Presidential Interview: A Panel of Presidents

Submitted by: Susie A. Scott
School or Affiliation: K. O. Knudson School, Las Vegas, NV
Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.

Date: May 1994

Description:

The past five and alive forum seeks to give students access to events that are historical and current. The characterization of the presidents is to present information about historical events that were played out in America's domestic and foreign policies.

Grade Level: Appropriate for grade 8.

Goal:

Students of political thought using the forum interview with these political leaders develop an awareness of the role of the Chief Executive in America's complex domestic international relationships.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

1. Identify and analyze domestic and foreign policy.
2. Develop analytical questions to ask panel.
3. Develop a sequence of events of each presidential office holder.
4. Recall and build upon yesterday's lesson as they approach a domestic issue.

Materials:

- Semi Circle Panel

- Sample of Analytical Questions

1. What are/were ten issues or programs you wished to see accomplished?
2. How do you plan the balance the military budget and the national debt?

- Role Characterization by Students

President #37 - Richard Nixon

President #38 - Gerald Ford

President #39 - Jimmy Carter

President #40 - Ronald Reagan

President #41 - George Bush

White House Correspondent - Sam Donaldson

KBS Reporter - Maria Shriver

Procedure:

A structured forum of the last five presidents of the United States will be interviewed by the former White House correspondent, Sam Donaldson. The panel of five come alive will answer questions as they recap their foreign and domestic policies they faced, as they served as Chief Executive in the White House. Questions posed by other class member are to elicit responses so that students will become familiar with the implications of leadership of the former presidents and the incumbent.

Tying it All Together:

On the first day, following the forum, have a discussion session to analyze the role of each president. Second day, students will infer how, if they were president, he/she would have responded to a hypothetical domestic crisis issue (Environment vs. Free Enterprise).

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