Geography: Cult of Personality: A Lesson on Propaganda

Check out Geography & Math Made Easy for more resources: 

OBJECTIVE:
o The learner will understand what constitutes propaganda.
o The learner will understand how propaganda influences the masses.
o The learner will be able to identify propaganda, past and present.
o The learner will create a propaganda poster.
o The learner will be able to identify and demonstrate the 7 types of propaganda techniques.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
o How would you define propaganda?
o Where will you find propaganda?
o Who creates propaganda?
(More included with purchase.)

USEFUL ARTICLE:
(Included with purchase.)

VIDEOS TO FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF PROPAGANDA:
(Included with purchase.)

HELPFUL WEBSITE:
(Included with purchase.)

MATERIALS:
o Lyrics sheet to the Cult of Personality by Living Color. (Included)
o A computer with speakers to play the Audio version of Cult of Personality or a way to project the 1980s video of the song. You may also purchase from iTunes if you choose not to use the links provided.
o 7 Propaganda Strategies reproducible (Included)
o Poster board or bulletin board paper cut into the size of poster boards.
o Newspapers
o A paper bag with types of propaganda techniques. Us Propaganda Techniques reproducible. (Included)
o Magazines: preferably magazines such as National Geographic, or other environmental magazines.
o Overhead projector
o PowerPoint presentation on Propaganda (included)
o Technology to project a PowerPoint for entire class to view.
o Markers, scissors, rulers, color pencils, and other art supplies.
o Grading rubric (included)

PREPARATION:
o Divide students into teams of two.
o Prepare sample of graphics to present via overhead projector.
o Gather newspapers, magazines, Internet, etc.
o Prepare bag of propaganda techniques.
o Prepare bag of topics of study.

INTRODUCTION:
Ask students essential questions. Answers provided with purchase.
o What is propaganda?
o Where will you find propaganda?
o Who creates propaganda?
o What is the purpose of propaganda?
o How does propaganda influence the world?
o What are the seven types of propaganda techniques?

At this time provide each team with a list of the 7 Propaganda Techniques and discuss the purpose of each. Explain to the student that there are various way and techniques that companies, government, religious organizations, newscasters, etc.

USE HELPFUL WEBSITES, VIDEO, ETC. AT THIS TIME FOR LEARNING ENRICHMENT AND STUDENT FURTHER UNDERSTANDING
(Included with purchase.)

POWERPOINT CHALLENGE
Present the PowerPoint. Ask the students to take a look at the image. What do they see? Are there any strong words, name-calling, transfers, etc. Ask students what message is being sent through the propaganda image. Have them vote on what type of propaganda technique is being used. You may want to write each technique on the board and have them raise their hands in the voting process. Write down the number of students who voted under each strategy. One the vote has been taken you may reveal the answer and explain why.

Tell student that in the 1980’s a band called Living Colour wrote a song called the Cult of Personality addressing propaganda. Provide each student a copy of the lyrics (Included). You may choose to allow student to listen to the audio or view the video. Warning: In the 1980’s,
stage bands often wore tight spandex that may not be appropriate for some ages. This song is extremely easy to find for free throughout the Internet.

As they listen to the song, have them write down what they thing the song is saying, what types of propaganda is being used, etc.

AUDIO of the CULT OF PERSONALITY:
(Included with purchase.)

VIDEO of the CULT OF PERSONALITY:
(Included with purchase.)

INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY:
The learner will work in his/her group (Two per group as noted above). Make sure each team has a poster board. Explain to the class they will work in their teams to create a propaganda poster based on two entities:

(1) A topic from a magazine, newspaper, or Internet article regarding anything related to geography and culture and

(2) A type of propaganda technique drawn from the bag that the instructor will pass around the room.

For instance, a team may draw out of the propaganda technique bag “bandwagon” and may choose the topic of fracking based on an article from a newspaper. The team will create and design a propaganda poster supporting or opposing fracking using the bandwagon technique. This will require higher-level thinking; therefore, the instructor may need to assist students through the thinking process one they determine their topic.

Guiding questions may be: (You may want to write these on the board or somehow display to help guide students)

1. After reading the article do you support or oppose (insert chosen topic)?
2. What is the propaganda technique are you using?
3. Who is the individual or character related to your topic that you are going to include in your poster?
More included with purchase.

Pass around the brown bag with...more instructions included with purchase.

CLOSURE / EVALUATION:
Students will present their products to the class on propaganda techniques in today’s society and explain how it relates to propaganda and the cult of personality. Grade students using grading rubric.

................................................................................................................................
Permissions are given to the purchaser to made modifications to the game board using the Word document provided in the zip fie. No other modifications may be made to this document.
................................................................................................................................

© Martha Boykin Products. All rights reserved. Purchase of this product grants the purchaser the right to reproduce pages for classroom use only. If you are not the original purchaser, please download the item from my store before making copies. Copying, editing, selling, redistributing, or posting any part of this product on the internet is strictly forbidden. Violations are subject to the penalties of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.