The Home Fires: Montana in World War II - Webquest:
Propaganda
Process
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ROLES
The Propaganda Commission consists of four people. Each member takes a role
(which could be either a male or a female) with a unique point of view and
responsibility to the group:
EDITOR OF ACCLAIMED PUBLICATIONS ON HISTORY :
Point of view – somewhat objective having spent a lifetime studying and
writing about U.S. and world history, analyzing and weighing countries’
policies, actions, and consequences of actions. Possesses thorough knowledge of
what people read, listen to and watch.
Role on the Propaganda Commission team – to focus on facts, to remain level and
unemotional.
CEO OF MAJOR CORPORATION:
Point of view – highly subjective – this person knows the worlds of business
and finance - how to package, promote, and sell, whether it is a product, an
idea, or an image – and, the bottom line of money ….
Role on the Propaganda Commission team – to expand everyone’s understanding of
how advertising and propaganda work, both in the past and in today’s world; this
person’s reality is that everything is bought and sold.
PROFESSOR OF ETHICS AND PHILOSOPHY
Point of view – objective – through a lifetime of study and observation,
he/she interprets the main underlying principles and beliefs of
groups/cultures/countries and how they might or might not change over time
Role on the Propaganda Commission – to reinforce an understanding, as much as
possible, of who we are in this country and why we do what we do.
RETIRED FIVE STAR GENERAL
Point of view – subjective – career military person, veteran of wars, highly
respected both as a war scholar and a practical advisor for all issues related
to the military.
Role on the Propaganda Commission – to reinforce the realities of war and what
it takes to wage them.
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Amazing
Montanans
George Oiye, a member of
the most decorated fighting unit of its size in American history, made
up entirely of Japanese Americans
Illustration courtesy of Vanessa Pallister
Read the story
... p. 5.
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1. MEET with your group and DISCUSS what you are doing.
2. DECIDE your ROLE on the Propaganda Commission from the ones
listed above..
3. CLARIFY with your instructor the final product he/she has assigned or
determine with your group what you want to do, choosing from the FINAL
PRODUCTS OPTIONS listed in step 7 below.
4. INDEPENDENTLY, RESEARCH THE FOLLOWING SITES AND RESPOND, USING THE
RESOURCE RESPONSE GUIDES - ARM YOURSELF WITH INFORMATION
PRIMARY SITES - ADVERTISING AND PROPAGANDA
http://www.foothilltech.org/rgeib/english/media_literacy/advertising_techniques.htm
http://www.propagandacritic.com/
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/powers_of_persuasion/powers_of_persuasion_intro.html
Propaganda and
Advertising Resource Response Guide (WORD
DOCUMENT)
SECONDARY SITES - ADVERTISING AND PROPAGANDA
http://www.nancysnow.com/10things.htm
http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dspolitic/Frame.htm Dr. Seuss collection of
political ads
PRIMARY SITE - The Home Fires: Montana in WORLD WAR II – HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
http://ttah.org/footlocker/user_guide_and_lesson_plans.htm
Historical
Narrative for Montana in WWII PDF
The Home Fires: Montana In WWII
Historical Narrative Response Guide (WORD
DOCUMENT)
PRIMARY SITE - The Home Fires: Montana in WORLD WAR II
MONTANA RELATED BIOGRAPHIES, LETTERS, PHOTOGRAPHS,
POSTERS, AND PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENTS
http://www.ttah.org/footlocker/homefires.htm
http://ttah.org/footlocker/user_guide_and_lesson_plans.htm
The Home Fires: Montana In WWII - Four
Resource and Research Materials Response Guides:
Documents,
Harrison Letters,
Photographs,
Posters (WORD
DOCUMENTS)
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5. PROCEED TO THE KEY QUESTIONS
RESPONSE GUIDE - REFLECT AND RESPOND
(WORD DOCUMENT)
You have consumed a monumental amount of information.
You are prepared to UNLOCK and UTILIZE it – these questions are
the KEYS.
Key question #3 is of high importance to both your
understanding of the issue at hand and the development of your final product.
You bolstered your pending arguments with all of your Resource and
Response Guide notes.
You maintain your role on the Propaganda Commission.
Feel free to draw upon your personal background knowledge, as
well as all you have gleaned here, but be prepared to defend yourself when
challenged!
6. CONVENE THE PROPAGANDA COMMISSION
Keep in mind who you are/what your role is.
Discuss and compare your guide question responses; be prepared to argue from
your point of view and challenge others’, using any and all of your resource
response guides.
YOU MUST COME TO A CONSENSUS.
Do you recommend that the President engage the country in a
propaganda campaign for the purpose of unification … or not?
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7. PREPARE YOUR FINAL PRODUCT TOGETHER, AS A GROUP.
FINAL PRODUCTS – THREE OPTIONS, INDIVIDUAL OR
COMBINED
A) Each group submits a one page summary consensus document (6 – 10
bulleted justification statements) complete with final recommendation to the
President of the U.S.
B) Each group prepares the above, reads it to the class on a Forum Day, responds
to questions from the class, and defends their recommendation.
C) Group prepares a summary consensus power point presentation (6 – 10 slides)
complete with final recommendation to the President of the U.S, presents it on a
Forum Day in class, responds to questions from the class, and defends their
recommendation.
8. PARTICIPATE IN FORUM DAY, if that is part of your assignment. By this
time, you will be equipped to both SUPPORT AND DEFEND your group’s work,
and also, QUESTION the work of others.
Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state.
Noam Chomsky
Introduction | Task
| Process | Evaluation |
Conclusion | Teacher
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