LITTLE COMPTON — The first thing you notice about a group of eighth-graders entering the grand marble corridors of the Rhode Island State House is the sound: sneakers squeaking, whispers bouncing off stone walls, and the faint hum of curiosity.

Twenty-one students from Wilbur & McMahon Schools in Little Compton arrived Thursday, March 5, to see how government works in real life. Waiting to greet them was Michelle McGaw, the state representative for District 71, which includes Little Compton, Tiverton and Portsmouth.

They were accompanied by their principal, John McKinnon, and they weren’t just there to admire the architecture. They came to make laws. Sort of.

“They joined in a tour of the state house in a mock session as part of their civic education curriculum,” McGaw said. “I think all students need to understand how our local, state and federal governments work.”

The highlight came when the students took their seats right in the House chambers.

“They were in attendance on the house floor where we held a mock session,” McGaw said. “I presided as the speaker, and they all sat on the house floor, and we talked a little bit about civic engagement, and then we discussed potential bills that they might debate and then vote on.”

For a few minutes, the eighth-graders were lawmakers, which meant confronting the sort of tough policy questions that shape society.

For instance: homework.

“We debated and voted on a bill on whether or not they should extend the classroom day for an hour in exchange for having no homework,” McGaw said. “They overwhelmingly felt that they did not want to extend the class day by an hour.”

The second measure on the agenda carried more environmental weight. The students also took up the question of a so-called bottle bill, which would create a deposit system to encourage recycling.

“We also discussed the bottle bill,” McGaw said. “Of the 21 students, all of them voted that the state needs to implement a bottle bill.”

Unanimity in politics is rare enough to qualify as a minor miracle.

For McGaw, the annual visit has become something of a tradition. She hosts a similar mock session each year for students who make the trip to Providence.

“Usually they will contact me and indicate that they would like to do a tour and a mock session, and I’ve done it with elementary school students, middle school students and high school students,” she said.

Opportunity open to others

The experience is designed to transform civics from a chapter in a textbook into something students can actually see — and sit in.

“Any classroom or organization like the Boy Scouts or the Girl Scouts can contact my office or the state house to arrange a tour and a mock session,” McGaw said. “It’s a great opportunity for students to see how our state government works and to be where laws are made.”

For a short while Thursday morning, the House floor belonged to 21 eighth-graders — lawmakers in sneakers — learning that democracy is not just something you read about. Sometimes you get to vote on it before lunch.