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Alpha Stage
Darfur
May 29, 2007




The New York Times is running an article entitled, "Bush to Tighten
Penalties Against Sudan."

The article begins, " President Bush announced today that he is
imposing stiff economic sanctions against Sudan and that he will press
the United Nations for additional action to end the violence in Darfur."

The article reports, "After the president's speech last month,
ambassadors from China, Russia and South Africa said they were not
yet convinced of the need for sanctions. In Beijing today, China's
representative on African affairs, Liu Guijin, told Reuters: "Expanding
sanctions can only make the problem more difficult to resolve." He
said that it was too soon to say whether China would veto any United
Nations resolution against Sudan, Reuters reported."

Read the Article!

Discussion-Starters for Younger Children

  • Have your students helped anybody do anything today? How
    and when did they help? Is it important to help other people?
    Why/why not?
  • Consider posting a "Helping Board" in your classroom.
    Every time students help somebody they can write
    down what they did and post it on the board.

  • Ask: If somebody is doing something that you don't like, what's
    the best way to get them to stop? Is it sometimes OK for other
    people to do things that you don't like? Why/why not?
  • Consider asking students to develop skits in which they
    demonstrate the answers to these questions.

  • If somebody else gets hurt, should you care? Why/why not?
  • Consider asking students to make a list of reasons that
    they should care. The entire class might develop a
    collaborative list.

  • If your friend asks you to do something should you always do
    it? Why/why not?
  • Consider making a T-Chart. On one side the class can
    list times when they should listen to their friends and on
    the other side they can list times when they should not
    listen to their friends.


Discussion-Starters for Older Students

  • Vocabulary terms to discuss: "Economic Sanctions"; Embargo;
    Reluctantly; and, Masquerade.

  • China is an important trading partner for the United States.
    China is also increasing its influence throughout Africa and
    Asia. The Chinese government has stated that it does not think
    that the nations of the world should impose economic sanctions
    on Sudan. How important should the Chinese perspective have
    been when the U.S. decided whether or not to impose
    economic sanctions on Sudan? Explain!
  • These questions might prompt an interesting class
    discussion.

  • Why should Americans care if innocent people are being killed
    in Darfur?
  • Consider asking students to respond to these questions
    in reflective papers.

  • An awful genocide is taking place in Darfur. What can we learn
    about human nature from these horrific events? Explain!
  • Consider asking students to develop political
    commentaries in response to these questions. Students
    can even blog or podcast their answers.
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