Simulations/Task Forces

Why?

An important part of being an effective civic leader in society involves conceptualizing how you would tackle issues if you were in a position of authority to make necessary reforms. Each of our Task Forces are designed to help students think critically about various issues and try to brainstorm well-detailed plans to try and solve them by roleplaying as key decision-makers.

What?

Each section starts off by setting the narrative and describing what they have been tasked with. For example, a Task Force about affordable housing might indicate that the individual(s) has/have been put in charge of creating an affordable housing proposition by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

How?

The second section informs the students about why the Task Force is being done with brief background information about the severity of the issue, as well as a brief breakdown of what is being done right now. It encourages the students to critique the system and try to reform it in different ways (even if they believe the current approach is appropriate, we ask them to try and improve it).

Steps

Students are first asked to create a plan, design a program, or make a decision about an issue. Topic-specific questions are asked to get them to start critically thinking.
They are tasked with thinking through the possible objections that someone could have about their designs, and how they would answer them. In cases where something is already being done, they are asked to compare their plan with the current one in place and how they better approach the issue.
The last part of the Task Force involves them presenting their ideas and trying to see if they can convince other classmates that they have taken the best possible initiativ

Important Reminders

Each of our Task Forces can be done in groups and individually.
The students should be urged to come up with a few strong ideas, rather than create an exhaustive list.
A vote should be taken when group members cannot agree on a specific criteria, and the disagreement should be mentioned in the presentation/discussion of their Task Force.
Each lesson plan includes an accompanying Google Slides template to be used with virtual breakout rooms in small groups.
You can send us questions or requests to [email protected] if you need help implementing these in your classroom!

Simulations/Task Forces Collection

Facebook and “Fake News”

Task Force: Facebook and “Fake News” Congratulations! You have been hired by Mark Zuckerberg to design a program that will identify “fake news” without directly

Distribution

Distribution: Justice Game Task Force Congratulations! You have been appointed by someone to bargain on their behalf concerning the basic principles of justice that will

Disaster Response

Task Force: Disaster Response Oh no! Just last night, a disastrous earthquake measuring to be a 7.0 on the Richter scale has left thousands displaced

Designer Babies Rules and Regulations

Task Force: Designer Babies Rules and Regulations Congratulations! You have been asked to join the committee responsible for creating rules and regulations for designer baby

Design Your Own Education System

Task Force: Design Your Own Education System Congratulations! You have been assigned to a board of leaders for a sovereign country with a diverse population

Design a Space Colony

Task Force: Design a Space Colony Congratulations! NASA has decided to colonize other planets in our solar system and has put you in charge of

Design a Social Media PSA

Task Force: Design a Social Media PSA Congratulations! You have been chosen to be part of a Public Relations team for a campaign trying to

Design a New Election System

Task Force: Design a New Election System Congratulations! You have been chosen to participate in a program allowing U.S. citizens to redesign the election system.

Design a COVID-19 Classroom

Task Force: Design a COVID-19 Classroom Congratulations! You have been selected to participate in a national competition to design the best classroom under COVID-19. Your

Design a School

Task Force: Design a School Congratulations! You have been selected by the Department of Education to design a public, private, or charter school. Your goal