Salisbury High School Social Studies teacher Jen Brinson believes the best lessons are those which her students can immerse themselves in.

Brinson recently recreated a speakeasy environment in her classroom, with her students dressing in simulated 1920s-era clothing and pretending they were patrons of a big-city speakeasy in the tradition of underground clubs enticing many U.S. citizens in the early 20th century.

With iced tea as simulated "hootch," and the shades drawn to re-create a dark environment behind closed doors, Brinson had students portray various characters of the era.

The Advanced Placement U.S. History students portrayed an FBI agent, a communist and other radicals of the era, with fellow students using clues from their speech to determine the roles they were playing.

The students were graded on their grasp of the content of the exercise, but it was obvious the learning environment was sprinkled with good humor and a sense of fun portraying a bygone era in United States history.