In Emile, Rousseau wrote: "I do not at all admire explanatory discourses; young people give little attention to them, and never retain them. Things! Things! I can never enough repeat it, that we make worlds of too much consequence." Since Rousseau's time, countless others have expressed the same thought, but none have expressed it better. Have students search for the three to five things that most represent a particular nation or world area to them. Have them bring the items in – or if that isn't possible – describe them to their classmates or, perhaps, use pictures and artwork to develop a collage. Have them present their reason for selecting each item. What do their selections say about their perceptions of these areas?