| 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:
The Promises Made By The Presidential Candidates, 09/06/04
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec04/issues.html
Initiating
Questions:
1. Is it legal to
own a gun?
2. What are some of
the laws that restrict gun ownership?
3. What is the Second
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and why is it such a hotly contested
issue?
Reading
Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)
1. Name six political
parties.
Green, Conservative, Independent, Right to Life, Socialist,
and Libertarian
2.
What is President Bush's education program?
President Bush created
the No Child Left Behind Act to force schools to identify and help students who
are falling behind. Under the law, public schools are required to set achievement
standards, and conduct annual tests of third- through eighth-grade students in
reading and math. Schools that fail to improve have to pay for students' private
tutoring, and transportation to attend another school. The president also supports
vouchers to help parents afford private schools. 3.
What is John Kerry's position on education?
John Kerry voted for the
No Child Left Behind Act, but argues that the president's regulations are too
strict and that there is not enough money available to make the necessary improvements.
The senator has also stressed the need to recruit more teachers. On the voucher
issue, Kerry says the program would help too few students and transfers money
away from the public schools that desperately need it.
4.
What are the candidates' positions on the Kyoto global warming pact?
President Bush has refused to join the Kyoto global warming pact that calls on
all countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions, saying it would harm the U.S. economy.
John Kerry wants to sign up for the Kyoto pact. 5.
What are civil unions?
Civil unions give gay partnerships legal benefits similar to those of marriage.
6. What is Social
Security, and what are some of the plans proposed by President Bush and Senator
Kerry?
Almost everyone agrees that the government program that provides
pensions for retired workers is in trouble, and that if changes are not made,
it may not be there when today's high school seniors reach retirement age-- currently
67. President Bush has proposed allowing younger workers to control how part of
their Social Security taxes are invested, a policy called privatization because
it would move funds to non-government institutions such as the stock market. John
Kerry opposes any privatization of Social Security, saying that workers could
lose their retirement funds if they invest in risky stocks or if market goes down.
He has not put forth specific proposals for changing the system, but says that
he is "open to considering various avenues of reform." Discussion
Activity (more research might be needed): 1.
What other issues do you think are important? 2.
Take a look at John Kerry's nomination acceptance
speech. What issues did he talk about? Why do you think he mentioned those
issues?
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/demconvention/speeches/kerry.html 3.
Look at President Bush's nomination acceptance
speech. What issues did he talk about? Why do you think he chose those issues?
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/repconvention/speeches/bush.html Write
a 500-800 word essay on any 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. |