Presidential Day Analysis

This is for 11th American Government: Focus on Introduction

The White House is the home and office of the U.S. president. April 28, 1975, was a day like many others for President Gerald Ford. He rose early and had his breakfast. By 7:30 A.M., he was hard at work in the Oval Office. He met with advisers and other officials that morning and later gave a speech at the annual meeting of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. More appointments filled Ford's schedule, including a photo opportunity with Lisa Lyon, the Miss National Teenager of 1974–1975. Later he attended a meeting on the economy and energy policy in the White House Cabinet Room. But no day, however typical, is ordinary for the president of the United States. In the spring of 1975, the Vietnam War was entering its final days. The communist forces of North Vietnam were advancing on Saigon, the capital of U.S.-backed South Vietnam. It was clear that South Vietnam could fall at any moment. When that happened, the remaining Americans in Saigon would have to evacuate the city. Just after 7:00 P.M., President Ford learned that the North Vietnamese were shelling the U.S. air base at Saigon, making evacuation by plane impossible. He met with of the National Security Council to discuss the unfolding crisis. By 11:30 P.M., the shelling had stopped. But there was another problem, as Ford later wrote about in his autobiography: Refugees were streaming out onto the airport's runways, and our planes couldn't land. The situation there was clearly out of control. The only option left was to remove the remaining Americans, and as many South Vietnamese as possible, by helicopter from the roof of the U.S. embassy in Saigon. Choppers were standing by on the decks of U.S. Navy ships steaming off the coast, and just before midnight I ordered the final evacuation. Over the next sixteen hours we managed to rescue 6,500 U.S. and South Vietnamese personnel without sustaining significant casualties.

—A Time to Heal: The Autobiography of Gerald R. Ford, 1979 With the crisis resolved, Ford retired to his upstairs White House residence. It was 12:05 in the morning. As this day in the life of President Ford illustrates, the job of president involves many tasks and responsibilities. Some are routine, while others are immensely challenging. All require the skills of an effective leader. This lesson examines the qualities necessary in chief executives, along with the main features of the bureaucracies they run.

Carefully examine the appointments in the daily diary below. Then answer the questions.

What observations can you make about the president's schedule on this day? Show Answer Key
Why do you think the president has so many different types of appointments? Show Answer Key
Based on this daily diary, what are some of the president’s roles and responsibilities? Show Answer Key
What qualities do you think the president needs to fulfill these many roles? Show Answer Key

Grade: 11th

Subject: American Government – Introduction to the Presidency

Duration: 48 minutes

Class size: 25 Students

Common Core State Standards Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.2: Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Analyze a primary source diary entry to infer the daily responsibilities of the U.S. president.
Identify and describe the various roles and responsibilities of the president using evidence from the daily diary.
Evaluate the leadership qualities necessary for a president managing a diverse and challenging schedule.
Collaborate through group discussion to articulate insights on presidential duties and qualities.
Compose written responses that provide clear, evidence-based analysis of the president's daily activities.

Materials Needed

Copies of President Ford’s April 28, 1975 daily diary excerpt (printed or digital)
Whiteboard or smartboard and markers
Student notebooks or digital devices for writing
Timer or clock
Chart paper and markers for group work

Lesson Structure

1. Opening Activity – Engagement (5 minutes)

Start with a brief hook: Pose the question to the class, "If you were the president of the United States for a day, what kinds of activities or decisions might fill your schedule?"
Allow 2–3 students to share quick responses to activate prior knowledge about presidential duties.
State the lesson goal: To explore the real demands of the presidency through a documented day in the life of President Gerald Ford.

2. Reading & Initial Analysis (10 minutes)

Distribute the diary excerpt.
Read aloud the narrative describing President Ford’s day — call on different students to read segments to keep engagement high.
After reading, students silently review the diary, annotating for key points: appointments, challenges, times, and types of activities.
Direct focus on the distinction between routine tasks and crisis management, illustrating varied presidential roles.

3. Guided Discussion & Group Analysis (15 minutes)

Divide students into 5 groups of 5 students each. Assign each group one of the four questions from the excerpt:
1. Observations about the president’s schedule
2. Reasons behind diverse appointment types
3. President’s roles and responsibilities
4. Qualities needed to fulfill these roles
Each group uses chart paper or a digital document to draft evidence-based answers citing parts of the diary (practice citing textual evidence).
Teacher circulates, facilitating deeper thinking, guiding students to reference the text explicitly (aligned with CCSS RI.11-12.1).

4. Group Presentations & Whole-Class Synthesis (10 minutes)

Each group presents their answers (2 minutes max).
Encourage students to ask clarifying questions or add to other group points (fostering collaborative discussion per CCSS SL.11-12.1).
The teacher summarizes key insights on the board, highlighting the multifaceted nature of the presidency, including leadership during crises, public engagement, policy discussions, and logistical management.

5. Writing & Reflection (7 minutes)

Students write a brief paragraph in their notebooks responding to this prompt:
“Based on the diary and discussions, what leadership qualities do you think are most important for a president? Support your answer with evidence from President Ford’s day.”
Encourage use of specific diary examples and clear reasoning (addresses CCSS W.11-12.1).
Collect writings to assess understanding and ability to justify claims with textual support.

6. Closing and Teacher Summary (1 minute)

Reinforce the complexity and demands of the presidency as shown through a single day in President Ford’s life.
Preview next lesson topic: Detailed study on presidential roles from constitutional and practical perspectives.

Assessment

Formative: Observation and participation during group discussions and presentations.
Written: Paragraph response demonstrating textual evidence use and critical thinking.
Informal teacher check-in during group work to guide analysis.

Differentiation and Modifications

Provide annotated versions of the diary for students needing reading support.
Allow use of speech-to-text or additional writing time during the reflection writing task for students with writing challenges.
Challenge advanced learners to compare Ford’s day with a modern president’s daily schedule in a follow-up research homework task.

Extensions / Homework Suggestion

Have students interview family members or community leaders about leadership qualities they admire and report findings in a short essay. This personalizes leadership concepts and connects civics learning to real life.

Teacher Tips

Use historical photos of the White House and the Vietnam evacuation to provide visual context before reading.
Incorporate a stopwatch to time activities and mirror the structured scheduling of the presidency during the lesson.
Encourage students to "think like a president" by empathizing with the pressure of managing multiple urgent tasks.

This lesson provides 11th graders a vivid, primary-source-driven insight into the daily life of a U.S. president, aligned precisely with Common Core standards in reading, discussion, and writing, while nurturing critical thinking about leadership in American government.

Teaching Instructions