Did your students watch the presidential debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney on October 3? If not, see the New York Times for:
- Video highlights
- Transcript of the debate
Get a discussion going with some or all of the questions below. (Or, ask students to pick a question that they will write about.)
- What was your reaction to the presidential debate?
- Did your opinion of the two candidates change while watching the debate? Why or why not?
- Did either candidate say something that completely surprised you?
- Whose positions and points of views most closely match your own? Explain.
- Did your positions on any issues change as a result of the debate? If so, how?
- Who do you think "won" the debate and why? Do you think who "won" is the most important thing about a debate?
- Did you watch the debate with anyone? What was their reaction?
- Did anything in the debate inspire or excite you?
- What topics discussed at the debate are of most interest to young people, do you think?
- Did the moderator ask all the questions you most wanted answered? If not, what questions would you have added if you were moderator?
- If the election was held tomorrow and you could vote, who would you vote for and why?
- If you were writing a closing statement for either of the candidates, what would it be?
For a fuller discussion of some major issues in the election, see our TeachableMoment lessons, including