Deviation from the lesson plan

Right now with my 8th graders, we are studying the beginning of the American Revolution. My plan yesterday was to teach them about the Battle of Bunker Hill, but I was caught off guard by my 7th period class and the questions they had.

While talking about the uncertainty and fears that men feel while going into combat, I had just finished making a comparison between the men at Bunker Hill and our soldiers in Iraq. That prompted some raised hands, and the questions quickly made it apparent to me that (not surprisingly), my students have absolutely no clue what is going on in that country. The number one misunderstanding that I was happy to correct was my students' belief that we are fighting the Iraqi army.

On the contrary, I told them; we are training, equipping, and often fighting side-by-side with the Iraqi army against the terrorists who are trying to destroy the country. My mention of the terrorists prompted another student to raise his hand and ask me who the "insurgents" were.
And so on and son it went. These students had so many questions about our current war, but apparently no one has taken the time to answer them. I hope I remedied some of that yesterday.

Good Day to You, Sir