Colonization Simulation

Today we did one of my favorite activities of the year, the Colonization Simulation.  I wish I was allowed to post pictures of students on here.  Most of them really got into it.

The room was covered in blue butcher paper, with spaces of carpet representing the continents.  Students take time developing their own cultures.  They're supposed to make a chant/cheer, design a flag, and alter their style of dress somehow - cuffing their pants or rolling up their sleeve...

Then, the smallest of the continents sails across the sea and tries to colonize the others.  If they succeed, they tear up the flag, and force the people to dress the way they dress.  They always succeed.  (At least in the simulation...  I guess we're having another Great Britain/Falklands flare-up...)

We're going to debrief the activity at length tomorrow.  There may be a little bit of homework as well.  (Shock and sadness from all students involved.)

In order to get the extra credit for reading this, students must discuss this blog with a parent or adult that lives in their home.  Students, tell your parents about the activity.  What continent were you on?  What continent do you think it represented?  What did your flag look like?  What happened to it?

After you've discussed the blog and the questions in bold above, write the following quote and sentence on a scrap of paper.  "'What were the political ramifications of the 1986 quarter-final World Cup game?'  I read and discussed the blog with ___________________________."  Then have the parent/adult from your home that you discussed it with sign the scrap paper on the line.