Common Core State Standard L.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: Video of a current news event is presented for discussion to encourage student participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the video. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.
06/05/2017
Trump reacts to London terror attack with tweets
President Donald Trump’s initial reaction to news of the terror attack that killed at least seven people in London was a Twitter message promoting his travel ban which has been tied up in the courts. He followed up with tweets offering support, attacking political correctness, criticizing gun control supporters and assailing London’s Muslim mayor with a quote apparently taken out of context.
■Class discussion: Is tweeting an appropriate way for the president to react to world events? Are tweets better than a formal statement of condolences to the victims or holding a press conference about the situation? Are tweets more honest? How have foreign leaders reacted to the tweets? Do Trump’s tweets appear to deal more with political goals than the terror attack?