PHI THETA KAPPA International Honor Society of the Two Year College

Create an online bulletin board that lists the natural resources essential to the success/survival of a modern industrialized nation.  The board should include a list of the countries that are richest in and currently use most of these resources.  Host an online chat about which countries have power, which ones do not, and how the powerful are able to control the resource policies of others.

As a chapter, read and act out Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible.  Invite a faculty member to lead a chapter discussion about the Salem Witch Trials and other examples in history of religious fervor leading to individual or group violence.  Determine the rationale for violence in each case and whether violence resulted in the acquisition of power. 

Read the newspaper daily and conduct a Case Study on suicide bombers.  Determine whether suicide bombers generally act in the name of religion and if so whether their actions are justified.

Design a game of “Fantasy Olympics,” in which each player selects a country and the five (or more) greatest athletes of all time from that country.  Players should study their athletes’ lives before, during, and after competition, paying close attention to athletic ability, tenacity, patriotism, and the desire or need for power. The winner will best demonstrate how athletic ability translated into national glory.

Read celebrity interviews in popular magazines to determine celebrities’ motivations for seeking fame, fortune, and possibly power.  Identify whether their pursuits are selfishly motivated or humbly intentioned to benefit others and society.  Consider the positive and negative effects of these various pursuits. 

Visit a museum of American history and study The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, and The Bill of Rights.  Trace the development of each document to learn about the leaders who advocated for and against a strong central government. Recreate the settings where the debates took place, turning your classroom or chapter room into Philadelphia’s Convention Hall and your students into “Founding Fathers.”