Lamont Defeats Lieberman (Lesson Ideas)

Yesterday in Connecticut, challenger Ned Lamont beat incumbent Senator Joseph Lieberman for the Democratic nomination for one of the state's two senate seats. The Washington Post reports, "Lieberman publicly conceded the primary shortly after 11 p.m., after a congratulatory call to Lamont. But he appeared almost exuberant in defeat, telling supporters at a hotel in Hartford that he planned to run as an independent in November and predicting that he would be returned to the Senate for a fourth term." One of the reasons that this is such an incredible story and useful for even younger elementary school classrooms is that Lieberman has vowed to now run in the November general election as an independent.

Lesson Ideas:
Students should understand the followning terms:
A. Primary Election (For young students you might simply refer to this as first election)
B. General Election (You might refer to this as second election for younger students)
C. Senator

1. Ask students if they think that it is right for Joseph Lieberman to run as an independent after being defeated in the primary. (Encourage students to explain what they think the word "right" means.) They should definitely support their opinions.
2.Tell students to pretend that they are Joseph Lieberman and to explain why its acceptable to run in the general election as an independent.
3. Ask students why this state story in Connecticut is being written about in newspapers all over the country, including the U.S.A. Today. What are its national implications?
4. The newspaper article explains that this election was a referendum on the War in Iraq. Joe Lieberman is in favor of keeping troops in Iraq and Ned Lamont wants to bring them hom. Ned Lamont won which indicates that the people in Connecticut likely want to bring the troops home. Ask students to write an editorial explaining whether or not they think the troops should be brought home quickly, and why.
5. In order to really motivate students to think critically, you might ask them to create a dance in which they examine the thought process that Joseph Lieberman might have gone through as he decided whether or not to run as an independent in the general election.