Using NewsHour Extra Feature Stories

Overview: NewsHour Extra feature 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: President Bush Pitches $2.9 Trillion Budget, 02/07/07
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june07/budget_2-07.html

Initiating Questions:

1. What is a budget?

2. Why does the United States need a budget?

3. What is a deficit?

Reading Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)

1. How much is President Bush's budget for the coming year? What are his major goals for the budget?

In the $2.9 trillion budget that President Bush submitted to Congress this week, he proposed to erase the federal deficit in five years while increasing spending on the military and national security.

2. How does the president plan to decrease the deficit?

To decrease the deficit, the president has proposed limiting the growth of government spending on domestic programs in areas such as health care and education.

3. How does the proposed growth of the defense budget compare to the growth of many domestic programs?

Under Mr. Bush's plan, the defense budget would grow by 11 percent to $481 billion. Growth in spending on many domestic programs, however, would be limited to 1 percent or less.

4. How has the president explained his increased spending on the war and national defense?

President Bush emphasized the need for increased spending on the war and on national defense, writing in his budget message that "my highest priority is the security of our nation. My budget invests substantial resources to fight the global war on terror, and ensure our homeland is protected from those who would do us harm."

5. How did Democratic leaders in Congress respond to the president's budget?

Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate have expressed their disapproval of the plan's tax cuts, increased spending on defense and small growth in spending on domestic programs.

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. What is your opinion of the president's proposed budget? Are there changes proposed that you agree with? Disagree with? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning.

2. What is a deficit? Who has been lending the United States money? Is this important? Why or why not?

3. Pretend that you are in charge of submitting a plan to the president for the next budget. Which government programs would you fund the most? Which would you fund the least? Why? Would you provide tax cuts? Why or why not?

Write a 300-500 word essay on either of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra (extra@newshour.org). Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site.