Today we looked at the power of words as shown by a couple of our most notable presidents: President Barack Obama and President Ronald Reagan. Prior to looking at President Obama’s “Yes We Can” campaign speech, the students shared what they already knew about him and were informed of more of his background.
We discussed the ways in which President Obama’s speaking style emulates that of Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. and how it differs from it. Thereafter, we talked about President Ronald Reagan, his notable moments as president, and some background information with regard to his “Tear Down this Wall” speech at the Berlin Wall toward the end of the Cold War.
The students were then challenged to write a speech as if they were running for President of the United States. Most students were to start on this for homework.
“If I Were President”
TASK: Write a first draft of a speech in which you will state the issues you would tackle as president, why you think they are important issues, and what solutions you have to resolve these issues. Your goal is to be persuasive and to use facts and examples to support your points.
Homework:
- Read for 30 minutes.
- Finish “If I Were President” assignment
- Work to input “Dear Dr. King” letter into KidBlog
- Study for tomorrow’s quiz over Lesson 9 in “Vocabulary from Classical Roots”
PowerPoint:
