Election WebQuest
An Internet WebQuest on Election

created by MrsBorzone
Calhoun HIgh School

Introduction | The Task | The Process | Conclusion |


Introduction
Imagine that you are a member of a presidential campaign. Your job is to work with the other members of the campaign to get your candidate elected. How do you win a presidential election? What does it take to win? Can you do it without compromising your values? These are questions candidates and campaign members struggle with all the time. Now, you, too, will be put to the test.

Task
Each member of your team has been assigned a specific role. You will use the links provided as well as other resources (library, etc) to become experts on your roles. You and your team will work together to create a winning strategy that will help your candidate win the election. By completing this WebQuest, you should achieve the following goals: 1) develop an interest in the study of Elections; 2) use the power of the Internet for advanced exploration; 3) learn information about key aspects of Elections; 4) realize that complex topics can be looked at from various perspectives; 5) formulate and support an opinion based on your roles; and 6) work with teammates to determine a combined action plan.

Your final election portfolio should include:
1. A written strategy on how you plan to win the election.
2. An itinerary for your candidate
3. The written plan for an event in a location important to the campaign
4. Candidate issues statement and platform
5. Speech to be given at event
6. Advertisement and buttons
7. Budget with fundraising plan
8. Answers to all questions on webquest, answered in complete sentences.
9. Nice cover for portfolio with everyone's name on it.
10. Analysis of election results.

You must be ready by our primary on 10/17.
Our conventions will be on 10/21.
Election Day will be 10/23.
Final Portfolio due: 10/28.

Process
You will be working together as a group exploring web sites that your teacher has selected. You should start with the pages that are labelled 'Background Information' before dividing into groups. Each group has their own Task to complete and a separate set of web sites to use. There is a task organizer and an evaluation rubric in Background Information to guide your work.

Phase 1 - Background Information
These sites are important because they will provide basic information about the topic as a whole. Everyone should explore these sites before starting your Task.

1. How does George Washington's view of the Presidency compare with that of Barack Obama and John McCain?


2. What are some of the major philosophical differences between the political parties throughout history?


3. How does one win a presidential election today?


4. What role do third parties play?


5. How is the power of the president limited?


6. What is the role of the press in a democracy?


7. What is the role of the public/citizen in a democracy?


Phase 2 - Roles
These roles were chosen because they each define the most important elements of Election. Each of you has been assigned a particular role with links and instructions below. Here are the general instructions for all of you. Please see your specific instructions and questions below.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Two members from each WebQuest team will explore one of the roles below.

2. Read through the files designated for your group. You can print out pages and underline the parts that you feel are important or cut and paste from the webpage into a word processor.

3. Remember to include the URL of the page you take information from so you can return to it and use it as a citation.

4. Focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Big Quest(ion) or Task.

Candidate:

Use the website above to answer the following two questions.

1. According to the Constitution, what qualifications must one have to be president of the United States?


2. According to the Constitution, what are the responsibilities of the President?


3. What experience do you have that will meet the requirements of this job?


4. Print out and take the Candidates Issue Statements Quiz above to help you decide your positions on the issues, then work with your campaign members to develop of more thorough understanding of these issues.

5. Print out the worksheet ('Defining Platform')and use it to define your platform.

Campaign Manager:

Use these links to answer your questions and help you with your task.

1. Use the electoral map to create an itinerary of the most important states your candidate needs to visit over the next three weeks.

2. Choose the most important state for your candidate to campaign in and pick a location in that state for your candidate to visit. Plan an event there. What issues are important to the people there? What should your candidate speak about to appeal to the people in this state? What type of event/events should your candidate create or attend in order to win the votes of the people?

(Feel free to use other links in other categories.)

Speech Writer:

Use these links to answer the following questions.

1. Write a speech for your candidate's campaign event that focuses on his or her stance on important issues and inspires. Be sure to poll the public to make sure that your speech hits on issues that the public cares about.

(Feel free to use other links in other categories.)

Media Director:

1. Analyze political advertisement throughout history, then create your own for your candidate.

2. How have political advertisements changed throughout history?

2. What makes an effective advertisement? (Gives specific examples from various campaigns to make your point).


3. In what ways is the media used to manipulate voters? (Gives specific examples from various campaigns to make your point).


4. Overall, do you think the media has a positive or negative influence on elections? (Gives specific examples from history to make your point).


(Feel free to use other links in other categories.)

Advisor on Issues/Researcher:

Each Researcher should focus on one issue that is important to the candidate or the public. Research the issue, help the candidate develop a position, and then write up a position paper thoroughly explaining the issue and the reasons for his or her stance.

(Feel free to use other links in other categories.)

Financial Director:

Create a budget that will help you run a successful campaign.

Include
-How much money you will need?
-Where do you plan to use the money?
-How do you plan to raise the money?
-Who will your contributors be?
-What legal limits are there to accepting contributions?


(Feel free to use other links in other categories.)


Phase 3 - Reaching Consensus
How do you win a presidential election? Is it possible to do so without compromising your values?

You have all researched different aspects of the campaign. Now you have to pool your resources and develop a winning strategy to win the election.

Your final election portfolio should include:
1. A written strategy on how you plan to win the election.
2. An itinerary for your candidate
3. The written plan for an event in a location important to the campaign
4. Candidate issues statement and platform
5. Speech to be given at event
6. Advertisement and buttons
7. Budget with fundraising plan
8. Answers to all questions on webquest, answered in complete sentences.
9. Nice cover for portfolio with everyone's name on it.
10. Analysis of election results.

You must be ready by our primary on 10/17.
Our conventions will be on 10/21.
Election Day will be 10/23.

Conclusion
How do you win a presidential election? Is it possible to do so without compromising your values?

How does our class election compare to real life? What kind of campaigns do you think Barack Obama and John McCain have run?

Is there anything that we learned from this experience that can help us improve our democracy or make us better citizens?

What, if anything, needs to be changed? Why?
created by Filamentality Content by MrsBorzone, bborzone@bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/webelectionmr1.html
Last revised Tue Oct 14 12:27:17 US/Pacific 2008