Introduction: This book is an exciting collection of role-playing simulations for Social Studies classrooms. Although most of the simulations are written for World and US History, some of them would work equally as well in Economics or Government classes. All of these simulations have been play tested in classes ranging from Junior High to High School and at ability levels ranging from sheltered classes to honors. What is a role-playing simulation? Role-playing simulations attempt to put the student in the position of a person in a particular time and place. Most of the simulations involve group problem solving and conflict resolution. The students are given a character sheet which describes the groups needs and desires, a brief description of the historical problem and a copy of the rules of the game. Familiarity with fantasy role playing games is a plus, but certainly not required. The individual assumes the role they choose and makes decisions as the character would make during that particular time period. No pre-set limits are placed on a particular person s choices as long as they are within the realm of what was historically possible. Because of the freedom to choose in these games the outcome is very unpredictable. No two classes finish the simulation in the exact same way which leads to some very interesting classroom discussions about why things turned out the way they did, what could have happened differently, and how the simulation compares to what actually occurred in history. How are these activities different from other simulations? Unlike many simulations that are commercially available, these games can usually be played in one or two class periods. Their open-ended nature allows for playing up to one week if time permits, but after a couple of days you will find that most of the possibilities have been exhausted and continued play will have only limited instructional value. Another key advantage to this system is the cost. Everything you need to play these simulations can be reproduced out of this book. There are no tiresome charts to deal with and minimal set up and cleanup time required allowing for maximum role-playing time. As much as possible, pieces have been kept to a minimum to make cleanup and storage easier and to keep costs down for teachers on a budget. The emphasis is on role-playing so that the student can get as much as possible out of their personal learning experience and not get tied up in the mechanics of a complicated rules system. How are the simulations used? The best way to use these simulations is at the beginning of a unit when students have little prior knowledge of the historical outcome of a particular conflict. This allows a clean slate for actions instead of a predictable imitation of history just because ''That's the way it had to be''. When the teacher does begin the regular instructional part of the unit, the students will automatically make comments like, ''Wow! That is just like what happened in the game'' or ''Now I understand why they did what they did''. We all know that students remember better what they do than what they heard or read about, so these simulations allow for an unforgettable experience, which will bring history alive for them. After the simulation is completed the teacher can lead a very interesting discussion of why things happened the way they did and how they might have turned out differently in the game or actually did turn out differently in other countries. This debriefing period is the most valuable portion of the activity. Students will be eager to participate because they were active stakeholders in the decisions made instead of passive listeners hearing about other people's problems from long ago. The activities build historical understanding, empathy for the viewpoints of others and group decision-making skills.

Short Role-playing Simulations for World History

History

Richard Di Giacomo

World

Magnifico Publications

Introduction This book is an exciting collection of role-playing simulations for Social Studies classrooms. Although most of the simulations are written for World and US History, some of them would work equally as well in Economics or Government classes. All of these simulations have been play tested in classes ranging from Junior High to High School and at ability levels ranging from sheltered classes to honors. What is a role-playing simulation? Role-playing simulations attempt to put the student in the position of a person in a particular time and place. All of the simulations involve group problem solving and conflict resolution. The students are given a character sheet, which describes the groups needs and desires, a brief description of the historical problem and a copy of the rules of the game. Familiarity with fantasy role playing games is a plus, but certainly not required. The individual assumes the role they choose and makes decisions as the character would make during that particular time period. No pre-set limits are placed on a particular person's choices as long as they are within the realm of what was historically possible. Because of the freedom to choose in these games the outcome is very unpredictable. No two classes finish the simulation in the exact same way which leads to some very interesting classroom discussions about why things turned out the way they did, what could have happened differently, and how the simulation compares to what actually occurred in history. How are these activities different from other simulations? Unlike many simulations that are commercially available, these games can usually be played in one or two class periods. Their open-ended nature allows for playing up to one week if time permits, but after a couple of days you will find that most of the possibilities have been exhausted and continued play will have only limited instructional value. Another key advantage to this system is the cost. Everything you need to play these simulations can be reproduced out of this book. There are no tiresome charts to deal with and minimal set up and cleanup time required allowing for maximum role-playing time. As much as possible, pieces have been kept to a minimum to make cleanup and storage easier and to keep costs down for teachers on a budget. The emphasis is on role-playing so that the student can get as much as possible out of their personal learning experience and not get tied up in the mechanics of a complicated rules system. How are the simulations used? The best way to use these simulations is at the beginning of a unit when students have little prior knowledge of the historical outcome of a particular conflict. This allows a clean slate for actions instead of a predictable imitation of history just because ''That's the way it had to be''. When the teacher does begin the regular instructional part of the unit, the students will automatically make comments like, ''Wow! That is just like what happened in the game'' or ''Now I understand why they did what they did''. We all know that students remember better what they do than what they heard or read about, so these simulations allow for an unforgettable experience, which will bring history alive for them. After the simulation is completed the teacher can lead a very interesting discussion of why things happened the way they did and how they might have turned out differently in the game or actually did turn out differently in other countries. This debriefing period is the most valuable portion of the activity. Students will be eager to participate because they were active stakeholders in the decisions made instead of passive listeners hearing about other people's problems from long ago. The activities build historical understanding, empathy for the viewpoints of others and group decision-making skills.

Short Role-playing Simulations for US History

Americas

This book explains the emergence of the idea of a new world. The collective discoveries of Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci, John and Sebastian Cabot, and Giovanni da Verrazzano constitute a distinct Italian Era of Discovery which laid the groundwork for all other voyages which followed. The Italian discoverers deserve a place alongside the well-known Humanists in the history of art, literature, philosophy, and government by virtue of their research and accomplishments. The explorers also made original contributions to the fields of science, navigation and cartography. The world view of the Italian explorers evolved to include the concept of a new world. They had to reevaluate their cosmography and change the maps to reflect their new knowledge. The concept of a New World was equally profound as that of a new age. The most important contribution of the Italian explorers was not what they found, but the change in thinking that took place when they tried to explain their discoveries. This book has been read by those with an interest in the Age of Discovery, Renaissance Humanism, and the history of the New World. It has been used in university classes as required reading in classes related to these topics.

The New Man and the New World: The Influence of Renaissance Humanism on the Explorers of the Italian Era of Discovery

This book is a joke book for social studies teachers to help add a little excitement to your classes and help students to have fun with history. It contains corny geography puns and wonderfully bad history jokes. The final chapter contains notable flubs that students have made in class. This book is guaranteed to keep you and your students rolling in the aisles! It has been used by teachers across the country and even in teacher training courses in universities.

The History Teacher's Joke Book

Humor & Entertainment

Humor

Introduction This book is an exciting collection of role-playing simulations for Social Studies classrooms. Although most of the simulations are written for World History, some of them would work equally as well in other social studies classes. All of these simulations will work in classes ranging from Junior High to High School and at ability levels ranging from sheltered classes to honors. What is a role-playing simulation? Role-playing simulations attempt to put the student in the position of a person in a particular time and place. Most of the simulations involve group or individual problem solving and conflict resolution. The students are often given a character sheet which describes the groups needs and desires, a brief description of the historical problem and a copy of the rules of the game. Familiarity with fantasy role-playing games is a plus, but certainly not required. The individual assumes the role they choose and makes decisions as the character would make during that particular time period. No pre-set limits are placed on a particular person's choices as long as they are within the realm of what was historically possible. Because of the freedom to choose in these games, the outcome is very unpredictable. No two classes finish the simulation in the exact same way, which leads to some very interesting classroom discussions about why things turned out the way they did, what could have happened differently, and how the simulation compares to what actually occurred in history. How are these activities different from other simulations? Unlike many simulations that are commercially available, these games can usually be played in one or two class periods. Their open-ended nature allows for playing up to one week in some games, if time permits, but after a couple of days you will find that most of the possibilities have been exhausted and continued play will have only limited instructional value. Another key advantage to this system is the cost. This book features several good simulations for the price that many publishers charge for one. Everything you need to play these simulations can be reproduced out of this book. There are no tiresome charts to deal with. The minimal set up and cleanup time allow for maximum role-playing time. As much as possible, pieces have been kept to a minimum to make cleanup and storage easier and to keep costs down for teachers on a budget. The emphasis is on role-playing so that the student can get as much as possible out of their personal learning experience and not get tied up in the mechanics of a complicated rules system. How are the simulations used? The best way to use many of these simulations is at the beginning of a unit when students have little prior knowledge of the historical outcome of a particular conflict. This allows a clean slate for actions instead of a predictable imitation of history just because ''That's the way it had to be''. When the teacher does begin the regular instructional part of the unit, the students will automatically make comments like, ''Wow! That is just like what happened in the game'' or ''Now I understand why they did what they did''. We all know that students remember better things they do than things they heard or read about, so these simulations allow for an unforgettable experience, which will bring history alive for them. Other simulations are best used as a culminating activity. Check the Teacher s Guide for recommendations for each simulation. After the simulation is completed the teacher can lead a very interesting discussion of why things happened the way they did and how they might have turned out differently in the game or actually did turn out differently in other countries. This debriefing period is the most valuable portion of the activity. Students will be eager to participate in the debriefing.

Short Role-playing Simulations for Middle School World History

This book is going to fill a need that many teachers have had for a long time. As you probably know, it has been just about impossible to find quality materials to help in sheltered or limited English US History classes. It was written by an experienced teacher with who has faced some of the same difficulties that you have. It is difficult to make history relevant and interesting to students with limited English and little experience with common American cultural and governmental traditions. The activities in this book are a blend of the course content in US History, and the grammar component that is necessary both for comprehension of the subject matter and general English fluency. The lessons in this book have two key components that will make your job a lot easier: 1. Hands-on sheltered classroom activities that take advantage of multiple learning styles and differing language acquisition levels. These are often very active and engaging. 2. Grammar exercises based on the vocabulary of the lesson that reinforce both grammar skills and the content area goals. These exercises will help build stronger readers and writers while reinforcing the main ideas of the course content in US History.

US History Activities for English Language Learners

Finding, funding, and using the right films and video equipment can be challenging for history teachers. Did you know that... The movie Prince of Egypt was banned in Egypt? In the movie Troy, ancient Trojans are shown using llamas that could only be found in the New World at that time? Oliver Stone s movie JFK was so controversial that he wrote a whole book defending it? The movie 300 is based on a comic book and not meant to show historical reality at all? No one in the West has ever made a major motion picture featuring the life of Vladimir Lenin? Showing movies in the dark can damage your eyesight? Showing the wrong movie could get you fired or slapped with a heavy fine? There are ways to obtain free educational films? There are some great books and websites that allow you to learn about the objectionable content and historical accuracy of a film before you show it to your students? This book helps you get good films that are free from bias, anachronisms, or objectionable content. There are many great tips on how to use films more effectively in your classroom and interesting assignments to go with them. Magnifico Publications earlier books have been adopted by school boards and education professors across the nation. Thousands of copies have been sold.

The History Teacher's Movie Guide: Choosing and Using the Right Films for Your Classroom

Movies

Motivate your students to study history and social studies. When faced with an uninteresting part of their lesson, social studies students will sometimes say, ''When am ever I going to use this stuff?'' This book addresses this common lament by providing 50 lesson plans that demonstrate how the skills learned in social studies classes are used in a wide variety of jobs. This is more than just another careers book. These activities give your students the chance to interview actual working professionals who use social studies skills in their jobs whether they studied social science in college or not!

When Am I Ever Going to Use this Stuff?

Have you ever wanted to... *design your own country? *find out what was on the land where your house or school is before it was built? *redraw confusing borders? *analyze the geography of fantasy worlds? *map along with an explorer? *redesign your city? *win a geography trivia contest? Now you and your students can have fun doing do these things and more with: Creative Geography Activities for the 21st Century 30 lesson plans that allow students to go beyond worksheets, and map work to investigate and create on their own! Hands-on Activities Contemporary Problems & Issues Student-centered Investigative Activities Creative & Imaginary Activities Games & Simulations Geography in History

Creative Geography Activities for the 21st Century

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

This book is an exciting collection of role-playing simulations for Social Studies classrooms. Although most of the simulations are written for World and US History, some of them would work equally as well in Economics or Government classes. All of these simulations have been play tested in classes ranging from Junior High to High School and at ability levels ranging from sheltered classes to honors. What is a role-playing simulation? Role-playing simulations attempt to put the student in the position of a person in a particular time and place. All of the simulations involve group problem solving and conflict resolution. The students are given a character sheet which describes the groups needs and desires, a brief description of the historical problem and a copy of the rules of the game. Familiarity with fantasy role playing games is a plus, but certainly not required. The individual assumes the role they choose and makes decisions as the character would make during that particular time period. No pre-set limits are placed on a particular person s choices as long as they are within the realm of what was historically possible. Because of the freedom to choose in these games the outcome is very unpredictable. No two classes finish the simulation in the exact same way which leads to some very interesting classroom discussions about why things turned out the way they did, what could have happened differently, and how the simulation compares to what actually occurred in history. How are these activities different from other simulations? Unlike many simulations that are commercially available, these games can usually be played in one or two class periods. Their open-ended nature allows for playing up to one week if time permits, but after a couple of days you will find that most of the possibilities have been exhausted and continued play will have only limited instructional value. Another key advantage to this system is the cost. Everything you need to play these simulations can be reproduced out of this book. There are no tiresome charts to deal with and minimal set up and cleanup time required allowing for maximum role-playing time. As much as possible, pieces have been kept to a minimum to make cleanup and storage easier and to keep costs down for teachers on a budget. The emphasis is on role-playing so that the student can get as much as possible out of their personal learning experience and not get tied up in the mechanics of a complicated rules system. How are the simulations used? The best way to use these simulations is at the beginning of a unit when students have little prior knowledge of the historical outcome of a particular conflict. This allows a clean slate for actions instead of a predictable imitation of history just because "That's the way it had to be." When the teacher does begin the regular instructional part of the unit, the students will automatically make comments like, "Wow! That is just like what happened in the game"; or "Now I understand why they did what they did". We all know that students remember better what they do than what they heard or read about, so these simulations allow for an unforgettable experience, which will bring history alive for them.

Short Role-playing Simulations for US History Classrooms

Education & Teaching

Schools & Teaching

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Books by Richard Di Giacomo