If you are teaching a course in American or British literature, have each of your students spend two weeks writing a well-organized and well-researched short story that is based on an important moment in history. For example, one student may write a short story about a few American teens who struggle to rebuild their lives after the devastation of the Civil War while another student may write a story which deals with a couple who operates an orphanage for children who were abandoned by parents due to financial hardship after the Great Depression. On the due date, have each student give a 20-minute presentation about their stories and how they are similar to the books you assigned throughout the semester.
Hold a discussion that deals with the origins, current state of and the future of Third World Feminism. Before the discussion, assign the students four books that you feel provide a solid framework for the discussions. Ask each student to write down 10 discussion questions based on the books you assigned them. Encourage each student to frame their questions around a subtopic within Third World Feminism. One student may have a list of questions pertaining to feminism in Latin America while another student's questions deal with the struggles of Middle Eastern women to defeat sexism in their countries.
If you're teaching a theology class, assign students an essay which explores Christianity's influence in American politics and social life dating back to the Pilgrims' arrival in the 1600s. Ask students to give specific examples of how Christianity influenced America in its early years and also discuss the ways in which it still influences American culture along with the ways in which America has gotten away from its Judeo-Christian ethics of the past.
In a course about marriage and family counseling, divide your class into groups of three and let each group prepare a skit in which one student pretends to be the marriage therapist while the other two students portray a troubled married couple. At the end of each group's skit, ask fellow students to give comments then you offer some feedback and suggestions on how the student can improve his counseling techniques.