Few U.S. presidents have been able to use media as persuasively as Franklin D. Roosevelt. His “fireside chats” on the radio assured and inspired the nation during the Great Depression and into World War II, and created precedents for how people in office could utilize media to reach the masses.

What made FDR’s radio outreach so powerful? How was he able to use the radio as a tool for persuading the public to accept his programs and initiatives? In these activities, students will investigate how Roosevelt used media to create effective messages to the public. Students will develop their own modern day fireside chat, covering a topic related to the New Deal or World War II. While students will be using 21st century technologies to develop their end results (podcast or vlog), remember that the message should focus on issues that faced Americans during the 1930s and 1940s.

Government/Civic Adaptation: Encourage students to choose a contemporary political, social, or economic issue, and create a short persuasive podcast to advocate for action.

Learning Objectives: Students will: 

• Determine how FDR’s use of mass communications helped promote and gain public support for New Deal policies and the entry into World War II. 
• Examine the impact of mass media (like radio) in the U.S. during the 1930s and 1940s. 
• Develop persuasive writing and speaking strategies to communicate with varied audiences. 
• Use technology to create persuasive presentations (podcasts or vlogs) based on historic evidence or contemporary issues. 

Note: If a classroom does not have access to recording technology for podcasting and media creation, students can create multimedia presentations or scripts instead.