In this article, the author describes a role-playing activity on tar sands and the proposed TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline. In this activity, students take on the characters of six key stakeholders invited to an imaginary public hearing to discuss whether or not the State Department and President Obama should approve the Keystone XL pipeline. She introduced the role play by providing students with some basic information and photos of the tar sands and the proposed pipeline, and explaining the political context.