Simulations in the History Classroom

Creative Teaching in an Age of Accountability

Promote active learning in the classroom Provide students with emotional connections

to content Makes concepts more engaging and

meaningful Unique opportunities for kinesthetic/visual

learners

Why Simulations?

Sacrificing time to teach content Student behavior during simulations Are simulations effective/appropriate? What elements of simulations should be

graded?

Common Concerns of Teachers

Supreme Court Case Simulations Students are assigned positions & must prepare their

cases, jury uses this evidence to come to a verdict Ellis Island Immigration

Students impersonate early immigrants & are asked questions immigrants were asked upon arriving at Ellis Island

Stock Market Exchange Students buy & sell ‘stocks’ and experience a ‘crash’

Examples of Effective Simulations

(As presented in “Using Simulations to Teach Middle Grades U.S. History in an Age of Accountability”)

10th grade World History http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=C4CUAPBicfA

Slave Trade Simulation

Ambitious teachers who know their content well can use creative tactics to teach content Common Core should not impede with teacher

creativity Learning is more important than

standardized tests Learning can take place through simulations

Simulations are a creative channel in which students receive instruction

Summary