### Title: Analyzing U.S. Interests Globally through Student-Driven Debates and Group Work
**Synopsis:**
In today’s class, students actively participated in exploring and debating U.S. interests in various global contexts, simulating the roles of diplomats and government officials. The session aimed to reinforce their understanding of international policy through group presentations, fostering a hands-on examination of policy impacts, challenges, and strategies. This approach was designed to prepare students for their upcoming diplomatic scenario reports and the final policy analysis paper.
### Attendance:
– No explicit mention of absences except for a delayed response from online students concerning participation in group activities.
### Topics Covered:
1. **Introduction and Recap**:
– Reminder of the impending due date for diplomatic scenario reports.
– Brief overview of the upcoming final project involving a policy analysis paper.
2. **Q&A Session on Diplomatic Scenario Report**:
– The teacher addressed inquiries about report requirements, formatting, content, and citations.
3. **Group Activity on U.S. Interests**:
– Students reviewed U.S. global interests from previous sessions, were tasked with selecting an interest, and discussed these in newly formed groups.
– Each group was responsible for preparing a presentation from the perspective of a diplomat character to outline how a specific U.S. interest is pursued in various countries.
4. **Group Presentations and Strategy Formulation**:
– Groups presented their analyses, outlining the common themes, differences, and unique challenges faced by the U.S. in different geographic and political contexts.
– Discussions aimed to draft cohesive strategies for U.S. foreign policy that are adaptable, respectful of local customs, and effective in coordination with international partners.
### Actionable Items:
– **Review of Group Assignments and Participation**:
– Ensure that all students are responsive and contribute to group activities, especially in online settings.
– **Preparation for Next Steps**:
– Encourage students to incorporate feedback from today’s activity into their diplomatic scenario reports.
– Begin laying the groundwork for the policy analysis paper, ensuring students understand expectations and objectives.
### Homework:
– Complete and submit the Diplomatic Scenario Report by the following evening.
– Review guidelines concerning structure, content, and citation requirements on e-course.
– Prepare for the transition to working on the policy analysis paper, selecting a specific U.S. policy for in-depth analysis.
Overall, today’s class was highly interactive, focusing on critical thinking and collaborative analysis, essential skills for understanding complex international relations and policy impacts.