Curricular Resources Related to the Northern Ireland Exhibit

Education Resources at the Clinton Presidential Library

Education Activity Suggestions

Students should review the Days Like This exhibit before completing any of the following assignments. Students may work in groups or individually.

Option One:

Each Saint Patrick’s Day, the Prime Minister of Ireland presents a crystal bowl of shamrocks to the President of the United States to honor the close connection between the two nations. For this activity, students will research the design of past crystal bowls before designing a bowl of their own in the medium of their choice. Students should choose design elements that are symbolic of the relationship between Ireland and the United States. Students should present their designs to the class or a gallery could be displayed online, at an open house, or in the school’s hallways. 

Extension Activity/Informed Action Component:
The annual Shamrock Ceremony at the White House is not a two way gift exchange; rather, it is only the Irish Prime Minister who makes a gift to the United States. Students should consider appropriate options for an equivalent gift that the United States could exchange with Ireland. After coming to a conclusion, students should pen a letter to the White House suggesting such an exchange. 

Option Two:

President Clinton’s work in Northern Ireland qualifies as public diplomacy or diplomacy that engages directly with the citizens of another nation. For this activity, students will conduct research to find other examples of Presidents engaging in public diplomacy. Once the student finds an example, they should dig deeper and consider if the efforts of that President were ultimately successful or unsuccessful. Students should determine the factors that led to this outcome. The student’s findings can be presented to the class or summarized in a writing assignment. 

Extension Activity/Informed Action Component:
Students should examine other ongoing conflicts around the world and determine if any of them could benefit from the current President’s involvement through public diplomacy. If a situation merits public diplomacy, students should examine the issues and summarize their findings in a letter to the White House or to their House Representative suggesting U.S. involvement. 

Option Three:

Before President Clinton visited Northern Ireland, his advance team conducted a site survey that weighed out options for possible event venues. In this activity, students should select a site from the survey and compose a paragraph summary of why the location was or was not selected for inclusion in President Clinton’s trip. Students should then have small group discussions with one another and try to find what elements make for a good stop on a Presidential trip. 

Extension Activity/Informed Action Component:
For this activity, students should imagine that the President will be coming to visit their town. Working independently, students will select a site that they believe the President should stop at and prepare a short (90 seconds) presentation about why. Then, working as a class, the class should vote on the top three sites for a Presidential visit in town. With the sites selected, the class should prepare a site survey document of their own that suggests the locations to the President.