Teaching with the News

Are We Winning the Global War on Terror?

In October 2003, seven months after the United States invaded Iraq, Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, wrote a memo to four of his subordinates. In his memo he asked his colleagues to consider a number of questions he had about the "Global War on Terror." In this lesson students will:

  • Read and evaluate a policy memo on the "Global War on Terror" from Donald Rumsfeld.
  • Consider whether and how the United States can determine the success or failure of the struggle against terrorism.
  • Work cooperatively in groups.

This lesson includes:

Lesson Plan: Are We Winning the Global War on Terror?

Memo: Global War on Terrorism, October 16, 2003

Questions for Students

Online Ballots

  • Terrorism: How should we respond? After consideration of this issue, we encourage students to make their views known. A report on student views will be developed.
  • The U.S. Role in the World gives students an opportunity to wrestle with larger question of the U.S. role in the world. What do they think about America's role? What issues are of most concern to them? What kind of world do they want in the 21st century?

Additional Resources from the Choices Program

Responding to Terrorism: Challenges for Democracy is a one-week unit that helps students explore the threats to the United States, the motivations of terrorists, and the challenges for our international and domestic response. Background readings prepare students to thoughtfully consider the policy choices facing our country.

 

 

Scholars Online provides video taped interviews with researchers designed for use in classrooms, for homework, and for professional development.

Supplemental Materials for Responding to Terrorism: Challenges for Democracy provides links to additional resourcesrelated to this issue.

Additional Online Resources

U.S. Department of State
Information on official U.S. policy on terrorism

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Information on threat levels and the functions of the Department

National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States
The web site of the 9.11 Commission

9/11 Public Discourse Project
A web site developed by ten members of the 9.11 Commission

Council on Foreign Relations
A website from the Council on Foreign Relations that provides clear information about terrorism

NOTE: This online lesson is an excellent entrée into the larger question of America's role in the world. The U.S. Role in a Changing World is a one-week curriculum unit that provides a substantive look at this larger question. The online student ballot on this topic provides an avenue for students to express their views after they have considered a range of perspectives.

  

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Review a list of Choices publications: In addition to its online resources, the Choices Program publishes a wide range of curriculum units on historical turning points and current issues. All published units include extensive background readings and accompanying lesson plans. Ordering is available online.