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Learning Activity: Analyzing and formulating opinions about the war in Iraq

• Quick Guide and Transcript

• Public Agenda: America's Global Role

• U.S., Iraqi officials take sides on civil war debate

• Three years later: Insecurity, instability and hope in Iraq

• White House: Renewal in Iraq

SPECIAL REPORT

• Interactive: Who's who in Iraq

• Interactive: Sectarian divide

• Timeline: Bloodiest days for civilians

• Coalition Casualties

• Special Report

CNN STUDENT NEWS

(CNN Student News) -- Your students will explore multiple perspectives on the war in Iraq, and they will clarify their own opinions on the topic.

Procedure

Have students identify the perspectives on the war in Iraq that were presented in today's CNN Student News report. Then, have students consider their own opinions about the war in Iraq.

Discuss with students the processes by which they form opinions and what factors, if any, may impact their opinions about the war in Iraq. For example, students may mention personal experiences, the passage of time, emotions, opinions of family or friends or information gathered from media coverage.

Encourage student volunteers to share their opinions. For those students who have formed opinions about the conflict, ask:

How did you come to form your opinions?

On what information did you base your opinions?

What factors do you think might have influenced your opinions?

Have your opinions changed at all during the past three years? Explain.

For those students who have not yet formed opinions, ask:

What additional information do you need in order to form an opinion about the war?

How would you go about gathering that information?

Have students create charts with three columns, labeling them Opinions about U.S. Policy in Iraq, Supporting Arguments and Opposing Arguments. In the first column, have students list the opinions presented in the program and by students in the class. Then, organize students into small groups. Refer them to print and online resources to gather facts, quotations or additional information that could be used to support or dispute the opinions listed on their charts. (Note: Have students note the sources of the information on their charts.) After they have listed several arguments supporting and opposing each opinion listed, encourage the groups to discuss which arguments they find more or less compelling.

After groups have presented their findings to the class, challenge students to re-examine their own opinions about the war in Iraq. In persuasive letters written to government officials or to local newspapers, students should state their opinions about the war in Iraq and provide rationales for their opinions. If students still have questions, encourage them to write letters that juxtapose the arguments for and against the war in Iraq and pose the questions that they still have on the subject.

Share student opinions about the war in Iraq with CNN Student News by selecting "Contact us" in the CNN Student News "Watch and Learn" box at www.cnn.com/EDUCATION.

Correlated Standards

Social Studies Thematic Strands

The Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands/ ) are published by the National Council for Social Studies (http://ncss.org/ ).

Culture

Time, Continuity, and Change

Individuals, Groups, and Institutions

Power, Authority, and Governance

Global Connections

Civic Ideals and Practices

National Standards for Civics and Government

The National Standards for Civics and Government (http://www.civiced.org/912erica.htm) are published by the Center for Civic Education (http://www.civiced.org/index.html).

9-12 Content Standards

II. WHAT ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM?

C. What is American political culture?

4. Fundamental values and principles. Students should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions on what the fundamental values and principles of American political life are and their importance to the maintenance of constitutional democracy.

E. How does the American political system provide for choice and opportunities for participation?

2. Public opinion and behavior of the electorate. Students should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions about the role of public opinion in American politics.

IV. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE UNITED STATES TO OTHER NATIONS AND TO WORLD AFFAIRS?

B. How do the domestic politics and constitutional principles of the United States affect its relations with the world?

2. Making and implementing United States foreign policy. Students should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions about how United States foreign policy is made and the means by which it is carried out.

3. The ends and means of United States foreign policy. Students should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions on foreign policy issues in light of American national interests, values, and principles.

Keywords

war in Iraq, "shock and awe," insurgents, Saddam Hussein, terrorists

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