media and the military during wartime.