Aug. 29-Sept. 4, 2013, Current Events Lesson Plan
Current Event:
American intelligence agencies believe that the Syrian government recently attacked its own people with chemical weapons. According to the agencies, the death toll from the attack on a Damascus suburb totaled 1,429, including 426 children. In response to the attack, U.S. President Barack Obama met with key congressional committee leaders to press for congressional approval of a military response against Syria. The president told congressional leaders that any U.S. military strike on Syria will be “limited and proportional,” again declaring that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be held accountable for the attack. Congress was expected to begin debate on the Syrian situation during the week of September 8. In Paris, French President Francois Hollande called for a united European response to the attack. However, the British House of Commons voted against participating in any military intervention in Syria.
Objective:
Syria is an Arab country in southwestern Asia. It has rolling plains, fertile river valleys, and barren deserts. Damascus is the country’s capital and one of its largest cities. Syria is an ancient land with a rich cultural heritage. Some of the oldest-known civilizations existed in this region. Most Syrians are Muslim Arabs. Syria is a republic. The president, who is elected by the people, is Syria’s head of state and most powerful government official. In March 2011, antigovernment protests erupted in several Syrian cities. Protesters called for greater political freedom, the release of political prisoners, and the removal of President Bashar al-Assad. The protests led to an open, armed rebellion against Bashar’s government. United Nations (UN) officials estimate that the bitter civil war has killed more than 100,000 people. The UN also estimates that more than 2 million people have become refugees. The Behind the Headlines news story and related World Book articles explore Syria.
Words to know:
- Barack Obama
- Bashar al-Assad
- Chemical-biological-radiological warfare (CBR)
- Damascus
- Fertile Crescent
- Francois Hollande
- Middle East
- Syria
- United Nations
Discussion Topics:
1. Syria is a Middle Eastern country. Ask your students to name other Middle Eastern countries. (Students might say Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia.)
2. Ask your students what they know about Syria. (Students might say that Syria lies at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea; Aleppo is the country’s largest city; petroleum is one of the country’s most important natural resources; the Assyrian, Babylonian, Greek, Ottoman, Persian, and Roman empires have controlled Syria; the country has some of the world’s oldest cities.)
3. Ask your students to debate: “The United Nations should respond militarily whenever a country uses chemical or biological weapons.”
4. Ask your students to use World Book’s Timelines feature to create a timeline of the history of Syria. (Students may wish to use the history section of World Book’s Syria article for help.)