Aim #2: What role do debates play in United States presidential elections? Homework: Tonight, the first presidential debate will be televised from Hofstra University at 9:00 pm on CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, the cable news networks and CSPAN. The debate will be divided into six segments of 15 minutes each. Each segment will start with a question from moderator Lester Holt, after which each candidate will have two minutes for an initial response and then will be allowed to respond to each other. Topics of the debate include: “America's Direction,” “Achieving Prosperity,” and “Securing America.” Your assignment is to watch at least the first 40-45 minutes of the debate and take notes on three of the topics that are discussed.

What’s At Stake in the 2016 Presidential Election Wrap-Up Do Now: Based on your research, which candidate would you most likely support if the election was held today? Use evidence to justify your response.

Reflection Assignment (write at least 8-9 sentences) Which candidate was more effective at conveying his/her point for each of the topics during the debate? Did you learn anything new from either of the candidates? In your opinion, did one candidate clearly do better than the other? Explain citing specific examples from your chart.

Concluding Question How do you think the Internet and social media will change how presidential debates are conducted in the future? Are debates still a worthwhile means for voters to judge candidates?