Split the class into half. Ask half of your students to research FDR and the Great Depression. Use resources such as Taking Sides or the New York Times “Times Topics" pages to discover the arguments for and against some of FDR’s decisions. These might include Social Security and the New Deal. Ask the second half of the class to research the stimulus package and health care bills passed by Barack Obama. This research should focus on the differences between rhetoric and reality and the reasons each president ultimately made his decisions.

Students will then present this information to the class, either in the form of a traditional presentation or other creative methods. Students could write mock newspaper articles describing the debates surrounding each issue, or they could enact a fictional scene, perhaps the interaction between president and aids.

After students have seen their peers’ presentations, ask them to make some tough decisions of their own. Ask students to imagine it is 100 years in the future, and the United States is facing a new economic crisis. Teachers should supply students with some fictitious statistics like unemployment rates, stock market figures, and US budget deficit information. Debating as Congress, students should decide whether to pass new economic. Would this include nationalizing American banks, which neither FDR nor President Obama decided to do? Which positive and negative effects from past require consideration? You may also discuss the differences between inductive and deductive thinking with your students. Ask students to determine whether they are inductive and deductive thinkers. Based on their determinations, have them create a list of people they would need to consult to make decisions about policy.

Finally, ask students to reflect on the decision they would have made as an individual. Which factors were most important in making this decision? Did it differ from the decisions made by Congress? How and why?

Ask students to use primary sources such as newspaper articles, speeches, and even films to research other presidential “promises.” Once they have found a controversial promise that may or may not have resulted in legislation, they should research the history of the promise. Why was the issue controversial? What were the major debates? Who were the major players?

To present this information to the class, students should make an interactive presentation and accompanying handout for the class. Using PowerPoint, students should create a one-slide presentation that includes animations, embedded hyperlinks and a mix of interesting visuals, videos, and text. Alternatively, students could use a program such as Glogster.edu to create a similar presentation.

Also, ask them to present the information in a more basic, traditional worksheet (be sure to make enough copies before students present). This worksheet should include a list of two or three questions other students in the class can discuss and debate regarding the issue. After presenting their PowerPoints, the students should use these worksheets to lead a class discussion or debate inspired by their worksheets. Primarily, students should focus again on the ultimate decision they would have made in a similar situation and why.