Create Your Very Own Government Propaganda!

 

A WebQuest for 12th. Grade History

 

Designed by: Alex Koehler; koehlera@student.gvsu.edu

ED-205 Section H

Grand Valley State University

 

 

Introduction

Have you ever heard a familiar song or catchy slogan on a commercial?  Has that song or slogan ever made you buy or try a product?  Unbelievably these sneaky commercial hooks aren’t only used by companies, in fact, they are used often by the US Army.  The Army uses this propaganda to create support for there war efforts, most noticeably during World War II.  Through this WebQuest, you will be able to recognize and understand the gimmicks used in advertising, and link some of the techniques used today with the ones used for World War II.  Then with your extensive knowledge of advertising, you will create your own propaganda and to try influence the thoughts and actions of the American people.

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Task

ุ      First, you and your group will sort through recent ads, flyers, editorial cartoons and propaganda. 

ุ      After studying several examples of each, you decipher what the message is, the potential impact, and how they differ. 

ุ      When you are done studying the ads, you will look at the US propaganda that was used during World War II

ุ      Finally, you and your group will create your own propaganda, either an ad, flyer, editorial cartoon, or propaganda and try to sell your ideas to the American people (a.k.a. your classmates).

 

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Sources

These are the sources you will be using to observe the world of advertising:

ุ       http://www.halcyon.com/donace/MUSEUM.HTM

ุ       http://variousworksljv.fol.nl/Expo/Back-to-School-poster_L.jpg

ุ       http://www.adflip.com/addetails.php?adID=12184

ุ       http://www.adflip.com/addetails.php?adID=12525

 

These are the sources for the US Army propaganda from World War II:

ุ       http://www.library.northwestern.edu/otcgi/digilib/llscgi60.exe?QUERY=jpeg&REGION=M8561Z&db=2&SIZE=10&SORTBY=M260C

ุ      http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/powers_of_persuasion/powers_of_persuasion_intro.html

 

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Process

ุ      Using the sources that I have provided above, you will need to equally divide the websites in your group and each look at the advertisements to identify common elements throughout each.

ุ      Then as a group you will look at the US Army propaganda for World War II, discuss and write down the similarities used in advertisement and in the propaganda.

ุ      After the common elements are found in both the ads and the propaganda, as a group use those similarities to create your own advertisement, flyer, editorial cartoon, or propaganda using poster board, markers, colored pencils, markers, etc.

 

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Evaluation

CATEGORY

4

3

2

1

Clarity and Neatness

Advertisement is easy to read and all elements are so clearly written.

Advertisement is easy to read and most elements are clearly written.

Advertisement is hard to read with rough drawings and labels.

Advertisement is hard to read and one cannot tell what goes where.

Content

All content is in the students' own words and is accurate.

Almost all content is in the students' own words and is accurate.

At least half of the content is in the students' own words and is accurate.

Less than half of the content is in the students' own words and/or is accurate.

Comparisons

Comparisons were discussed and written down for all of the advertisements and propaganda.

Comparisons were discussed and written down for most of the advertisements and propaganda.

Comparisons were discussed and written down for some of the advertisements and propaganda.

Comparisons were discussed and written down for one or two of the advertisements and propaganda.

Use of Time

Used time well during each class period with no teacher reminders.

Used time well during most class periods with no teacher reminders.

Used time well but required teacher reminders on one or more occasions to do so.

Used time poorly in spite of several teacher reminders to do so.

Cooperation

Worked cooperatively with group all the time with no need for teacher intervention.

Worked cooperatively with group most of time but had a few problems that the team resolved themselves.

Worked cooperatively with group most of the time, but had one problem that required teacher intervention.

Worked cooperatively with group some of the time but had several problems that required teacher intervention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Conclusion

When you are down with your WebQuest, not only will you have the knowledge to pick out the gimmicks used in advertising, but also you will know where ads like those came from and how they can be used to sell different things.  If you are interested further in US Army propaganda, please continue your research with the sources above or by visiting the following websites:

http://bss.sfsu.edu/internment/posters.html

http://www.airmuseum.ca/postscan.html

 

 

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