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: President Bush Visits England: 11/19/03
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec03/bush_11-19.html

Initiating Questions:

1. What is the relationship between the United States and England?

2. How do you think people in Europe feel about the war and now reconstruction in Iraq?

Reading Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)

1. What is significant about President Bush's trip to England?

President Bush is the first U.S. president to be invited on an official state visit, the most formal way of recognizing a foreign head of state.

2. Why isn't President Bush speaking to the British parliament?

After an embarrassing outburst by hecklers during President Bush's speech to the Australian parliament in October, it was decided that he would avoid the British parliament and instead address a smaller group of academics.

3. How did Mr. Bush defend America's actions in Iraq?

President gave a speech in which he defended the war in Iraq saying that military action is sometimes necessary to fight terrorism.

"In some cases, the measured use of force is all that protects us from a chaotic world ruled by force," he said.

4. How did the president recognize the protesters against his policies?

In his speech President Bush also acknowledged that there are some who disagree with the United States' decisions.

"There are principled objections to the use of force in every generation and I credit the motives behind these views," Bush said. But, he added: "Those in authority are not judged only by good motivations. That duty sometimes requires the violent restraint of violent men."

5. What major developments will be resolved by President Bush's visit? Explain.

Not many. The White House has suggested that this is a visit intended to reinforce the unique relationship between the United States and England, but that significant developments are not to be expected. Issues that will most likely remain unresolved include trade disputes and the controversy over nine British citizens among alleged terrorists being held by the United States at a naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

 

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. Why do you think the relationship between the United States and England is important?

2. Do you think it is stronger or weaker since the war in Iraq? Explain your reasoning.

3. How are the demonstrations in London during President Bush's visit similar or different from the demonstrations that took place in the U.S. both prior and during the military action in Iraq?

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