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Discussion/activity: Teens under Bush

January 9, 2001
Web posted at: 2:22 PM EST (1922 GMT)

Editor's note: If you are planning to use the news story that this discussion/activity is based on for a homework assignment, please write the URL on the board and have your students copy it. CNNfyi.com updates the site in the early evening, so students may have difficulty finding it without the URL. You can find the lesson plan by going to the Subject Areas page and clicking PREVIOUS in the square for Today's Lesson Plan.

CNNfyi article, "A teen guide to the Bush years"

Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Analyze George W. Bush's recent actions to determine whether or not he is trying to overcome the divisiveness of recent political events.
• Predict national and world events that are likely to affect their country and lives.
• Evaluate the effects that the president's decisions may have on their lives.

After students read the CNNfyi.com article "A teen guide to the Bush years," ask the following:

1. What are some of the major events you expect to have happen in your life between now and January 2005? What events do you predict may happen in the United States and in the world over the next four years? How do you think that these national and international events may affect your personal plans? How do you think that the acts of the next U.S. president may affect your life?

2. Russ Freyman, director of Neglection 2000, a nonprofit, nonpartisan project that examines young voters and the presidency, brings up Bush's election pledge to work with Democrats. Do those interviewed in the article believe this will happen? Why or why not? Based on the decisions that Bush has made to this point, do you see him being one who unites rather than divides? Explain your answer.

3. Youth political adviser Lindsey Ligett said, "Young people have become cynical about politics, and I don't see that changing." Why are young people cynical about politics? Is it important to care about politics? Why or why not? What will happen to a country whose constituents are indifferent about the political process? Explain.

4. What are the indications concerning the economy and job availability for young people in the next few years? Challenge students to look through Web sites and financial publications to see what the experts are predicting. They can write summaries of the opinions and explain how they expect these forecasts to affect their lives.

5. List the major events discussed in question No. 1 on the board. Ask students to pick one that is of significance to them to explore. They can report on the background of the situation, the current status and how they think the new presidency will affect the issue. Potential topics could include the following:

• Mideast crisis
• Crime in America
• Educational policies
• Social/ethical issues, such as medical research, abortion, mercy killing, gun control, etc.
• Environmental issues

New forest plan may start political brushfire
January 5, 2001

New Millennium Young Voters Project
Young voices: Why young voters aren't inspired
George W. Bush for president

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