Interactive Alternatives inCivics / History
Brian SurkanThe Walker School
Humble Beginnings
Shoe Tax
Classroom Risk
Mock Congress
Day 1: Project Introduction
Roles• 1 – President• 1 – VP (opposite gender of President)• 4 – Senators (2 for each gender [state])• 7 – House Members• 5 – 7 Reporters• 5 – 7 Lobbyists
Day 2: Elections
Day 3: Role Assignments
Day 4: Writing Bills
Day 4: Cocktail Party
Day 5: Committee
Day 6: House / Senate
Day 7: Re-ElectionsSpecial Circumstances• Speeches cite achievements / press• Only vote of confidence for incumbents• President / VP Run Separately• No new candidates• Non-politicians have 3-5 votes each• Politicians have 1 vote each• 10% of politician’s grade linked to re-election
MC: Variations and Considerations
• Contextualize Mock Congress in history– Favorite Elections: 1928, 1932, 1936– Require relevant bills / identities for the time
• Add extra days between deadlines• Choose Tuesdays for deadlines over Mondays• Find innovative grading techniques
Simulations & Seminars
7th
Grade US History
Full Seminar Format
Student - Centricity
Persona Projects
Student Responsibility• Student Participation Grade– Encourage intrinsic motivation / citizenship– Value contributions beyond tests / homework
• Student Blogs and Class Jobs– Class summary & homework bloggers– Janitor
• Student-led Discussions– Current Events– Reading Reviews
Civics through Movies• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington– Compliments Mock Congress– Illustrates how Constitution protects minorities
• Harry Potter V: The Order of the Phoenix– Limits to the Role of Government– Unintended Consequences
• Hunger Games– Reconstruction in the South– Local v. Centralized Government
History through Movies• The Patriot– Tensions between Patriots, Loyalists & Neutrals– Tactics, morale, relations to slaves / blacks
• Colonial House (1873 Montana)– What was it really like in the West?
• 1900 House– What was life like just before WWI?– How many modern inventions were American?
• 1940 House
Questions?
Other Resources• The not so Wild, Wild West: Property Rights
on the Frontier– By: Terry L. Anderson and Peter J. Hill
• The Myth of the Robber Barons– By: Burton W. Folsom, Jr.
• Keynes v. Hayek Rap– Stimulates discussion about Economic policies
Sources 1 (order of appearance)
• clipartoday.com/…/School_4_tnb.png• thecoloradoobserver.com/…/classroom.jpg• 3.bp.blogspot.com/…/6a00e554ae4b6e88340115700e5987970b-4
50wi.jpg• worldmapsonline.com/…/World-Map-mural_detail.jpg• cityofclarkston.com/.../vote-button.gif• 1.bp.blogspot.com/.../coming_in_next_to_last_812925.jpg• 4.bp.blogspot.com/.../Lobbyist%252520vs_%252520Voter%255B2
%255D.jpg• prmarketing.com/.../reporter.gif• 1.bp.blogspot.com/…/i%2527m+just+a+bill+school+house+rock.jpg• plug-in.bestbuy.ca/.../original?v=mpbl-1&px=-1• i00.i.aliimg.com/…/Used_shoes.jpg• Personal photos by Brian Surkan @ Challenger• flickr.com/photos/perkinsy/6330361223/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Sources 2 (order of appearance)
• 11 Alive Video and Image• Photo by Brian Surkan @ The Walker School• broadinstitute.org/.../HapMap3-fullsize.png
