Now what? A President considers a career change

In this alternative to the dreaded "President Report," students write a resumé for an ex-president.

By Melissa Thibault and David Walbert

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Rethinking Reports

Creative research-based assignments provide alternatives to the President Report, Animal Report, and Famous Person Report that ask students to think about old topics in new ways, work collaboratively, and develop products that support a variety of learning styles.

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• The not-so-famous person report: Instead of teaching the history of the famous, use research in primary sources to teach students that the past and present were made by people like them.

Related topics

• Learn more about American history, history, presidents, reports, research, resumé, and social studies.

Legal

The president has reached the end of his term and has decided to try something brand new. Research a past United States president and based upon the character of the individual, his life, work, and accomplishments in office, and the events and economy of the time period, choose a career for your president. This career must be something the president never did for a living, and it should be a reasonable career for the time period. (In other words, Thomas Jefferson isn’t looking for a biotech position!) It is understood that the president has completed his term, so those who died in office or resigned are nonetheless given a chance to try a post-presidential career.

Create a resumé and cover letter to help your president make the career change for which you believe he is suited. The resume should follow a standard format, including a header, career objectives, educational history, job experience, and other interests. Include a cover letter addressed to the company looking for a new employee. The company may be fictitious, but the role the applicant will play in the job should include skills actually necessary to do the job. For example, if you say Abraham Lincoln is applying for a job as a printer and typesetter, focus on his strengths relative to this job (spelling, editing, grammar, design) in your cover letter.

Assessment

Requirements for this assignment may vary, but students will be graded upon their understanding of the individuals and their personal strengths, their incorporation of the historical context and related economy, and their realistic portrayal of the skills necessary for the career path chosen. This is more than a Social Studies assignment; it is also an experience for students who need to learn how to write a resume, an exercise in persuasive writing, and an opportunity to be creative.