To be completed after students have read the information in the White House Renovation Introduction section of this unit.

1. After reading the sample letters given, have students write letters to Truman either supporting the White House renovation plan, opposing it, or suggesting a better plan. They may choose to be a member of Congress, a member of the Commission of Fine Arts, an architect, a wealthy patron of the arts, a blue-collar worker, etc.

   Read the student letters aloud to the class and have students try to guess the background of the person writing the letter.

   Now, have students try responding to the letters in the character of President Truman.

2. Review with students the background information given in Roy Keeland's unit on political cartoons. Have students draw cartoons that express their opinions either for or against the White House Renovation plan. Display and discuss the cartoons. Have student cartoonists defend their positions orally.

3. Read the excerpt from "The White House Was Falling Apart" to the class or print out copies for them to read. Have students complete journal entries about what it might have been like to have lived in the White House when it was "falling down." They should give specific examples of actual situations (such as the piano leg episode) or make up and exaggerate what might have happened. The mood could be funny or serious. Share and discuss the journal entries. Choose some journal entries to illustrate.

4. Have students complete the "Buy a Piece of the White House Activity Sheet," using information from the "Application for a Memento of the White House" page. Share and discuss results.

   What if they were renovating your school? What items should be saved because of their historical importance? What items should be saved because they are useful? What items should be sold as souvenirs? What items should be discarded? Have students share, discuss, and support their recommendations.

   Make up an application form for purchasing a Memento of Your School. How much would you charge? Compare your prices to those of the White House Renovation. How has inflation affected prices in the last 50 years? Which items would you have in greatest supply? Which items would be in the greatest demand? How will that affect your prices?
   

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