This 3- to 5-day currriculum unit for secondary students centers around four possible directions for U.S. foreign policy during the 1990s. Designed as a culminating exercise at the end of the year or as an introductory activity to open the semester, this unit, and the possible futures it presents, should be thought of as a vehicle for guiding students through the process involved in developing a reasoned opinion for U.S. foreign policy. By first exploring four clearly defined alternatives and the beliefs underlying them, it is hoped that students will be able to organize their own values and ideas. The four futures act to flesh out four fundamentally different ways of looking at the world, so that students can weigh the merits of each world view. In Future One, the United States has a "good vs. evil" view of world affairs and believe it has the right and responsibility to act unilaterally to try to help spread democracy and respect for human rights. In Future Two, the United States has a conventional "balance of power" view and does not feel any fundamental change is needed in existing policies. In Future Three, the United States has a "globalist" view and believes that all nations must address international problems not on their own, but cooperatively. In Future Four, the United States has an "economic" view and believes that economic strength, not military strength is the key to security and prosperity. (DB)