(Time varies)

OBJECTIVE
Students contact other students around the globe to learn about different democracies.

MATERIALS
Appropriate letter writing materials: paper, pens/pencils, envelopes, etc.

• Arrange for pen pals to exchange information about democracies in other parts of the world.
  -  Write to:
     World Wise Schools
     1990 K Street N.W.
     Washington, D.C. 20526
  -  Look for pen pal opportunities on the Internet. A good Web site to 
     visit is: http://www.stonesoup.com/main2/penpal.html

• Assign each student a pen pal.
• Give them model questions they could ask their pen pals, such as: How is your country different from America? Do you know people who vote? What is the name and title of the leader of your country?
• Over a specified period of time, have your students put together profiles on the countries where their pen pals are living. Have them include information they got directly from their pen pals.
• Designate a time for students to share what they learned from their friends overseas.

• How are democracies the same in other countries? How are they different?
• What did you especially like about the other countries you researched?
• Are there any things you did not like?
• Are there things you would change about the United States?
• How could we make changes if we wanted to?