ipts5

Standard Five | Learning Environment


 * Trading on the Silk Road **

I helped create this game for a sixth grade world history class during my pre-student teaching experience. The class completed a graphic organizer on the Silk Road and discussed the importance of the trade network between the eastern and western worlds. The students also learned about what types of materials the various merchants traded and the difficulties that many of the traders faced on their journeys. In order to further demonstrate the difficulty of the journey, as well as the materials traded, my peers and I created this game in which students have to trade for certain goods, depending on where they came from (east or west) and face the travel uncertainties. This activity involved class interaction and role-playing so students could understand what trading may have been like on the Silk Road. The students were given the opportunity to barter with one another in order to get the goods they needed to finish the game, which facilitated a positive learning environment for the class. Creating and maintaining a positive learning environment is conducive to class engagement and self-motivation. While role-playing is not always possible, allowing the students to work with and learn from one another is essential.

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**Legislative Logrolling** After completing a unit on the legislative branch, I decided to give my civics classes the opportunity to have some "first-hand" experience as a congressman or congresswoman. My curriculum and instruction professor introduced my class to this activity right before we went out to student teach. The activity consists of students playing lawmaker with a set stance on various issues Their constituents want the legislator to either vote for the passage of a bill or against it and the outcome means re-election or defeat. However, there are some issues in which the students/legislators can vote either way.

This activity allowed students to interact with one another to win votes in their favor. Most students did get re-elected, but the conversations I overheard about how difficult it was to get people to "vote their way" or "how could she backstab me?!" were interesting. Not only were the students having fun, but through the final vote, each student was fully immersed in the process.

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