Presidential Address on the Economy

Tonight, the President will hold a prime time press conference to answer questions on the economy and encourage support for the plan to combat the banking crisis released yesterday by Treasury Secretary Tim Geither. This press conference presents another great opportunity to use POTUS Bingo with your students and make the content of the speech accessible to your students.
POTUS Bingo begins with a discussion of the speech topic during the class prior to the address, with the teacher providing background information about the topic of the speech and students filling out their Bingo cards. Then, as a homework or in-class assignment, hand out POTUS Bingo card for your students to use while they watch the speech (in class via the web, or at home during the broadcast). In the next class session, you can use the cards as a discussion starter or a tool to analyze the president’s statements.

The National Constitution Center has created another interesting classroom-ready resources that will enable your students enter the conversation. The Center's Town Hall Wall, currently on display in the museum, asks the question, "Should the federal government expand its control over the economy to restore economic health?"

Each of these resources will make this complex, and at times, difficult to understand issue accessible to your students. And be sure to follow the latest news on the President's plan to restore the economy on the Constitution Newswire, updated each day.