US History Lesson: Presidential Foreign Policy Decision Making

by | Mar 10, 2022 | Education, Latest News, Teaching US History

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Convene the Council is an AWESOME Icivics computer interactive. (Worksheet)

This game was made in partnership with the The Council on Foreign Relations (@CFR_org Td), with support from The Peter G. Peterson Fund (@pgpfoundation) – New York Community Trust (@NYCommTrust).

Some helpful tips?

View the Daily Leaderboard: Here is a list of the top scorers for interactive. Students should strive to crack the Top 10! If the students start early in the day, they may have an easier chance to be on the leaderboard. 

Achievements: Thes are some of the achievements awarded in the game. A teacher may not what to show these to the students because it may influence choices. 

  1. Conscious Observer: Take no action 3 or more times in a single run.
  2. Unlucky: Encounter two or more natural disasters in a single run.
  3. Eccentric: Choose an unconventional policy 2 or more times in a single run.
  4. Risk-Taker:  choose four or more policies with a low chance of success in a single run.
  5. The Great Delegator: Make make 8 correct delegations in a single run.

Some of the positions that will share opinions are. 

  1. Vice President: 
  2. Secretary of State:. 
  3. Director of National Intelligence: 
  4. National Security Advisor:
  5. Secretary of Treasury:
  6. Secretary of Defense
  7. Attorney General:

Convene the Council is a great interactive to do as a class. Sometimes when students complete the activity individually the rush through the information and do not gain a true understanding of the different perspectives. 

One method would be to create a worksheet and have the students complete it as a class. With each scenario, there are 3 options. For each option, pros and cons are listed. Students can fill out the worksheet. After analyzing the options, students should select a choice. Completing the worksheet will result in better student engagement and class discussion. 

List the 3 options for each issue.

ISSUE:                                                                                                      .

Option #1                                                                                                                .

Option #2                                                                                                                .

Option #3                                                                                                               .

After looking at all the options. Each student should CIRCLE a choice. Once choices are makde have students list the department that should handle the policy. The teacher can make the choice and see what the result is. 


Delegate:                                                  .

Result of Decision:  

Here are the issues to decided:

  1. Increase Values
  2. Refugee Crisis
  3. Forced Labor Exposed
  4. Terrorist Rendition 
  5. Supply Chain 
  6. Dictator to Democracy
  7. Improve the World
  8. Long-standing Military Presence 
  9. Improve the World
  10. Nuclear Proliferation 
  11. Surveillance Technology

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