Spread it ya’ll!
From: http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/prek-6.pdf
Menu of Classroom Activities
President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
(PreK
‐6)
-
Produced by Teaching Ambassador Fellows, U.S. Department of Education
September 8, 2009
Before the Speech
- Teachers can build background knowledge about the President of the United States and his speech by reading books about presidents and Barack Obama. Teachers could motivate students by asking the following questions:
Teachers can ask students to imagine that they are delivering a speech to all of the students in the United States.
Why is it important that we listen to the president and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor? Why is what they say important?
During the Speech
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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
1. 1. 1. taking graphic organizer such as a “cluster web;” or, students could record their thoughts on sticky notes. Younger children could draw pictures and write as appropriate. As students listen to the speech, they could think about the following:
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Students could record important parts of the speech where the president is asking them to do something. Students might think about the following:
Students could record questions they have while he is speaking and then discuss them after the speech. Younger children may need to dictate their questions.
Menu of Classroom Activities (PreK
‐6) President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
‐6) President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
‐6) President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
2
After the Speech
- Teachers could ask students to share the ideas they recorded, exchange sticky notes, or place notes on a butcher1. 1. 1. paper poster in the classroom to discuss main ideas from the speech, such as citizenship, personal responsibility, and civic duty.
- Students could discuss their responses to the following questions:
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- Students could discuss their responses to the following questions:
Extension of the Speech
Teachers could extend learning by having students:
- Create posters of their goals. Posters could be formatted in quadrants, puzzle pieces, or trails marked with the following labels: personal, academic, community, and country. Each area could be labeled with three steps for achieving goals in that area. It might make sense to focus first on personal and academic goals so that community and country goals can be more readily created.
- Write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short1. 1.
‐term and long‐1. term education goals. Teachers would collect and redistribute these letters at an appropriate later date to enable students to monitor their progress. - Write goals on colored index cards or precut designs to post around the classroom.
- Interview one another and share goals with the class to create a supportive community.
- Participate in school1. 1. 1. wide incentive programs or contests for those students who achieve their goals.
- Write about their goals in a variety of genres, such as poems, songs, and personal essays.
- Create artistic projects based on the themes of their goals.
- Graph individual progress toward goals.
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From: http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/7-12.pdf
Menu of Classroom Activities
President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
(Grades 7
-
‐12)
Produced by Teaching Ambassador Fellows, U.S. Department of Education
September 8, 2009
Before the Speech
- Conduct a “quick write” or “think/pair/share” activity with students.- -
(In the latter activity, students spend a few minutes thinking and writing about the question. Next, each student is paired with another student to discuss. Finally, the students share their ideas with the class as a whole)
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. Teachers may choose to ask the following questions:
Have students participate in a “quick write” or brainstorming activity. Teachers may ask students:
Teachers may engage students in short readings. Teachers may post in large print around the classroom notable quotes excerpted from President Obama’s speeches on education. Teachers might ask students to think alone, compare ideas with a partner, or share their thoughts with the class. Teachers could ask students to think about the following:
Create a “concept web.” Teachers may ask students to think of the following:
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Menu of Classroom Activities (Grades 7
‐12) President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
During the Speech
- Teachers might conduct a “listening with purpose” exercise based on the following ideas: personal responsibility, goals, and persistence. Teachers might ask pairs of students to create a word bank at the top of a notes page that has been divided into two columns. On the right- -
‐hand side, students could take notes (trying to capture direct quotations or main ideas) while President Obama talks about personal responsibility, goals, or persistence. At the end of the speech, students could write the corresponding terms from the word bank in the left‐- hand column, to increase retention and deepen their understanding of an important aspect of the speech. - Teachers might conduct a “listening with purpose” exercise based on the themes of inspiration and challenges. Using a similar double
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- column notes page as the one described above, teachers could focus students on quotations that either propose a specific challenge to them or that inspire them in some meaningful way. Students could do this activity individually, in pairs, or in groups.
Transition/Quick Review
- Teachers could ask students to look over their notes and collaborate in pairs or small groups. Teachers might circulate and ask students questions, such as:
After the Speech
Guided Discussion:
- What resonated with you from President Obama’s speech? What lines or phrases do you remember?
- Whom is President Obama addressing? How do you know? Describe his audience.
- We heard President Obama mention the importance of personal responsibility. In your life, who exemplifies this kind of responsibility? How? Give examples.
- How are the individuals in this classroom similar? How is each student different?
- Suppose President Obama were to give another speech about being educationally successful. To whom would he speak? Why? What would the president say?
- What are the three most important words in the speech? Rank them.
- Is President Obama inspiring you to do anything? Is he challenging you to do anything?
- What do you believe are the challenges of your generation?
- How can you be a part of addressing these challenges?
Video Project:
- Teachers could encourage students to participate in the U.S. Department of Education’s “I Am What I Learn” video contest. On September 8, the Department of Education will invite students age 13 and older to submit a video no longer than two minutes in length, explaining why education is important and how education will help them achieve their dreams. Teachers are welcome to incorporate the same or a similar video project into a classroom assignment. More details will be released via www.ed.gov.
Menu of Classroom Activities (Grades 7
‐12) President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
Transition/Quick Review
- Teachers could introduce goal- -
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- setting activities in the following way to make the most of extension activities:
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Extension of the Speech
Teachers could extend learning by having students:
- Create decorated goals and steps on material that is the size of an index card. The index cards could be formatted as an inviting graphic organizer with a space for the goal at the top and several steps in the remaining space. Cards could be hung in the classroom to create a culture of goal setting, persistence, and success, and for the purpose of periodic review. (See the “Example Handout” section.)
- Create posters of their goals. Posters could be formatted in quadrants, puzzle pieces, or trails marked as steps. These also could be hung around the room, to be reviewed periodically and to create a classroom culture of goal setting and for the purpose of periodic review.
- Interview and share their goals with one another and the class, establishing community support for their goals.
- Create incentives or contests for achieving their personal goals.
- Write about goals and the steps to achieve them in a variety of genres such as poems, songs, or personal essays.
- Create artistic representations of goals and the steps to achieve them.
Menu of Classroom Activities (Grades 7
‐12) President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
Example Handout
