In this year’s State of the Union address, President Obama called attention to the plight of the middle class and laid out his plans for changes to education policy. Below, a rundown on the biggest topics of the night with video clips for more. Middle class workers The main takeaway from Obama's policy on U.S. workers: "Middle-class economics works." Obama addressed several roadblocks that can hinder the success of the middle class, including the cost of childcare, the lack of paid sick or maternity leave, and a low-minimum wage. He urged Congress to propose laws that would raise the minimum wage as well as guarantee paid sick leave to workers. Alleviating these struggles for workers can expand opportunities for them, making it easier for them to support a family, he said. Education Obama outlined his new education initiative to make community college free for millions of students, a plan that he said would allow a wave of students to enter a newly-strengthened economy without the burden of debt. The initiative would support students attending community college at least half the time who maintain a 2.5 GPA. The federal government would provide 75 percent of the funds for each student, with states providing the remaining costs. “I want to spread that idea all across America, so that two years of college becomes as free and universal in America as high school is today," Obama said. Economy Obama pointed out the ways in which the economy has grown since the 2008 recession--in particular, the creation of 11 million new jobs in the past five years. Obama also emphasized the value of decreasing U.S. reliance on foreign oil and pointed out that the U.S. generates the same amount of solar power every three weeks as it did in 2008. Terrorism The president spoke about the U.S.-led coalition to halt the advance of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Iraq and Syria, calling on Congress to pass a resolution that would allow the use of force against the group. He also voiced support for the victims of recent terror attacks on a Pakistan school and in Paris at the offices of Charlie Hebdo , a satirical newspaper. Science and technology Obama said he wanted the U.S. to "win the race" on new scientific and technological developments, especially those that can help create new jobs. He announced the launch of an initiative to support precision medicine, a fairly new medical field that uses genetics to target the right treatments for various medical conditions. Obama also emphasized the importance of a " free and open internet ," vowing to "extend its reach to every classroom...so that the next generation of digital innovators and entrepreneurs have the platform to keep reshaping our world." Firsts This marks the first time that any president has used the words "bisexual" or "transgender" in a State of the Union address. Instagram also received a first time shout-out when Obama wished astronaut Scott Kelly good luck before a year-long mission, telling him to “Instagram it.”

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Warm up questions

1. What are some of the responsibilities of the president of the United States? What about Congress? In what ways do these two centers of power work together?


2. What issues do you think are most important to the American people right now?


3. Did you watch the State of the Union Address on Jan. 20, 2015? Explain why or why not.

Critical thinking questions

1. What issues did the president address in his 2015 State of the Union? Was there anything you thought was important that he left out?


2. Do you think President Obama gave a good speech? Explain your answer.


3. Do you think the State of the Union address is important for Americans to watch? Explain why or why not.


4. What other ways do you learn about what’s going on in the United States and make decisions on whether the country is on a positive or negative path?


5. Joni Ernst delivered the Republican response to the speech. How did her response differ from the president’s speech? Which issues do they agree on and which issues do they disagree about?