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General questions for class discussion or written essays What are the underlying themes and issues presented in the film? What did you like about the film? What did you dislike about the film? Did the film cause you to re-examine any assumptions you have lived with? How do you feel about the way information was presented in the film? What questions about the Bush presidency and the Iraq war are raised in the film? Has the film changed your opinions or perceptions of the Bush administration, government in general or the Iraq war in any way? If so, how? Did you think the film was patriotic? Do you think the film will or has influenced national or world politics? If so, to what degree? Do you think the film will have an effect on the November election? What is Bush's appeal to voters and how does it differ from Clinton's, Gore's or Kerry's appeal? How do you think the film was received in other parts of the world, such as Europe and the Middle East? Why were so few countries willing to support "Operation Iraqi Freedom?" Why do you think so many countries in the "Coalition of the Willing" are small and poor? Why do you think the United States has angered so many countries around the world? What can we do to change that, or do we need to? Why is it important to view the film from a historical perspective? Do you think the U.S. government was doing all it could to monitor potential terrorist attacks prior to 9/11? Has the fear of terrorism made the American people more likely to give up certain rights and freedoms? Do you think the fear of terrorism is exaggerated? Does the media play up or play down the fear factor? What role does the Bush administration play? Are you personally afraid of a terrorist attack? What is your definition of a terrorist? Do you feel that "terrorists" are bad and we are good? Is "terrorism" a relative term that varies depending on who is making the observation? Can you think of any North American people historically who might have viewed the USA as a terrorist state? In cities like Flint, where the jobless rate is 17 percent and poor people suffer and die needless deaths, is it fair to say they are suffering from a form of terrorism? Were you surprised that most lawmakers - if not all - did not read the USA Patriot Act before voting on it? How do you feel about the FBI having access to your medical records, library records and student records without your knowledge? How do we effectively search out potential terrorists without profiling people based on their race, religion or country of origin? Is it fair to single someone out for these reasons alone? With regard to the "War on Terror," would things be much different if Gore were now president? How about Kerry? Specifically, in what ways might it be different? How do you feel about the fact that Gore won the popular vote but not the presidency? Does this reflect a flaw in our democracy? What are the pros and cons of the Electoral College? How does the term "conflict of interest" apply to Florida's Katherine Harris? How should a democracy handle such a situation? Why do you suppose not one senator would back the objections of Congressional Black Caucus members? Why were only black members of the House objecting? Do you think it was simply because of Florida's disenfranchising thousands of African-American voters in the 2000 election or was there more to it? Do you have any problem with the Supreme Court's action in Gore v. Bush that ended the Florida recount? How would the United States be impacted if Saudi Arabian oil stopped flowing and Saudis pulled their $860 billion worth of investments out of the United States? Do you think Iraq's oil reserves - now second only to Saudi Arabia -- had anything to do with the Bush administration's decision to topple Saddam Hussein and send troops into Iraq? Why invade Iraq and not other countries that have even more ability to build weapons of mass destruction and other governments that are also known for human rights abuses? Should we invade other countries, too? Do you believe there was a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda prior to 9/11? Why do we continue to foster a close relationship with Saudi Arabia, which does not hold free elections and is known for its human rights violations and politically-controlled media? How do you feel about the Bush family's close ties with the Saudi royal family and the bin Ladens? How important is it to you that Bush's uncensored military records are made public? How much should our foreign policies or diplomatic relations be influenced by another country's human rights violations? Take a position and support it: In the film, Michael Moore proposes that -- under President Bush -- the White House and Pentagon are bent on serving the global interests of corporations. Do you agree or disagree? What are the benefits/disadvantages of using private entities over government agencies in the rebuilding of Iraq? Is the government saving money? Who is benefiting from this arrangement? How much influence have corporations had on previous administrations? Is the Bush administration any different in that regard? The United States government has spent approximately $200 billion on Iraq. List some alternative programs the money could have funded. Do you think the people of the United States would have voted for the war or the alternative programs? Why? If you believe most Americans would not have voted for the war, what does that mean in terms of our democratic system? Is it fair that a disproportionate number of America's poor are the first to die in military conflicts? Is it appropriate for the troops in Iraq (and those at home, such as Marine Cpl. Abdul Henderson) to publicly disagree with Bush's policies? In the film Michael Moore asks, "Were good kids sent to war based on a lie?" He also asks, "Will they ever trust us again?" Who is the "us" he's referring to? How would you answer these questions? What steps do you think the American government needs to take in order to effectively address terrorism and end the war in Iraq? Are there other things we should do besides beefing up security and sending troops abroad? What can we learn from the Vietnam War? How will things in our country and around the world have changed in 10 years? Twenty years and beyond? What do you think the "war on terror" will mean to your children and grandchildren? Is it a war that can be won? Should it be a war at all? Or is it more properly a matter for the criminal justice system and foreign diplomacy? Do you agree with the film's assertion that the economic elite see a need for "continuous war" to sustain themselves at the expense of the vast majority? What are some domestic or international policies that will need to change in order to make the world more peaceful and just in the years to come? What can you do to further what you believe in?
You can also download the Bowling For Columbine TEACHER'S GUIDE
Welcome to the Bowling For Columbine TEACHER'S GUIDE. The lessons and activities in this GUIDE are designed to help students develop critical thinking skills, historical analysis, and open their minds on many universal issues. The individual units may easily be adapted to many levels and taught across the curriculum - Social Science, [History, Civics, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science] Language Arts, [English, Writing, Poetry], Humanities, Drama/Theatre, Film, ESL, Media/Journalism, Speech/Communications... You can review the guide page by page on the website, download a PDF of each section or the whole guide. So, go do that magic we call education! And, be sure to share, share, share! We would love to hear from you. Send your feedback or ideas to share with other educators to: teacher@michaelmoore.com. Click here for the full, chapter by chapter Bowling For Columbine TEACHER'S GUIDE
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Table of Contents 2. General questions for class discussion or written essays 4. More in-depth questions for discussion or essays by topic 5. The United States and Iraq: Choices & Predictions 7. Silent Discussion of Fahrenheit 9/11 10. Thinking in Pictures, Feeling in Words 11. What is Terrorism? Who are the Terrorists? 13. Acknowledgements and Contributors
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