Interactive Learning Programs

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum includes an Interactive Learning Center where we offer hands-on programs for students to complement the tours of all students. The programs are designed to reinforce exhibit themes and state curriculum by focusing on the White House, the presidency, U.S. government, and U.S. history. These participatory activities are conducted by Museum Docents and include varied formats, such as role-playing, artistic expression, and learning games. The activities are classified into 3 groups: White House Wonders, Presidential Challenges, and Survival Skills: Citizens Act! In addition to the three categories of daily school-year programs, the Museum also hosts High School Days, an Exploring History Summer Program and TEKS and TAKS-Testable Lesson Plans. We also offer joint programs with Texas A&M University's International Center.

Museum Interactive Learning Programs are available by reservation only.

White House Wonders

The President of the United States has lived in the White House since Nov. 1, 1800, when President John Adams made it his official residency. Students are asked to wonder what life for them would be like if they lived in the White House. Some day one of these students may be President and it will be their home. In any case, it will always belong to all of the citizens of the United States and is known as "The People's House."

My First Museum Experience (249K, 1st � 3rd grades)

For a fun and enriching experience, students discuss the world of museums, hear a storybook about President Bush and learn about Museum Manners.

Word Find (41K)

My Own Room at the White House (154K, 1st � 3rd grades)

Each student designs his or her own room at the White House and writes a paragraph describing the items in the room. The pictures and the paragraphs are made into a book that can be kept in the classroom.

Holidays in the White House (30K, 1st � 4th grades)

A learning experience on how the White House celebrates the winter or spring holidays. Students create an ornament and a greeting card.

Dinner at the White House (14K, 2nd � 4th grades)

Students plan an elegant dinner at the White House, complete with guest list, dinner menu, and china.

Presidential Challenges

Interactive learning challenges about national symbols, presidents and American History are featured in these three programs. The younger students create national symbols on quilt squares for a class Presidential Quilt while older students join teams to vie each other in classic games testing their knowledge of presidential and American History.

The Presidential Quilt (75K, 1st � 4th grades)

Students create individual quilt squares that represent national symbols of America. The squares are ironed on to fabric squares. Teachers are given the quilt backing and the stitch witchery to finish a new classroom decoration - a classroom quilt - no sewing needed.

Tic-Tac America (11K, 5th � 9th grades)

Students are separated into three groups: an "X" team, an "O" team, and a group of "experts." The experts are asked questions about presidents and American history and provide either the correct or the false answer. The teams must then decide whether to agree or disagree with the expert. If the teams guess correctly, they win the square. Finishing first is done by forming a straight line of X's or O's.

The American Challenge (11K, 7th � 12th grades)

Teams of students test their knowledge of presidents, American history, and culture as they contest their skills on a room-sized board game.

Survival Skills: Citizens Act!

Students use and expand their understanding of citizenship responsibilities as they role-play in these exciting programs that encourage essential action to help students realize the importance of involvement by citizens in a democracy.

City Council (38K, 3rd � 5th grades)

Students assume fictional roles as members of a city council and concerned citizens trying to solve the community problem of a lion escaping from the zoo. Citizens include the police chief, zookeeper, vet, hunt club member, animal activist, and newspaper reporters. Each student is given a character description to facilitate role-playing.

Congressional Role-Play (158K, 4th � 6th; 7th � 12th grades)

Students become fictional members of Congress in order to learn about the legislative process firsthand. Each student is provided with a character description stating his or her political party, identifying the concerns of the citizens, and his or her voting history. Most of the students will be undecided or independent, so they are given an opportunity to make their own decision about an environmental bill. Some students will be lobbyists and attempt to change the minds of the others before the vote is cast.

How We Shall Govern (36K, 7th � 12th grades)

Students break into groups and find they are shipwrecked on a deserted island. They must form governments and develop laws in order to survive.

Joint programs with Texas A&M University's International Center

Flying the Colors Program (21K, 3rd � 8th grades), GBPLM Interactive Learning Center

Students create a kite using national symbols, such as the American Flag and the Bald Eagle, and learn the history of these symbols. This program also links with the Museum exhibits, thus, during the exhibit of China, the history of the Chinese Flag and the Dragon will be shared.

Students also experience the Flags of the World Program in the World Map Room of the International Center at Texas A&M University. Museum Docents give guided tours as part of this triple learning package.

High School Days

This educational program involves all of the Bryan / College Station community's high school juniors. Over 1,300 students participate annually in a day of activities at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Included in this special educational program that is directly linked to the school curriculum are lectures from Texas A&M University professors of history, special expert lecturers, the dramatic presentation of Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" directed by Randy Wilson, who has worked on Broadway, and guided tours by Educational Docents of the permanent exhibit and the special exhibits. This experience has outstanding educational value that is meaningful and memorable.

Exploring History Summer Program

This interactive program is linked to the fascinating discovery of historical objects and documents in the special exhibit and helps students in 2nd to 6th grades bring history alive in an exciting way. It includes investigative discovery of highly valued historical items and the relevance of these items in today's world. Also, students have fun in creating crafts and artwork related to the special exhibit's theme to take home and share from their exploring history experience.

TEKS and TAKS-Testable Lesson Plans

The Education Department of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum enthusiastically endorses these educational endeavors to provide purposeful, interactive lessons in Social Studies, American History, U.S. Government, and Science that connect Texas classrooms with resources at The Museum.