Free Lesson Plans for Teachers: Let's Make a Deal

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Free Lesson Plans for Teachers
Alpha Stage

Let's Make a Deal
February 20, 2007

The New York Times is running an article entitled, "Merger Would
End Satellite Radio's Rivalry."

According to the article Sirius and XM radio companies have
announced plans to merge.

The article states, "The two companies, which report close to 14
million subscribers, hoped to revolutionize the radio industry with a
bevy of niche channels offering everything from fishing tips to salsa
music, and media personalities like Howard Stern and Oprah Winfrey,
with few commercials. But neither has yet turned an annual profit and
both have had billions in losses."
Read the Article!!

Discussion-Starters for Younger Children

Ask your students if they like listening to the radio. Why/why
not? Do they prefer listening to the radio or watching television?

Consider developing a list of pros and cons as to why
students do/don't enjoy listening to the radio. The class
could also develop a Venn Diagram comparing listening
to the radio to listening to an MP3 player or music over
the Internet.

Ask your students what it means to get married. Do they have
things in their home that belonged to either their mother or their
father before they got married?

Consider asking your students to make a list of the
material items that their mothers brought to the marriage
and the material items that their fathers brought to the
marriage. Obviously, they will need to ask their parents
for help with this list. (Note: Be mindful of students who
come from non- traditional families.)

Do your students think that it's OK to cuss on the radio? Is it
worse to cuss on the radio or in person?

Consider asking students to develop a radio commentary
in which they answer these questions. They could work
in groups.

Have your students ever combined their collection of something
(e.g., toys, cards, etc.) with somebody else? Why did they
combine their collection with somebody else? Did this sharing
work the way they wanted? Why/why not?

You might consider pairing your class with another
class in the school that has different toys/educational
manipulatives. Allow students from either class to use
both sets of items. Afterwards debrief with your
students: How did they like getting to use both sets of
items? What kinds of problems did they encounter
during the activity? Would they like to do this again?
Why/why not?

Discussion-Starters for Older Children

Vocabulary terms to discuss: Merger; Monopoly; Mating;
Opining.

The article explains that government officials will have to
decide if this merger would create a monopoly. Do your
students think that MP3 players and the Internet should be
considered as competitors to radio companies? Why/why not?

Consider asking students to respond to these questions
in writing. You might even ask them to conduct a
survey of others and include an explanation of the
responses in their essays.

Howard Stern's nickname has always been "The Shock Jock."
What does this nickname mean? A National Association of
Broadcasters statement said, "Policy makers will have to weigh
whether an industry that makes Howard Stern its poster child
should be rewarded with a monopoly,” What does this
statement mean? Why might the broadcasters' association be
opposed to this merger?

Consider holding a debate in which you ask students if
they believe that people like Howard Stern should be
allowed to host radio programs on which they can cuss
and discuss inappropriate topics? What is the definition
of an inappropriate topic?

Fifteen years ago people did not know about satellite radio
companies or MP3 players. In another fifteen years, how do
your students think that people will access music?

Consider asking students to respond to this question in
groups of two or three.

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