In this lesson, students critically examine the concept of representative democracy and its importance to American government. Students learn the difference between descriptive and agency representation as well as analyze the current demographic trends of the North Carolina General Assembly and United States Congress.

Students will explore the definition of a citizen, as well as the traits ideal and negative citizens possess. They will then discuss the responsibilities of citizens in depth by participating in an acting exercise and discussing the themes illustrated in the scenes. Ideally, this activity will culminate with a volunteer event or service learning project.

In this lesson, students explore the various options for ending the war with Japan by simulating a meeting of President Truman’s advisory committee.  Students will also evaluate Truman’s decision to drop two atomic bombs on Japan. This activity is adapted from a lesson by the Constitutional Rights Foundation (http://www.crf‐usa.org/bill‐of‐rights‐in‐action/bria‐15‐3‐b‐choices‐truman‐hirohito‐and‐the‐atomic‐bomb.html.)

In this lesson, students participate in a kinesthetic activity in which they review various quotes by and regarding Abraham Lincoln, discussing the various ideas and attitudes exhibited by America’s sixteenth president.  Students will then read Walt Whitman’s “Oh Captain!  My Captain” and create their own poem based on Abraham Lincoln.

In this lesson, students will explore the motives of Christopher Columbus's 1492 exploration, the controversy surrounding the changes Columbus's voyages initiated, and the impact of the Columbian Exchange on Native American cultures. Students participate in two simulation activities and a class discussion of these topics.

Students explore the roles and responsibilities of the three branches of government, separation of powers, and checks and balances through role plays and small group discussions.

In this lesson, students examine primary sources from Wilson Library’s online exhibit, “Sour Stomachs and Galloping Headaches,” to form new understandings and theories about the common ailments and epidemics our ancestors faced, as well as the medical “cures” they used to treat their illnesses. Students will analyze and evaluate the various primary sources in the exhibit via a Historical Scene Investigation (“HSI”) activity, which leads students through an investigative process of similar to what crime scene investigators do when they examine evidence from a crime scene and formulate theories about what happened. In this HIS, students will first examine the evidence by filling out case reports that ask them to evaluate the primary resources from the website. Then, they will attempt to diagnose different patient illnesses and prescribe different cures to treat these patients based on what they uncovered in their case reports.