Speech! Speech!
Comparing and Contrasting Presidential
Speeches
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Presidential candidates
and presidents make lots of speeches. On the campaign trail a candidate will deliver her or
his stump speech dozens of times, often
multiple times a day. If a candidate wins his partyÕs nomination, he makes a
formal acceptance speech on the last night of his partyÕs national
convention. And if heÕs fortunate enough to win the general election, he will
make a victory speech (typically on election night) and deliver a formal inaugural address the day heÕs sworn in as
president. Once in office a president will make innumerable speeches to
various audiences, but his most widely watched each year is usually his State
of the Union address, in which he reflects on the state of the nation,
outlines his administrationÕs accomplishments over the past year, and
outlines his agenda for the year ahead. In this lesson, students will select
two or more speeches by presidents or presidential candidates to compare and
contrast in an essay. |
Lesson Author
|
Name: |
Todd
Crites |
|
School: |
Grinnell
High School |
Lesson Audience
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Grade Level |
11-12 |
# of Class Periods |
3 |
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Class |
American
Government |
Length of Period |
60 min |
Objectives Back to Navigation Bar
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Student
will: 1.
Compare and contrast two or more speeches by presidents or
presidential candidates. 2.
Students will write a compare-contrast essay to report the results of
their comparative analysis. |
Materials Back to Navigation Bar
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General a computer for each
student |
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Online
Resources American
Presidency Project resources ¥
Inaugural addresses ¥
Democratic (1916-2008) and Republican (1864-2008) nomination
acceptance speeches/letters (text) ¥
State of the Union addresses/messages ¥
1960 campaign speeches ¥
2004 campaign speeches ¥
2008 campaign speeches ¥
2012 campaign speeches American
Presidency Project audio & video from Hoover to Obama (includes various
speeches) The New York Times: 2008 stump speeches &
nomination acceptance speeches (video & text) The New York Times Interactive: Inaugural Addresses
from 1789-present |
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Handouts Compare-contrast graphic organizer |
Classroom Procedures Back to Navigation Bar
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Prior
Learning (background information, vocabulary) 1.
This lesson is designed to be taught around the time of a major
presidential speech -- a nomination acceptance speech, election night victory
speech, inaugural address, or State of the Union address. |
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Day
1: 1.
Talk with students about the speech the president or presidential
candidate is preparing to deliver or has recently delivered. Discuss with
students the basic similarities and differences between the various types of
speeches presidents or presidential candidates deliver. Points of comparison
could include the audience, purpose, and tone for different types of
speeches. 2.
Introduce the assignment: For this assignment you will select two or more speeches by
presidents or presidential candidates to compare and contrast in a comparison
essay. Use one of the analytical approaches described below to help determine
which speeches you will analyze. After you have selected an analytical
approach and identified appropriate speeches to compare and contrast, use the
compare-contrast graphic organizer to record the ideas you will include in
your essay. Below are links to instructions for writing a comparison
essay, to the compare-contrast graphic organizer, and to the rubric that your
instructor will use to score your essay. Instructions for writing a
comparison essay Compare-contrast graphic
organizer Analytical Approaches Campaigning vs. Governing -- How does a presidential candidateÕs
speech (a stump speech or nomination acceptance speech) compare to a speech
he makes as president (his inaugural address or a State of the Union
message)? Partisanship: Compare what Democrats and Republicans say in the same type
of speech (e.g., recent Democratic stump speeches vs. recent Republican stump
speeches). Historical Parallels: Compare the speeches of different
presidents facing similar historical circumstances -- war, economic turmoil,
domestic conflict, etc. Change/Continuity: How have what presidents say in a certain type of speech
changed and/or stayed the same over time? The 2012 Victor vs. The Greats: Compare the inaugural address of the
winner of the 2012 election with one of the great inaugural addresses
of all time -- LincolnÕs second, FDRÕs first, KennedyÕs, or ReaganÕs first. Election vs. Re-election: Compare campaign speeches of candidates
seeking election to the presidency for the first time to those seeking
re-election. First vs. Second Inaugurals: Compare the first and second inaugural
addresses of two- (or four-) term presidents. 3.
Walk students through an example to illustrate how to apply an
analytical approach and how to use the compare-contrast graphic organizer to record
conclusions. Then give students
the remainder of the class period to browse the speeches. 3.
Homework: Students should select an analytical approach and the
speeches they intend to use by the time they arrive in class the next day. |
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Day
2: 1.
Students should share their plan (analytical approach + speeches)
with a partner, explaining why they selected the approach and the speeches. 2.
Students should work the remainder of the class period, filling out
the compare-contrast graphic organizer as they work. 3.
Homework: Students should complete the compare-contrast graphic
organizer by the time they arrive in class the next day. |
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Day
3 1.
Walk students through the instructions for organizing a compare-contrast
essay using whole to-whole, similarities-to-differences, or point-by-point
structure. Provide students the compare-contrast essay rubric and discuss the
categories and quality descriptors. 2.
Students should use their completed compare-contrast graphic
organizers to develop an outline for their essays. 3.
Homework: Give students 2-3 days to work outside of class on their
essays before turning in their final draft. |
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Extension Back to Navigation Bar
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Below are ideas for altering this
lesson to meet your needs: If youÕre working with
less capable students, wish to devote less time to this lesson, or donÕt care
to emphasize writing skills... ¥
The compare-contrast graphic organizer can be the final product on
which students report the results of their analyses. If you are working with a
struggling learner or wish to expedite the lesson... ¥
Select the analytical approach and/or speeches students are to
utilize. ¥
Provide students one or more of the characteristics to be listed on
the compare-contrast graphic organizer. You and your students may find the
websites below to be of interest: National
Constitution Center: Write a six-word stump speech New Yorker article: "The Speech: Have Inaugural
Addresses been getting worse?" |
Evaluation Back to Navigation Bar
Appendix Back to Navigation Bar
Handouts
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