Government and Politics - English Template, Intermediate Mid

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Amber Hoye, Camille Daw, Mimi Fahnstrom

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  • Most activities are 30 minutes in duration, unless otherwise specified.
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Government and Politics

Description:

In this activity, students will have the opportunity to create a campaign commercial to run as the new president of Boise State. They will practice using vocabulary related to governments and actions that political figures take. Students will be able to discuss preferences relating to politics and government. 

Proficiency Level:

Intermediate Mid

Keywords:

politics, government, election, campaign

NCSSFL-ACTFL World-Readiness Standards:

  • Standard 1.1 Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
  • Standard 1.2 Students understand and interpret spoken and written (target language) on a variety of topics.
  • Standard 1.3 Students present information, concepts, and ideas in (target language) to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
  • Standard 2.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of (target culture).

Idaho State World Language:

  • COMM 1.1 - Interact and negotiate meaning (spoken, signed, written conversation) to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions
  • COMM 2.1 - Understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.
  • COMM 3.1 - Present information, concepts, and ideas to inform, explain, persuade, and narrate on a variety of topics using appropriate media in the target language.
  • CLTR 2.1- Analyze the significance of a product (art, music, literature, etc...) in a target culture.
  • CLTR 2.2- Describe the connections of products from the target culture with the practices and perspectives of the culture.
  • CLTR 2.3- Justify the underlying beliefs or values of the target culture that resulted in the creation of the product.

NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

  • I can understand the significance of opinion in politics.
  • I can provide reasons for my preference in a campaign. 
  • I can understand basic terms about the government.
  • I can answer questions about a specific campaign. (Modified intercultural)

Materials Needed:

Warm-up

1. Begin by introducing the Can-Dos for today’s activity and opening the Google Slideshow. 

2. Get students started by having them discuss a few questions:

Do you like to watch the news?

Do you think it’s important to know about what’s going on around you?

Do you think it is important to also include positive news?

What happens when the news only focuses on bad events?

3.  Now students will watch a few videos. The first one is about some school children in Colombia and what they would do if they were president. The second video is Enrique Peña Nieto, the president of México, talking about the importance of voting.  (You can adapt this for your target culture by finding videos in the target language/culture about politics and government). 

Now we are going to watch a few videos. The first one is about some school children in Colombia and what they would do if they were president. The second video is Enrique Peña Nieto, the president of México, talking about the importance of voting. 

Otro video

México video (fast forward to when the video actually starts)

What do you need to make a persuasive advertisement? 

Are you interested in seeing campaign advertisements or do you avoid them? Why? 

Main Activity

1. Boise State University has decided to hold open elections for the appointment of a new president. In partners, students will create an ad/announcement of two minutes long where they will present their qualifications and how they would make the university better. For example, “How would you fix/control/change registration fees?” or “What benefits would you offer the student population?” What are you, as president, going to do for Boise State?

2. In their ad/announcement, students should include the following:

-A slogan for your campaign

-Who is your ad/campaign directed to? Ex: Women, men, professors, all college students or only freshman? or sophomores? juniors? seniors?, work-study students, a mix of people?

-Three things you are going to change/make better and how

-Witnesses/supporters that will provide backing/support for your ideas/campaign. For example: “Mariela should be our president because she is very caring and is going to work on lowering costs for students.”

-A final endorsement message

3. If time permits, students will present to the rest of the group. Each group member should have a few lines. If there is not enough time left, have them present next lab/class.

Wrap-up

Ask the following questions to finish the lab: 

1. Would you like to make your own presidential campaign in the future? Why?

2. Why is it important to have a campaign ad?

End of lab:

• Read Can-Do statements once more and have students evaluate their confidence. 
(Use thumbs up/thumbs down or download our student cards.) 
• Encourage students to be honest in their self-evaluation.
• Pay attention, and try to use feedback for future labs!

NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

  • I can understand a topic involving politics.
  • I can talk about my preference in a campaign.
  • I can understand terms about the government.
  • I can answer questions about a campaign. (Modified intercultural)

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