Free Lesson Plans for Teachers: Confession

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Free Lesson Plans for Teachers
Alpha Stage

Confession
March 15, 2007

The Washington Post is running an article entitled, "Alleged
Architect of 9/11 Confesses to Many Attacks."

According to the article, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed said, "I was
responsible for the 9/11 operation, from A to Z..For sure, I'm
American enemies."

Mohammed drew parallels between the leadership of al-Qaeda and
George Washington's army.
Read the Article!!

Discussion-Starters for Younger Children

Ask your students to think of one way that they've been
mean to somebody else (or misbehaved in some other way).
Once somebody misbehaves or is mean to somebody else is
there anything that he/she can do to make the situation
better? What do the words, "I'm sorry" mean?

Consider asking students to pretend that they are the
authors of a dictionary. They should write the
definition of "I'm Sorry."

If somebody is mean to a lot of people do other people have
a right to be mean to him/her? If somebody hurts a lot of
people do other people have a right to hurt him/her?
Why/why not?

Consider asking students to list three rules about how
somebody should treat somebody else who has been
mean to them or hurt them?

Have your students ever argued with somebody over the
right way to do something. What did they argue about? How
did they end up solving the argument? Looking back, do
your students think that one person was definitelty right and
the other definitely wrong? Why/why not?

Students could draw a picture depicting the nature of
the argument.

If your students could meet any one famous person, from
either the present or the past, whom would they like to
meet? Why?

What kinds of questions would they ask this person?
Consider asking other students to pretend that they
are this individual. Invite them to answer the
questions the way they think the person would
answer them.

Discussion-Starters for Older Students

Vocabulary terms to discuss: Alleged; Transcripts;
Interrogation; and, Tribunal.

Mohammed compared Osama bin Laden to George
Washington. Do your students think that this is a logical
comparison? Why/why not?

Students could write a "conversation" between
Osama bin Laden and George Washington. Would
Washington agree that he and bin Laden are similar?

Mohammed sees himself as justified in his actions. Challenge
your students to explain why Mohammed might see himself
as justified? Do your students think that Mohammed's
behavior was justified? Why/why not?

These questions could prompt an interesting class
discussion.

Many have alleged that the United States government
tortured Mohammed in order to make him reveal important
information. Should the United States government ever have
the right to torture an individual? Why/why not? What if the
interrogation discovers that the individual is actually
innocent? What if tens/hundreds/thousands of lives are saved
because of the torture?

Students could respond to these questions in
persuasive essays. They could be asked to refer to
core democratic values in their essays.

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