Short Role-playing Simulations for World History
AN IMPRESSIVE VARIETY OF SIMULATIONS Dewey knew it. Good teachers know it. Real, authentic learning happens best when students are engaged in the material and, most importantly, when they get a chance to do something rather than simply passively receive information. Veteran teacher Richard Di Giacomo s extensive collection of simulations and role-playing games, ... are written to help teachers add to their reserve of new strategies. Di Giacomo offers an impressive variety of simulations designed to help students step into history and experience some of the decision-making and unscripted possibilities that real people in history may have also experienced. (The book) also include(s) a section of what if questions, which invite students to consider a wide variety of historical possibilities. What if the Mayflower had sunk? What if Hitler had been successful as an artist? What if Nat Turner s Rebellion had succeeded? What if the Stock Market had not crashed? These are only a sample of the hundreds of intriguing questions Di Giacomo offers to spark classroom discussions or inspire creative, thoughtful essays. Di Giacomo, who has written several other books to help teachers bring history to life, should be applauded for his efforts to share his passion for engaging students in their learning. Teachers who have experience using simulations should have little problem adapting selections from these collections to their own classroom. Di Giacomo invites teachers who are eager to give his simulations a try to contact him if they have suggestions or need additional help to make their experience more successful. --Julie Peters, University of Illinois at Chicago in The History Teacher MagazineI appreciated the author's quick response to my questions about the simulation. My students really enjoyed the game. Keep the creative, fun, and educational simulations coming! --Greg Israel, Social Studies TeacherJeremy Hilburn and I were happy to endorse Richard Di Giacomo's books at the National Council for the Social Studies Convention because there is a growing demand amongst Social Studies teachers to use simulations and encourage active learning. --Brad M. Maguth, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Education Department, Hiram College