Before Watching:
- President Reagan addressed the United States after the nation was shaken by the explosion of the Challenger space shuttle mid-flight. The disaster was broadcast live. What do you think his audience wanted him to say about this?
- Be prepared to consider how the speech is organized and to listen for main thesis statements.
After Watching:
- What do you think was the most powerful statement made in the speech?
- How would you describe the tone of the speech?
- What was Reagan wanting to persuade people to do or think?
- How was the speech organized? By chronology, by spatial description, by cause and effect, or by audience?
- If he had been speaking in front of a live audience instead of a camera, how might the speech have been different?