Propaganda Webquest

PROPAGANDA
Purpose: The Propaganda WebQuest was designed to help students to view the commercial world around them with a more critical eye. Its primary function is to focus students on the varied techniques employed by advertisers in order to sway public opinion. The culminating activity of creating an illustrative advertisement employing one of the techniques introduced will further synthesize the students perception of advertising tactics. Propaganda, in this case, is primarily focused on advertising. There is some background information that includes historical governmental propaganda techniques and posters, but the primary focus of this activity is to steer the students toward the marketing that is before them every day.

 

It's not as easy as you might think to spot hidden messages, these techniques are designed to fool us because they appeal to our emotions rather than our reason. Propaganda designers know that you are on your guard, to get around your guard they don't put one message into a piece of propaganda they put lots of messages into one piece! The more you know about propaganda techniques and how they work, the less likely it is that someone will sneak something by you. That's why it's important to understand what propaganda is and how it works.  

Task 1: REVIEW THE PowerPoint

Use the following links to complete the WebQuest

Links: TYPES OF PROPAGANDA WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY PROPAGANDA INFORMATION PROPAGANDA Task 2:  Define Propaganda A. List the Dictionary Definition B. Create your own definition by reading the information under "LINKS" Task 3: In order to recognize and use propaganda techniques you must first identify and define these tricks of the trade: 1. Bandwagon 2. Loaded Words 3. Testimonial 4. Transfer 5. Repetition 6. Name Calling 7. Fear 8. Glittering Generalities 9. Plain Folks 10. Misuse of Statistics Task 4: In order to prevent being fooled by an effective propaganda campaign, let's closely examine propaganda techniques. Scan the Internet, newspapers and magazines to locate examples of persuasive writing (editorials, advertisements, etc.).  Choose at least three pieces and identify and analyze the author’s use of propaganda techniques.   Next, place each ad on a PowerPoint slide, indicate the technique used, and explain how the technique is used in each ad. Optional:   Task 5: Now that you understand how to spot hidden messages it's your turn to put techniques to work. Choose a persuasive(like your convincing someone to do or buy something) topic of your own to create a brochure using at least two propaganda techniques.
More Examples CC.1.2.9–10.E Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text. L.N.1.1.3 L.N.2.4.1 L.N.2.4.3 C.1.2.9–10.D Determine an author’s particular point of view and analyze how rhetoric advances the point of view. L.N.2.3.6 CC.1.2.9–10.C Apply appropriate strategies to analyze, interpret, and evaluate how an author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them. L.N.1.1.3 L.N.1.3.3 L.N.2.3.3 L.N.2.3.5 L.N.2.4.1 L.N.2.4.3 CC.1.2.9–10.G Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.