Lesson plan; Nelson Mandela vs Donald Trump

What do they have in common?

A lot, according to the latter. Donald Trump said in a speech in New Hampshire, ” I don’t mind being Nelson Mandela”.

Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1

Competence goals.

• use a rich, precise, and varied language of a general and subject-specific nature in an appropriate and situation-adapted way both in writing and speaking
• produce different types of written and oral academic texts with clear content, appropriate style, and structure
• show independent reflection and critical thinking in reading and discussing different types of texts

Lesson plan

Activity 1: Read and watch about Trump’s rally in New Hampshire.

• Instructions: Read the article and watch the clip of Trump’s speech. Take notes on the following:
  • What are the main points of Trump’s speech?
  • What message is Trump trying to convey?
  • How does Trump use language and imagery to persuade his audience?
• Discussion:
  • What did you learn about Trump from his speech?
  • How did Trump’s speech make you feel?
  • Do you agree or disagree with Trump’s message? Why

Activity 2:  Watch the speech by Mandela, where he talks about the importance of sports.

• Instructions: Take notes on the following:
  • What are the main points of Mandela’s speech?
  • What message is Mandela trying to convey?
  • How does Mandela use language and imagery to persuade his audience

Activity 3: Compare quotes from Mandela and Trump.

Look at these two articles and compare quotes from Nelson Mandela and Donald Trump. Write down the best quotes from each. PS, you can listen to the article in Britannica.

• Instructions: Select one quote from Mandela and one quote from Trump. Compare and contrast the two quotes in terms of their message, tone, and significance.
• Prompt: What do these quotes reveal about the different values and priorities of Mandela and Trump?

Activity 4: Summarize the lives of Mandela and Trump in a short paragraph.

• Instructions: Write a short paragraph summarizing the lives of Nelson Mandela and Donald Trump. Focus on the most important events and accomplishments in each man’s life, as well as their legacies.
• Prompt: How did Mandela and Trump’s different backgrounds and experiences shape their lives and legacies?

Activity 5: 

Write a personal essay reflecting on what you have learned about leadership and social justice through this lesson. Discuss how the lives and legacies of Nelson Mandela and Donald Trump have shaped your understanding of these topics.

Background

• Trump’s comparison: Former President Donald Trump compared himself to Nelson Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and anti-apartheid activist, as he claimed to be a victim of political persecution by prosecutors who are targeting him and his businesses¹.
• Trump meant that he was willing to face the legal consequences of his actions, just like Nelson Mandela did when he fought against apartheid. However, many people disagree with Trump’s comparison and think that he is not a hero like Mandela, but a criminal who abused his power and lied to the public¹². Trump also claimed that he was being persecuted by the prosecutors for political reasons, but there is no evidence to support his allegation.
• Trump’s cases: Trump is facing four criminal indictments and civil trials that span allegations of inflating his worth, misclassifying hush money payments, illegally trying to overturn his 2020 election loss, and hoarding classified documents³.

Nelson Mandela:

1. Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa.
2. He was imprisoned for 27 years for his opposition to apartheid, a system of racial segregation and discrimination.
3. After his release from prison, Mandela became a global icon for peace and reconciliation.
4. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for his work to end apartheid.
5. Mandela died in 2013 at the age of 95.

Donald Trump:

1. Donald Trump is the 45th and former president of the United States.
2. He is a businessman and television personality.
3. Trump is known for his controversial rhetoric and policies.
4. He was impeached by the House of Representatives in 2019, but acquitted by the Senate.
5. Trump lost his re-election bid in 2020 to Joe Biden.