Post #4 - Role Play

Here I am again, Thursday morning entering my post. Tuesday is agreed upon date, and I fully support and understand the reasoning for it. My life unfortunately does not reflect a person who can adhere to due dates and time tables. I'm always curious way I find myself here. I'll probably show up for my own funeral late, and my grave site with say "Better late than never." I know the importance of respecting people's time and not do things at the last minute, but yet here I am the "Eleventh Hour Blogger."





Okay, Lila is back in mama's arms. She woke up this morning with a horribly stuffed nose, and considering how much she relies on that nose when she's feeding it can be a tough go.

Back to the story at hand...
In what ways do you already use role-play and simulation in your classroom for purposes of learning? How might these activities be enhanced through online simulations?

In 5th grade social studies role play has really extended learning. We have a curriculum called Story Path. It is a wonderful interactive role play focusing on the Revolutionary War and causes that lead up to it. In the end you need to decide if you are a Loyalist or a Patriot. Students out themselves in the roles of colonist during that era. We even have had the media specialist dress up like Governor Hutchinson to conduct a town hall meeting with the students/colonist. It can be pretty impressive with what the students can come up with. Online simulations can even take a step further and help with perspective. The website Loyalty or Liberty lets the students take on the role of a slave during the times who gets the inside scoop from both English and American sides. In the students have to choose if this slave is going to give his information to the English or the Americans. Thinking about what we are doing through http://edinaroleplay.ning.com/ taking the roles from the Loyalty or Liberty website and having an online debate/discussion through a vehicle like Ning could really be fascinating.