Civics & Government · 9th Grade

Active learning ideas

The President and the Media

Active learning helps students grasp how media and presidential communication have evolved together. By analyzing primary materials and practicing roles, students see how framing, access, and technology shape public perception in real ways. This approach moves beyond abstract concepts to concrete, evidence-based understanding.

• Common Core State Standards
• C3: D2.Civ.10.9-12
• C3: D2.Civ.7.9-12

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Press Conference
• 40 min · Small Groups

Media Analysis: Presidential Communication Across Four Eras

Provide examples from four eras: a newspaper account of a Lincoln press statement, an FDR fireside chat transcript excerpt, a description of a Kennedy press conference moment, and a recent presidential social media post. Small groups analyze each using a shared framework: Who is the target audience? What message is being communicated? What does the medium allow or constrain? What can the press do in response?

Analyze how presidents use media to shape public opinion.

Facilitation Tip

For the Media Analysis activity, provide students with a graphic organizer that prompts them to note the medium, intended audience, and framing technique for each example before comparing across eras.

What to look for

On an index card, have students write one example of a presidential communication strategy they observed in recent news. Then, ask them to identify which media outlet they saw it reported in and briefly explain if it seemed effective.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 45 min · Whole Class

Role Play: White House Press Briefing

One student plays the White House press secretary; three to four play communications advisors in a brief prep session; the rest play journalists. The press secretary must answer questions about a constructed news story using talking points prepared with advisors. The debrief examines what information was shared, what was withheld, and how framing shaped the exchange.

Evaluate the role of the press in holding the president accountable.

Facilitation Tip

During the Role Play, assign students roles in advance so they can prepare by reviewing sample press briefings and crafting questions that reflect real-world concerns.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Should the President be able to communicate directly with the public via social media without going through the press corps? Why or why not?' Facilitate a class debate, encouraging students to cite specific examples and First Amendment principles.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Direct Access or Press Intermediaries?

Present two scenarios: a president who communicates directly with the public via social media without press intermediaries, and a president who relies primarily on formal press conferences. Students write individually about the democratic tradeoffs of each approach, then compare with a partner. The debrief focuses on who benefits from each model and what accountability mechanisms differ between them.

Critique the impact of social media on presidential communication.

Facilitation Tip

In the Think-Pair-Share, set a timer for each phase to keep the discussion focused and ensure all students contribute before sharing with the class.

What to look for

Present students with two short excerpts from presidential statements or press releases. Ask them to identify the primary communication strategy used in each (e.g., framing, direct appeal, factual reporting) and explain their reasoning.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Analyzing Headlines on the Same Event

Post eight news headlines reporting the same presidential action from sources with different audiences and perspectives. Students rotate and annotate each: What frame does this headline use? Whose interests does this framing serve? What would a reader miss by relying only on this source? This builds critical literacy applied directly to political reporting students encounter in their own lives.

Analyze how presidents use media to shape public opinion.

Facilitation Tip

For the Gallery Walk, post the headlines around the room and provide sticky notes so students can add comments directly to the examples they analyze.

What to look for

On an index card, have students write one example of a presidential communication strategy they observed in recent news. Then, ask them to identify which media outlet they saw it reported in and briefly explain if it seemed effective.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start by grounding the topic in primary sources to avoid abstract debates about media and power. Use contrasting examples from different eras to show how technology changes the balance of access and control. Encourage students to question not just what is said but how and why it is framed that way. Research shows that when students analyze real communications in context, they better understand the strategic nature of persuasion.

Students will demonstrate their ability to recognize communication strategies, evaluate their effectiveness, and explain how media dynamics influence presidential power and public trust. You will see this in their analyses of primary sources and in their participation during discussions and debates.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Media Analysis: Presidential Communication Across Four Eras activity, students may assume presidential communications are straightforward or unfiltered.

  During the Media Analysis activity, provide a handout listing common framing techniques (e.g., selective emphasis, emotional language, omission of context) and ask students to identify at least two in each example. Have them discuss how these techniques shape public perception rather than assuming transparency.

• During the Role Play: White House Press Briefing activity, students may think press freedom simply means no censorship exists.

  During the Role Play, assign half the class as press corps and half as White House communications staff. After the briefing, debrief on how access was granted or denied, questions were prioritized, and follow-ups were handled. Use this to highlight how press freedom includes access, protection, and professional norms beyond censorship.

• During the Think-Pair-Share: Direct Access or Press Intermediaries? activity, students may believe social media gives unfiltered access to presidential views.

  During the Think-Pair-Share, share examples of presidential social media posts alongside behind-the-scenes communications planning documents. Ask students to compare the posted message with the intended strategy, noting how spontaneity is often curated and who benefits from the platform’s algorithms.

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Methods used in this brief

• Press Conference
• Role Play
• Think-Pair-Share
• Gallery Walk