2016 Elections Project
Name ______
Due:
Directions: Survey your local newspapers, news programs, television, and campaign websites for information regarding the 2016 election for the 10th District in VA. Use this sheet as your cover page and record information & responses on separate paper. Be sure to reference the rubric so that you understand how your grade is earned. You will analyze a second election of your choice as well.
#1 - Collect and read a TOTAL of three articles regarding the race for the 10th District U.S. House of Representatives. Your Congresswoman, Barbara Comstock (R) is the incumbent (2014) and she is being challenged by LuAnn Bennett (D) and JD Thorpe (L). Most likely, you will need to use the Washington Times or Washington Post to find articles about this election, as well as on-line resources. Attach the articles to this handout, or organize the project in a folder. Summarize each article (analytical & personal opinion), including the source & date. Consider whether there is obvious bias. Are there certain events or issues being addressed in the article and do they seem important enough for you to read about? Why or why not? Are there obvious differences between the candidates? Are there certain issues any of the candidates seem to be focusing on? Do you have more questions regarding this topic? Are the candidates or their opinions portrayed in a particular way? (12-15 sentences, be sure to include your opinion!)
#2 – Watch a TOTAL of two broadcasts (local or national) that covered this local campaign in some way. Simply list the time, date, channel, and write a brief summary of the information covered. Include a personal and analytical opinion as well. You have to watch the news (most likely local news) to complete this portion of the assignment, but coverage will be brief as most t.v. coverage is, especially since there is a presidential race and myriad of senate elections. (6 sentences minimum)
#3 - Analyzea TOTAL of two political advertisements that you saw (can be t.v. coverage or on-line, youtube, etc.) that were particularly interesting, aggravating, appealing, thoughtful, etc. Try to specifically outline the information presented in the advertisement – remember, these advertisements are VERY BIAS! What images or words were most central to the advertisement? Who paid for the advertisement? What was your personal feeling about the advertisement? Do you believe the advertisement will have an effect on the way someone might vote – why or why not? If you do not see political advertisements on t.v. that deal with the 10th district, you may discuss advocacy advertisements or alternate political ads. (8-10 sentences minimum, be sure to explain your attitude about the commercial and the images or key words that influenced the way you thought about the ad.)
#4 - Complete the following questions thoughtfully, in paragraph form.
- Which candidate do you favor and why?
- What issues do you believe seem most important to people in the 10th District?
- What issues are most important to you personally? Why?
- To what extent do you think voters select a candidate based on political party? Personality? Issues? Other considerations? Reference the 10th district election. Consider the fact that Comstock’s seat is considered “safe” because she is a Republican and the 10th district has supported a Republican representative for decades.
#5 – Choose a second election to cover. All members of the House are up for re-election (although these elections will be more challenging to follow since they are localized in each district to some degree), 37 Senators are running for re-election, and there is a presidential race. Some elections are more hotly contested than others so coverage will be vast in the regions where election polls are close or campaigns are extremely competitive and/or involve a great deal of money.
#6 – Collect and read a TOTAL of two articles that cover your chosen national election. You may need to search on-line or use national news journals (Newsweek, Time, The Week, etc.) to find these particular articles. Again, attach the articles to this handout, or organize the project in a folder. Summarize each article (analytical & personal opinion), including the source & date. Consider whether there is obvious bias. Are there certain events or issues being addressed in the article and do they seem important enough for you to read about? Why or why not? Are there obvious differences between the candidates? Are there certain issues any of the candidates seem to be focusing on? Do you have more questions regarding this topic? Are the candidates or their opinions portrayed in a particular way? (12-15 sentences, be sure to include your opinion!)
#7 - Analyze a TOTAL of two political advertisements (about this election) that you saw (can be t.v. coverage or on-line, YouTube, etc.) that were particularly interesting, aggravating, appealing, thoughtful, etc. Try to specifically outline the information presented in the advertisement – remember, these advertisements are VERY BIAS! What images or words were most central to the advertisement? Who paid for the advertisement? What was your personal feeling about the advertisement? Do you believe the advertisement will have an effect on the way someone might vote – why or why not? If you do not see political advertisements on t.v. that deal with the 10th district, you may discuss advocacy advertisements or alternate political ads. (8-10 sentences minimum, be sure to explain your attitude about the commercial and the images or key words that influenced the way you thought about the ad.)
#8 - Complete the following questions thoughtfully in paragraph form.
- Which candidate would you favor and why?
- What issues are central to this campaign and why?
- How is the outcome of this election important in some way? Be specific.
- What was most interesting to you about this election? Is there an issue that seems more or less important to these voters and the candidates than in the 10th District? Is there a great deal of negative campaigning? Was media coverage of this election localized or more national-oriented (CNN, World News, FOX News, etc.)?
- Who do you think is going to win the election and why?
2016 Elections Project RUBRIC
Not present Present, but needs Good use Mastery
Development Keep practicing
2 4 6 8
Project Content & Ideas:
2 4 6 8
accurately presents information about 10th District candidates
accurately presents information about second national election
uses details to describe the news broadcasts and advertisements proving thoughtful viewership
uses good word choice, fluency, and voice, especially when analytically responding to parts #4 & #8
establishes and maintains cohesion within write-ups
Project Format:
2 4 6 8
completes all 8 sections
applies knowledge of politics and current issues to explanations
includes details that proves an understanding of both elections
organizes the articles and information in an orderly fashion
creatively explains campaign advertisements that highlight political controversies and issues
/16 x 6 = /96
Propaganda techniques & projects/activities/lessons: