JANUARY 22, 2001
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Focus Lesson: The Battle over John Ashcroft | Teacher Tip | The Writer's Craft | Words of the Week | TIME Weekly Quiz | Building Analytical Skills
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TIME Capsule: The Embattled Nomination of Zoe Baird | Take A Stand
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TEACHER TIP
Provided by: Close Up Foundation
The Nation’s Largest Nonpartisan Citizenship Education Organization
With the inauguration of George W. Bush slated for January 20, this is a good moment for students to reflect on the qualifications a President should possess based on the requirements of the office as outlined in the Constitution.
Copy the presidential oath of office onto the board. "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."
In a ten-minute brainstorming session, have class members list on the board the personal and professional qualities that they think a person must possess to fulfill the presidential oath.
Then have students read Article II of the Constitution. Ask them to list the President’spowers as outlined in the Constitution. Next to each presidential power, have them list qualifications that would enable a candidate to execute that power effectively.
Finally, in a class discussion, add these qualifications to the brainstorming session ideas to develop a comprehensive list of qualifications. Are there some qualifications that are not explicitly related to the Constitution, but that are nonetheless desirable qualities for a President to possess?
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