President Obama’s Address to Students Across America September 8, 2009

DRUDGE ^ | 9/1/2009 | PDF

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

From what I read a couple of days ago....a letter was sent to all principals nationwide.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Check this out:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6678944.html

[COUNTrecount]

1
PreK-6 Menu of Classroom Activities:
President Obama’s Address to Students
Across America
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 and motivate students by asking the following questions: Who is the President of the United States? What do you think it takes to be President? To whom do you think the President is going to be speaking? Why do you think he wants to speak to you? What do you think he will say to you?

Teachers can ask students to imagine being the President delivering a speech to all of the students in the United States. What would you tell students? What can students do to help in our schools? Teachers can chart ideas about what they would say.

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:

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-taking graphic organizer such as a Cluster Web, or students could record their thoughts on sticky notes. Younger children can draw pictures and write as appropriate. As students listen to the speech, they could think about the following: What is the President trying to tell me? What is the President asking me to do? What new ideas and actions is the President challenging me to think about?

Students can record important parts of the speech where the President is asking them to do something. Students might think about: What specific job is he asking me to do? Is he asking anything of anyone else? Teachers? Principals? Parents? The American people?

Students can record any questions they have while he is speaking and then discuss them after the speech. Younger children may need to dictate their questions.
After the Speech:

Teachers could ask students to share the ideas they recorded, exchange sticky notes or stick notes on a butcher paper poster in the classroom to discuss main ideas from the speech, i.e. citizenship, personal responsibility, civic duty.

Students could discuss their responses to the following questions: What do you think the President wants us to do? Does the speech make you want to do anything? Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us? What would you like to tell the President?

Teachers could encourage students to participate in the Department of Education’s “I Am What I Learn” video contest.
On September 8
th
the Department will invite K-12 students to submit a 2
video no longer than 2 min, explaining why education is important and how their education will help them achieve their dreams. Teachers are welcome to incorporate the same or a similar video project into an assignment. More details will be released via www.ed.gov
.
Extension of the Speech: Teachers can extend learning by having students

Create posters of their goals. Posters could be formatted in quadrants or puzzle pieces or trails marked with the labels: personal, academic, community, country. Each area could be labeled with three steps for achieving goals in those areas. It might make sense to focus on personal and academic so community and country goals come more readily.

Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.

Write goals on colored index cards or precut designs to post around the classroom.

Interview and share about their goals with one another to create a supportive community.

Participate in School wide incentive programs or contests for students who achieve their goals.

Write about their goals in a variety of genres, i.e. poems, songs, personal essays.

Create artistic projects based on the themes of their goals.

Graph student progress toward goals.

[svcw]

So now barry is doing lesson plans for teachers?

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Here we go. He’s going to be on in the evening, too.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1192282.html

[dinoparty]

Holy crap, that memo is very creepy. It keeps referring to “helping the President” — as if that is the point of service. It also implies that we need to listen to and obey politicians — that is unAmerican.

[RebelTXRose]

I hope parents will be able to “opt out” for their children.
My 18 year old son is FINALLY getting it!

[LibFreeUSA]

Here are some reader comments at docstoc.com :

OBAMA ONE VERY DANGEROUS MAN
- "I wonder if the teachers would have embraced George Bush doing this. Somehow I don't think so. I for one will be keeping my kids home on this day, maybe we will use the day to reinforce our founding principles and how they are slipping away from us. Obama is a dangerous individual, very dangerous!!!

KEEPING MY CHILDREN HOME
- "I will be keeping my children home this day. I will not have my children brain washed by the teachers or by Obama. We are on to his "community organizing tactics" and I don't think they help America. Children are in school to be taught and I've already heard they are wanting to teach them to go home and count people in their homes. What's happening to our country?"

POOR TIMING POOR JUDGEMENT
- "Aside from the issue of indoctrination how narcissistic is it for the Obama administration to think that entire school districts are simply going to stop all of their planned and/or mandatory school curriculum plans to do these activities much less listen to his speech? Does he really think that he can craft ... or his writers can craft ... a speech that will hold all of those kids' attention for that long? Honestly, the depth of arrogance of this administration is beyond the pale. The time they take out of the already planned school day will force them to make it up at some other point. And, not all schools have access to the technology necessary to put his little show on. If they do have access there isn't enough to of the technology to go around. Prez and his admin need to come back to the real world."

[Jo Nuvark]

INDOCTRINATION ... vs ... EDUCATION

Obummer is going to speak to students September 8th.
Imagine if Bush had planned something like this? State
run schools all across the nation would have planned a trip
to the zoo.

Perhaps - on September 8th - parents (or Grandparents)
should also plan to take their children to the zoo. It would
be educational.

I’m just sayin’...

**************************************************

“Lord, there is no one like You to help the
powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord
our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name
we have come against this vast army. O Lord,
You are our God; do not let man prevail against
You.” (2Chronicles 14:11)

[eeevil conservative]

I am literally going to be sick....

[Neverforget01]

Going to tell kids to participate in service activities on 9/11 I bet. Here we go! Erasing 9/11.

[24-7Freeper]

Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.

WTF!?? Make them accountable? This is insane!

[TexasFreeper2009]

Hands off my kids you dictator!

[Retired Greyhound]

Seriously, I agree.

DO NOT SEND YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL ON SEPTEMBER 8th.

[fujimoh]

Glad I don’t have kids in school! Obama has psychological problems and I would not want him anywhere within earshot of my kids! Nor dogs because the dogs would piss on the source!

[Right Wing Assault]

Kids, tell you parents they need to buy the new, small electric cars GM is going to sell or we are going to ruin the planet. Also tell them that if we don’t pass cap and trade, the polar bears are going to drown in boiling water. And tell them if they don’t pass a full government health insurance reform with the public option, they are being selfish. If you don’t understand what I just said, that’s OK. After I am done, your teachers will spend the rest of the day having you memorize the little cards they are handing out.”

“The most important thing: have a sad face when you do your little speech. Make it like you are almost going to cry. If they start asking questions or criticize what you said, start crying and say, ‘I don’t want the planet ruined! I don’t want the polar bears boiled! I want you to help others and not be selfish!’ Then break down into miserable sobs. After a while, tone it down a bit but keep little whimpers and sniffles going until bedtime. If you father say, ‘Shut the hell up or I’ll kick your ass!’ then remember what Eddie Murphy said and shut the hell up. Next day, report him on our special web page http://youcan.snitchonyourparents.gov.";

“Fo shizzle, I gots to bounce! Obama, out, y’all.”

[sassy steel magnolia]

I’m glad I am no longer a teacher in public schools! Left that field MANY years ago, thank God! And, I’m very glad my daughter is in a Christian private school...

Bet the teachers are having to totally redo their lesson plans, including the teaching objectives they’re mandated under No Child Left Behind... (or as my sister and niece who are both public school teachers say: No Teacher Left Alone)just to have this ridiculousness going on in their classes. Oh, and let’s not forget how complacent the NEA is in this, too. Surprised if there aren’t ACORN volunteers passing out pencils in the classroom while the speech is going on...

This is adding to my migraines...

[Godwin1]

There is a totalitarian, Cult of Personality element here that is frightening. The President, through his political hack Duncan—a guy who failed totally to improve the Chicago public schools—is demanding direct access to the impressionable minds of our youngsters. In a prior life,I lived for a time in an African dictatorship, (Togo in the eighties.) There the Leader also demanded direct access to the nation's kids, through the available low tech medium of Leader comic books distributed in the schools. Obama’s message may be benign. But the medium is frightening. Our kids are being taught that mediating institutions like family,church, local government, and community groups are superfluous. They are being taught, however subtly, that the Central Government and it Leader are the sources of all guidance, including on things as mundane as why they should do their homework. Thanks, but stay away from our kids, Mr. President. We,their parents, will encourage them to do their homework. And to wash their hands and brush their teeth. And even, though you may not like it, to say their prayers.

[eeevil conservative]

I wrote to a friend (school board member), told him that I would not let Obama MOW MY LAWN!

no way he is talking to my kids...

[fujimoh]

Personally, I’d see if they can leave Phillip Garrido’s backyard the way it is so that we can have Obama move in ... locks from the outside only :D

Just a thought!

[pabianice]