[The Participation Exercises are designed to respond to the dilemmas in today's political science education of balancing the building of a theoretical foundation with the pressure to provide more practical experiences. The exercises are set up to encourage students to experience firsthand, the stake in which they have in the political system and the value of approaching political change with a sound foundation in American political theory.]

Participation Activity 1: Acting on the meaning of the first Amendment

• This first participation exercise borrows from Citizenship Box on page 39 of Paterson's American Democracy text "Getting Involved, Making A Difference" It emphasizes the opportunities the First Amendment has afforded us to participate in our communities and politics in a vast diversity of ways. Students are encouraged to get involved in local community or political groups and share their experiences throughout the semester. This project lays the foundation for the subsequent projects.

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