Mike's class is tasked with making a Wild West display for the school's open house. Howard speaks to the class about it's civic importance. Sam decides to not help his son, for his own sake. Goober, Alice, and even Mike feels the teepee is poorly made. Mike's friend Harold (Richard Steele) has a skillfully created fort, mostly done by his father Brian (Bob Beban). Sam encourages his son to improve his teepee, but Mike is just satisfied that his project is done. Sam feels the project is inferior to Howard's, and soon finds himself acting like Brian in constructing his son's project. Brian and Sam argue over their son's talents and turn the project into a competition between one another. The fathers bring elaborate projects to Open House where some lessons are learned.