Review the Academic Content Standards related to this lesson. Express their initial reactions to an Interior Department proposition to allow Hopi Indians, in preparation for a religious ceremony, to take golden eagle hatchlings from a federal wildlife sanctuary and to eventually kill them. Debate, representing multiple viewpoints, the proposal explored in the article. Defend their personal views on the issue by writing short speeches to present to Congress.
Students then share their answers.
Explain to students that they will be taking part in a debate about the issue explored in the New York Times article, representing their group's assigned role. Allow each group ten to fifteen minutes to solidify their understanding of the issues and their assigned group's viewpoint by reviewing the article to develop arguments for or against the petition. Then, arrange students' chairs in a circle, making sure that students are seated with the other members of their group, and place four chairs in the center. Explain that one student from each group will come to the center of the circle for each question posed and will respond to the question from the point of view of their group. After the debate concludes, students can evaluate what group they believe made the strongest case for or against this law.