Goal: Students will develop oral communication, documentation and Internet research skills while studying the lives and accomplishments of the 41 Presidents of the United States.

Objectives:
In this activity, students will

• Select a President and research certain aspects of his life

• Use Internet sites including C-SPAN's American Presidents web site

• Document sources

• Present projects to the class, thus demonstrating their oral communication skills

Materials Needed:
Provide students with the worksheet and pattern hand out.

Time Frame:
3-4 days of research time in the library or computer lab.
3-4 days of assembly time.

Procedure:
1. Define the term "Building Block." Discuss how the Presidents have been and continue to be the "Building Blocks" of the nation.

2. Students will select or draw the name of a President to research.

3. Students are given the "Building Blocks" worksheet and begin their research according to the procedures listed on the worksheet.

4. To complete the project, students will use six sides of a cube based on the pattern hand out. Use a heavy stock paper to create the cube. Students will use C-SPAN's American Presidents web site to research and write their reports using the computer. Then, the students will print out their work and paste their work to the sides of the cube.

5. Using the Cube, students will "show and tell" about their presidents, and discuss each side of their Cube with the class.

6. During student presentations, students will create a chart for each president and fill in with the following facts:

• President’s name
  
• Time in office
  
• Major accomplishments.

4. Present an essay question, i.e.: If you could change history and remove one president from office, who would that president be, why would you remove him and who would you have replaced him with and why?