Using NewsHour Extra Feature Stories

Overview: NewsHour Extra features stories can help students identify and interpret key issues in current events. This activity anticipates one class period, but the follow-up essay might be assigned as homework, or in another period.

Warm Up: Use initiating questions to introduce the topic and find out how much your students know.

Main Activity: Have students read NewsHour Extra's feature story and answer the questions on the reading comprehension handout.

Discussion: Use discussion questions to encourage students to think about how the issues outlined in the story affect their lives and express and debate different opinions.

Follow-up: Students can write an 500-word editorial on the topic expressing their views and send it to NewsHour Extra [extra@newshour.org] for possible publication.

Evaluation: Students are graded on their answers to reading comprehension questions and/or their editorial.

Story: Bush Nomination Challenges United Nations: 03/30/05
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june05/bolton_3-30.html

Initiating Questions:

1. What is the United Nations? What is its purpose?

2. What role does the United States play in the United Nations?

Reading Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)

1. What plan has the Department of Homeland Security developed to improve airline safety?

On Dec. 29, Ridge announced the emergency plan, which he said would take effect immediately.

"The Department of Homeland Security has issued aviation emergency amendments to further enhance security relating to both passenger and cargo aircraft flying to, from and over the United States."

Ridge said the department had ordered international air carriers to place armed government officers on flights or risk being banned from entering U.S. air space or landing on U.S. soil.

2. What major airline recently canceled flights to the U.S. for security reasons and why?

On Thursday and Friday, British Airways canceled two of its flights from London to Washington, D.C., and authorities delayed the landing of a flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles. On Wednesday and Thursday, Air France canceled six of its Paris to Los Angeles flights.

U.S., British and French officials blamed the cancellations and delays on intelligence reports that suggested terrorists could target those flights.

3. Which countries have agreed to cooperate with the U.S. plan?

While British and Australian officials have agreed to put armed officers on some flights, and French, German, Mexican, Canadian and Singaporean airlines already carry marshals on their flights, some airlines say the cost is too great after the financial losses suffered after Sept. 11 and have cited the danger to passengers of carrying guns aboard airliners.

4. Which countries have refused?

In New Zealand, the Civil Aviation Authority said it would not place marshals on U.S. bound flights. And in Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Thailand's air security system is sufficient and that it also did not need air marshals.

5. What does the International Air Transport Association have to say about the situation?

The International Air Transport Association, the group that represents most of the world's airlines, has argued that governments rather than airlines should be held responsible for the costs associated with placing guards on airlines and has said armed guards could pose a danger to passengers.

"IATA does not like guns on board planes. We want to see the security measure taken on the ground before anyone gets as far as the plane," IATA spokeswoman Nancy Gautier said in a Reuters report.

Discussion Questions (more research might be needed):

1. What is your opinion of armed guards traveling aboard U.S. flights? Would the knowledge that there was an armed guard aboard your flight make you feel safe or scared? Why?

2. If airlines choose to increase the cost of their tickets in order to pay for the cost of added security on board, would you be willing to pay the extra fare? Why or why not?

3. What is the role of the Department of Homeland Security? When and why was it created? How effective do you think the department has been since its inception?

Send your answers, in essay form, to extra@newshour.org for possible publication!