Iran/Contra-The Movie

Introduction

Who is Fawn Hall, and what does a paper shredder have to do with his anyway? Your groups will be researching the events of the Iran/Contra affair in order to make a movie about these events.

Guiding Questions

What was the Iran/Contra Affair? How does this affair highlight questions of constitutional authority? How does this affair underline goals of US foreign policy? Are US foreign policy goals ethical? What role did the media and government play influencing each other and how the public perceived these events?

Questions

1. Who were the Contras? What were they against? What was their relationship to the US? What was their relationship to cocaine? How does Iran come into this? What was Iran's relationship to the US at the time?
2. Who are: Admiral Poindexter, Ronald Reagan, Fawn Hall, Oliver North, Daniel Ortega, Ayatollah Khomeini, and George Herbert Walker Bush?
3. Regarding foreign policy, what roles, constitutionally, are reserved for the executive branch and legislative branch of the US government? What laws appeared to be violated during this affair? Who wrote those laws? Why? Who violated them?
4. What were US foreign policy goals in Nicaragua? In Iran? Why did we do the things we did?
5. What are ethics? What is the role of ethics in foreign policy? Were US ethics sacrificed by our actions in the Iran-Contra affair?
6. How did the media bring public attention to the government and influence government actions? How did the government use the media? What did most American believe/understand about these events in the end?

Internet Resources

Admiral Poindexter
Iran-Contra Affair (1983-1988)
Ronald Reagan
Walsh Iran/Contra Report - Fawn Hall
Stories-Oliver North
Daniel Ortega
History of Iran-Ayatollah Khomeini
George Herbert Walker Bush
Foreign policy
Iran and foreign policy
Foreign policy association

Your Task

You are asking a film company for funding and distribution for your movie. Show them:
A Script
A Storyboard
Posters
Commercials/Coming attractions
A note to teachers who would use this film in US History class

Martin Wolf, Teacher, developed this web hunt.

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Treasure Hunts

Land Mines and Unexploded Bombs -- a Global Issue

Introduction

Recently National Public Radio produced a show about the problem of land mines left over from the Vietnam War, in Laos, from over 25 years ago. Thousands of people have been killed or maimed by mines and unexploded bombs-- even children who find them at play. Since the Vietnam War there have been literally hundreds of wars on the planet, each using increasingly dangerous weapons, many of which have a half-life of hundreds of years. This web search will lead to investigative reports on the legacy of wars of the late 20^th century and what can be done about it.

Guiding Question

What can an ordinary citizen do regarding the problem of land mines?

Questions

1. Where are mines and unexploded bombs a major problem?
A. In Asia?
B. In Latin America?
C. In Europe?
D. In Africa?
2. How did they get there and when?
3. What is the extent of injury to humans in the post-war years?
4. What economic and environmental damage do the mines and bombs do? Exploded and unexploded?
5. What local efforts are being made to remove the mines and bombs?
6. What techniques/procedures are used?
7. What international efforts are being made to deal with the problem?
8. Are any efforts being made to involve the countries/ forces responsible for these explosives in the cleanup efforts?
9. What companies/countries manufacture mines/bombs? What other products do these companies make?
10. Does the U.S. government take a position on the use of mines/bombs? On a treaty banning them?
11. What do editorial writers in major papers and magazines have to say on the issue?

Internet Resources

GICHD
Land Mines - Where they are
Land Mines - History
Land Mine Survivors Network
Effects
People
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
GICHD studies - Socio-economics
People Against Landmines
Action
United Nations Mine Action Service
Executive Summary LM2000
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MINE BAN TREATY
U.S. Policy
Getting Rid of Land Mines
Deadly Legacy
More information

Activities

1. Select a continent where land mines are an issue and draw a map showing affected countries. Annotate cities with source information about conflicts.
2. Make a sketch of a land mine and how it works.
3. Write a justification for the continued use of land mines from a military perspective.
4. Write a biography about a person who has survived an explosion.
5. Make a graph showing the estimated number of land mines in countries around the world.
6. Write a poem in the person of a parent who must live in an area where mines and bombs are a danger.
7. Write a journal in the persona of a "sapper," a person who searches for and dismantles land mines.
8. Write a newspaper feature about a person who is working with victims of land mines.
9. Draw up a list of actions that private citizen could take to address the land mine issue.
10. Write a letter to a U.S. Congress member, urging him or her to take a certain position on the issue.

Mike Monley, Teacher, and Trevor Claiborne, AP student, collaborated to develop this web hunt.

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