Title – Current Events in Education

By – Andrew Pass

Primary Subject – Social Studies

Grade Level – K-12

Note from LessonPlansPage.com:

This is an example of a current events lesson found at


http://www.pass-ed.com/blogger.html


. Almost every day a new current events lesson is added to this blog for discussion with younger and older students alike. Normally, we do not post website-related lessons, but we made an exception in this case, because of the unique situation that current events present.

Article:

Friday, September 28, 2007

Burma

The Washington Post is running an article entitled, “


Burmese Crackdown Generates Broad Condemnation

.

” The article states, “

In addition to cracking down with automatic weapons in the street, Burmese security forces arrested dozens of the robed monks who provided leadership and moral authority to the protests since they erupted in August. Those protests have grown during the past two weeks into a political movement demanding an end to military dictatorship

.”

“

The world is watching the people of Burma take to the streets to demand their freedom and the American people stand in solidarity with these brave individuals,

” President Bush said in a written statement. He added: “

Every civilized nation has a responsibility to stand up for people suffering under a brutal military regime like the one that has ruled Burma for too long.

“

Read the Article!

Discussion Starters for Younger Children:

How would your students feel if they had to do whatever they were told to do and could not make any of their own decisions? Why would they feel this way?

Consider asking students to develop skits in which they explain how it would feel to have to do whatever you’re told.

Do your students think that it would be interesting to visit another country? Encourage them to support their opinions. How many other countries can your students name?

What might be different about another country? This might be an ideal time to celebrate the fact that somebody in your class comes from a foreign country.

Do your students think that they should be allowed to say whatever they want to say? Why/why not? What if they want to tease somebody else?

What kinds of rules should students remember when they say things? Consider asking students to write these rules out and posting them around the room.

If your students knew that they could be punished if they said certain things would they say these things? Why/why not? Do your students think that there are any places where people are not allowed to say certain things?

Ask students to make a list of kinds of words that they are not allowed to say at home.

Discussion Starters for Older Students:

Vocabulary terms to discuss:

Junta

,

Curtailed

,

Preponderance

, and

Envoy

.

Ask your students to imagine that wanted to promote a rebellion against a military dictatorship. What steps might they take to promote this rebellion? Why would they take these specific steps?

Students might develop plans in groups of two or three.

Ask students to imagine that they were advisers to the envoy sent to try and settle the hostility. What would they do to try and promote peace?

These questions might promote an interesting discussion.

Ask students to define the term “authority.” Where can people get their authority from? Ask them to describe religious authority.

Ask students to develop graphic organizers describing the meaning of the word “authority” and the various sources of authority.

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Andrew Pass

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