Reading assignment. This paper is the first in a series of papers designed to utilize and enhance the modeling capabilities of the reader. The beginning of this paper outlines the importance and the process of model building. This paper also contains three separate modeling exercises. Each exercise begins with a brief description of the system after which the reader constructs a system dynamics model of the system. The reader then runs the model under varying conditions and answers some questions. This paper is not intended as an introduction to system dynamics or model building. The reader is expected to have prior experience with both. Solutions to all the exercises are included at the end. The modeling exercises are presented approximately in order of difficulty, but need not be done in this sequence.