Create Your Own Campaign! Performance Assessment
I administered the following performance assessment to my Freshman English class shortly before the 2012 presidential election, after they had done a research unit and written a five-paragraph persuasive essay about which candidate, in their opinion, was the better choice for president. I then focused in on campaign strategies and advertising in particular, including the logos and slogans of both candidates, still advertisements, paraphernalia such as iPod cases that both candidates used as advertising, and television commercials. This assessment was designed to allow students to create their own presidential campaign, and use the strategies that I had taught them in class. It was intended to raise their awareness about the vital role that advertising plays in today’s presidential races. The assessment took into account different learning styles and preferences, allowing students to choose a role that they feel strongly in. It allowed them to work in groups and collaborate to create a final product. Each group chose a candidate from a list of popular movie and book characters, including Batman, Luke Skywalker, Nemo, Cinderella, and Robin Hood. Each candidate came with a short list of issues, a platform that they stood for. Students were encouraged to use their background knowledge of the character to flesh out their advertisements. At the end of the assessment, they presented their work for the class, requiring every group member to publically defend their choices the class, and give their campaign speech. The class then voted for the candidate they wanted to be president.
This performance assessment allowed students to play to their natural strengths and to use the content knowledge in a creative way. They were able to communicate through a variety of methods, thus allowing them to use their natural propensities and talents to think through and develop and practice the application of content knowledge. (InTASC Standard 1h, Standard 2:a, g, Standard 8:a c, e). They drew upon their previous knowledge by campaigning for a figure from a popular book or novel that they are familiar with to run for president (InTASC Standard 2c). By placing the students in the position of being a campaign committee, they are forced to think about ideas they have learned both actively, and from a different perspective, thus helping them to master persuasive strategies and analytical skills. They are forced to push their skills beyond one discipline and think practically. Their knowledge is applied to the real world and to relevant world events. (InTASC Standard 4b, Standard 5:b, j, q, r, s) By working in a group, and collaborating their learning and ideas, the students are promoting one another’s learning and building positive classroom relationships (InTASC Standard 3o) I am free to support them as they work creatively and collaboratively towards an end, allowing the students to guide their own learning and understanding (InTASC Standard 3p, Standard 5f). By making the project fun and active, students became very involved and motivated to do excellently in creating something of their own to show the class (InTASC Standard 3i).
This performance assessment allowed students to play to their natural strengths and to use the content knowledge in a creative way. They were able to communicate through a variety of methods, thus allowing them to use their natural propensities and talents to think through and develop and practice the application of content knowledge. (InTASC Standard 1h, Standard 2:a, g, Standard 8:a c, e). They drew upon their previous knowledge by campaigning for a figure from a popular book or novel that they are familiar with to run for president (InTASC Standard 2c). By placing the students in the position of being a campaign committee, they are forced to think about ideas they have learned both actively, and from a different perspective, thus helping them to master persuasive strategies and analytical skills. They are forced to push their skills beyond one discipline and think practically. Their knowledge is applied to the real world and to relevant world events. (InTASC Standard 4b, Standard 5:b, j, q, r, s) By working in a group, and collaborating their learning and ideas, the students are promoting one another’s learning and building positive classroom relationships (InTASC Standard 3o) I am free to support them as they work creatively and collaboratively towards an end, allowing the students to guide their own learning and understanding (InTASC Standard 3p, Standard 5f). By making the project fun and active, students became very involved and motivated to do excellently in creating something of their own to show the class (InTASC Standard 3i).
In case of any difficulties reading the performance assessment, a downloadable file is included below.
design_your_own_campaign.docx | |
File Size: | 99 kb |
File Type: | docx |