PreK-6 Menu of
Classroom Activities:
President Obama’s Address to Students
Across America
Produced by Teaching Ambassador Fellows, U.S. Department of Education September 8, 2009
As the President speaks, teachers can ask students to write down key ideas or phrases that are important or personally meaningful. Students could use a note-taking graphic organizer such as a Cluster Web, or students could record their thoughts on sticky notes. Younger children can draw pictures and write as appropriate. As students listen to the speech, they could think about the following: What is the President trying to tell me? What is the President asking me to do? What new ideas and actions is the President challenging me to think about? Students can record important parts of the speech where the President is asking them to do something. Students might think about: What specific job is he asking me to do? Is he asking anything of anyone else? Teachers? Principals? Parents? The American people?
After the Speech: Teachers could ask students to share the ideas they recorded, exchange sticky notes or stick notes on a butcher paper poster in the classroom to discuss main ideas from the speech, i.e. citizenship, personal responsibility, civic duty.
Students could discuss their responses to the following questions: What do you think the President wants us to do? Does the speech make you want to do anything? Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us? What would you like to tell the President? Teachers could encourage students to participate in the Department of Education’s “I Am What I Learn” video contest. The Department will invite K-12 students to submit a video no longer than 2 min, explaining why education is important and how their education will help them achieve their dreams.
Create posters of their goals. Posters could be formatted in quadrants or puzzle pieces or trails marked with the labels: personal, academic, community, country. Each area could be labeled with three steps for achieving goals in those areas. It might make sense to focus on personal and academic so community and country goals come more readily. Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals. Write goals on colored index cards or precut designs to post around the classroom.Interview and share about their goals with one another to create a supportive community. articipate in School wide incentive programs or contests for students who achieve their goals.
Write about their goals in a variety of genres, i.e. poems, songs, personal essays. Create artistic projects based on the themes of their goals.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post are intended as humor and are not those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Dvorak Uncensored… kinda sorta.
# 27 chuck,
I am sure you are not referring to Liberty University as Bob Jones University or many other Right-Wing institutions?
# 28 OhGodNawtAgainsaid “If the system was flawed, it would have crumbled in 1777.”
Your alls system today is a sham of what it was just 50 years ago let alone in 1777. The way in which your politicians (Rep and Dem) have stomped all over the constitution is just insane.
BOTH sides have been marching to fascism. It is just that Obama is marching there faster than anyone before him. Even faster than Bush and the crap that is the “Patriot” act.
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” –Edmund Burke
Just keep believing that there is no chance of the USA going under a dictator and doing nothing to stop it and it WILL happen. History shows that EVERY great power has at one point flipped to a flat out dictatorship.
Rome, Greece, China, Russia, Germany, France, etc… They all at one time transformed into dictatorships of either a fascist, communist or imperialist nature.
“What’s past is prologue” –William Shakespeare
Ignore the lessons of history at your own peril.
I do have to say, that’s a great graphic.
Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, and presumably earlier presidents did the same thing.
Comparing the president to Hitler (whether it was the liberals slamming Bush a few years back or the conservatives doing it today) is just plain retarded.
Nice piece of Republican scaremongering, McCullough. Are you competing with John?
#2 & #4 – So it’s your fault that the unwarranted and expensive Iraq war was waged. I’m sure you told the ol’ Decider what you wanted done and he hopped right to it and did what you asked of him. How’d that work out for ya? I’m still waiting for my free Iraqi oil and for them to pay the bill for the war. Obviously Bushie Boy wanted them to foot the bill, otherwise why would he not include the cost of his war in the national budget?
A majority in this country voted for and determined that Obama would be a better leader than your Plane Crashing Collaborator and his ignorant Chillbilly sidekick and you guys can’t handle it. You Rushpublicans are some of the most piss poor sore losers I’ve ever seen. Seriously.
I like all the people on that linked site saying their going to keep their kids out of school that day. Are they going to keep their kids out of school every time something that doesn’t jibe 100% with their ignorant, uninformed extreme right-wing views is presented? That’s fine, the world always can use more janitors and burger flippers. Aim high Rushpublicans, aim high.
#24 – No Bush just wanted your children to pray to his invisible blue-eyed Jeebus everyday while memorizing and reciting the 10 Commandments in unison. Besides, I don’t think Bush could talk UP to the level of a grade school student then or now. No way that his trying to encourage kids to stay in skool and do betterer would have been taken seriously.
Maybe I’m wrong but I doubt if this is in most teachers lesson plans.
I didn’t put them in mine.
#39
pedro to label you would be to negate you
“wingnut”
As Tip told us “All politics is local.”
Schools too are local creatures I’m sure in your neck of the woods the kids would have a fine time pointing out the flaws in any Obama Speech and they could make honor roll if they did it well.
If the speech has the stench of partisan propaganda like the image McCullough put with this story my kids would laugh at how gullible they were thought to be and then mock McCullough.
#41
deowll
What are you saying, that the Federal Government is not forcing you do watch a presidential speech in class? That can only mean students will not be getting universal marching orders. You teach PreK-6? ¡MYTH BUSTED Pull this silly story.
#40 m.c. in l.v. said “A majority in this country voted for and determined that Obama would be a better leader than your Plane Crashing Collaborator and his ignorant Chillbilly sidekick and you guys can’t handle it. You Rushpublicans are some of the most piss poor sore losers I’ve ever seen. Seriously.”
Three things
1. I really don’t understand “your plane crashing collaborator” What am I missing here?
2. McCain was a loser. Pure & simple.
3. Even the best intentioned of people make mistakes.
“Rushpublicans are some of the most piss poor sore losers I’ve ever seen. Seriously.”
I don’t know about that, the Democrats are still crying that nonsense about Bush steeling the election. Of course most libs get a boner every time obamas name is mention so it would look to them like pointing out hypocrisy would seem like it’s just poor losers whining.
Nixon was President when I was a kid.
No one, not even convervatives, would have fawned over Nixon from what I remember.
Is the President a Living God?
Sheesh there’s nothing too onerous in this document. Most of it asks students to consider what THEY think. Depends on what O has to say I guess.
# 45 Father Tomb
“Nixon was President when I was a kid.
No one, not even convervatives, would have fawned over Nixon from what I remember.
Is the President a Living God?”
BUSHII was President when I was a kid.
Everyone of the conservatives fawned and stroke themselves embarrassingly over BUSHII from what I remember.
Is Vice President Chenny a Living God?
#43 Ranger007 – I wish I could find the link but I can’t. It’s referring to a comedy video that went along the lines of “If the Democrats had any balls they’d run the following ad” and it showed a picture of McCain saying he had crashed more planes than this man and then showed a picture of OBL. It was funny during the campaign, what with all the other craziness going on. The collaborator part is from various groups saying that he must have collaborated with the North Vietnamese while in captivity. Don’t know about that but he has said they “broke him” during his imprisonment there. People draw their own conclusions from that.
I just dislike McShame for foisting Sarah the Quit Bull on us. He might have won if not for his poor choice of VP. Thank gawd he didn’t.
# 48 m.c. in l.v.,
I am not sure many people can have any respect for an arm chair warrior saying wiener cowardly shit like:
“he has said they “broke him” during his during his imprisonment there.” “People draw their own conclusions from that.”
Let see how you do in a situation like that.
That’s shit GWB would say and the RePUCKaTons fawned and fell over their own DICK Cheney for that man.
# 22 Howard Beale,
Finally some sanity in this mental waste land!
You have it exactly right!
Kid are quite capable of voicing their opinions, if you haven’t noticed.
For example, I recited the Gettysburg address as a kid.. what does that say??
# 50 pedro,
You really are the ultimate troll.
You rarely comment on the topic, instead you mostly just rage like a child on the posters.
Can’t image the insecurities your trying to compensate for. What do the doctors say?
What is it we are supposed to take from this story? The president is giving a speech aimed at kids and teachers are encouraged to make lesson plans around the speech. So what?
ok i just want to say im 16, and i havent seen this much bullshit since… well, uh…. ever
“Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”- JFK. Does this mean anything to you people?
Obama was elected into office because he was the better candidate and honestly #40 has a valid point. Republicans are being VERY sore loosers, and voting to make Obama fail! What has America come to? When I read about the older America, in times of WWII and the time period after that, there was an American ideal. Im not sure what it was, but it sure as hell didn’t involve voting to make a president fail because the other party didn’t like him.
Looking it from my standpoint, I still have 2 years left in high school, and im not being required to watch ANYTHING by Obama. But honestly, if the government cannot get its act together and get over party differences so we can make America the way its suposed to be, then im moving to New Zealand
Just remember you right wing nut-jobs, when you want Obama to fail and he does, so does America, and thats on YOUR head
# 53 jccalhoun,
Exactly, so what.
But of course, for RePUCKaTons it’s their desperate chance to paint Obama as Hitler (so that blue eyed, blond AMERICANs can salute??).
Regardless, that Hitler looks and acts more like BUSH/CHENEY then Obama, RePUCKaTons are desperate and anxiously grappling at any artifice they can.
RePUCKaTons where never logical, and always brilliant as their leader DUMBYA.
Don’t the RePUCKaTons realize their party base are ardent Hitler followers and they just might loose their voting base of Ayarian Brotherhood, or any other White supremest kooks.
#52 – noname – pedro, You really are the ultimate
trollsimpleton.Fixed that for you.
# 56 Jägermeister,
Thank you.
how about
pedro, You really are the ultimate simpleton troll.
#57 – noname
Yeah… that’s our pedro…
#54–this is just based on my experience with most people ages 20 and below…you are probably repeating what your parents say. but that is besides the point. I agree with the whole ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country quote. funny thing is….most people who voted for obama voted for him based on what he was promising (ie what the country can do for them)And people should not be forced to do anything for their country. it is part of the freedom we enjoy. I would gladly die for my family and my country if either were in serious danger. I would, and have in the past, volunteered in times of crisis. but i also know that some people don’t do that…and thats their choice. this country is all about choice and freedom and liberty. and when i look back 100 years…i see a whole shitload of that choice freedom and liberty vanished. so is our current president and congress doing anything to put america back to what it stood for in the beginning??? well…put yourself in their positions. are you going to vote in a way that benefits the people or that gains favor with the ones actually paying attention. are you going to do whats best for the economy or are you going to do what is the best way to pay back the people who contributed to your campaign? most politicians are politicians for the politics and the money. few are actually there to represent the people and do what is best. and even worse….the people who elect these guys don’t even know who they are voting for. they listen to the ads from different sides and base their vote on that…or what their friends and family say. there are very few people who actually research the candidates and look at their voting record, look at their past…both political and personal…and make informed decisions on who they vote for. and it really sucks. but when it comes down to it…what can I do?? well, Im one American who is damn proud of my roots, my country, what it has stood for since its founding, and it’ll be one cold day in hell before anyone gets away with making radical changes to her. believe that…also curious to see how many people actually read through all this lol
Oh and one last thing….
I can’t believe the ignorant, foaming-at-the-mouth paranoia being exhibited on that linked site by the parents posting there claiming this is some sort of nefarious plan by the President to indoctrinate their kids in some sort of “-ism” (although none of them can quite agree on which scary “-ism” is exactly being spread.)
So your kids are going to be indoctrinated and become Obama’s elite brown shirt shock troops eh? That will be the day.
Your kids? Really? Your spoiled brats that you can’t be bothered to get off the couch and away from their Xbox, Wii and PS3 in order to take out the trash, mow the lawn or feed the dog? Really? Those kids? They’re actually going to get motivated to do something. Yeah right.
So these same kids are going to absorb President Obama’s message to them and immediately become brainwashed and start goose-stepping around and saluting pictures of the President? Really? Your kids that barely pay attention to you when 99% of the time they’ve got their iPod earbuds firmly wedged into their empty little heads or are so busy texting on their phones that they can’t be bothered to reply to your questions with barely more than a grunt. Really? You think they’re going to pay attention to what’s being said and take it immediately to heart? You really think one taped message is going to accomplish that much? Wow, just wow.
Here’s the more likely scenario. When you ask yours kids what the President’s video was about they’re going to give you one of the following answers:
1. I don’t know.
2. I wasn’t paying attention, I was playing Madden on my iPhone.
3. Something about doing good in school, trying real hard and becoming the best I can be (and hopefully not turn out like ignorant, moronic, racist Mom & Dad).
(And if they did start marching around it would be the most exercise they’ve had in years and you’d be thankful for the peace and quiet around the house so you could watch your wrestlin’)
“What is it we are supposed to take from this story? The president is giving a speech aimed at kids and teachers are encouraged to make lesson plans around the speech. So what?”
Exactly! The rest of you paranoid pussies need to switch off Glenn Beck and get outside and mow the lawn..or something.
#61-derspankster-What is it we are supposed to take from this story?
That the Obamanation is a control freak.
# 62 Dr Dodd,
“That the Obamanation is a control freak.”
The Feeble-minded just can’t get over their black boogie man fears, Wow!
Holy Moley! “OMG! The President is going to speak to schools! HOW DARE HE SPEAK TO SCHOOLS!!! (RUN AWAY!!!!!)”
Touchy much? Every president has done this at least as far back as Eisenhower.
Don’t you remember covering stuff like this when you were in school? (You WERE in school, right?)
“OH MY GAWD!!!!! LOOKAT’IM!!!!! LOOKIT ALL THE EVIL BREATHING AND TALKING HE’S DOING!!!!! HOW DARE HE KEEP BREATHING LIKE THAT??????? EVIL!!!!! E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-EVIL!!!!!!!!!!!”
For Pete’s sake, grow up all you Chicken Littles! Do you have any idea how cowardly you all look? Man up and accept the fact that words are just words and your kids, who have seen an average of 450,000 commercials, have plenty of healthy skepticism and can generally spot a platitude or a phony.
Chill!
No one has been interned yet; there are no ovens going day and night; there are no thousands or millions who have been stripped of all their possessions, homes and businesses and shipped off in rail cars; no neighboring countries have been annexed to The Fatherland; none of that. Congress has not been dissolved; no one has been named Chancellor.
THAT
What HAS happened here is that the Robber Barons of the day have managed to stir the rabble up almost to the point of armed rebellion. And wouldn’t THAT be just grand? What kind of government do you think we would have after that happened, eh? A benevolent, all-wise, loving government administered by grandmothers and clergymen? I seriously doubt it, don’t you?
The funny thing is the absolute amnesia the Bush supporters have about their comments about respecting the president, especially in wartime. F*cking Hypocrites (but we knew that already).