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

Punishment in Schools

Task Force: Punishment in Schools Congratulations! You have been appointed to a national committee that advises schools on updating their punishment policies. Your job is

Voter Suppression

Task Force: Voter Suppression Uh oh! You are a member of your local board of elections and you’ve seen the wave of voter suppression bills

Design A Campaign

Task Force: Design a Campaign Congratulations! You are part of a group that helps find candidates for office from communities that have been historically underrepresented

International Wage Policies

Task Force: International Wage Policies Congratulations! You have been hired by the International Labor Organization (ILO) to implement policies for fair wages across borders in

Public Sanitation in NYC

Task Force: Public Sanitation in NYC Congratulations! The NYC Public Sanitation Committee has recruited you to help mitigate issues of public sanitation in the city.

Meat-Eating: To Eat or Not to Eat

Task Force: Meat-Eating: To Eat or Not to Eat Uh-Oh! You are the CEO of a food-service company that supplies food to hundreds of college

Shark Tank

Task Force: “Shark Tank” Congratulations! You have been selected to participate in a program known as Shark Tank. Your objective is to design a product

Board on Board Diversity

Task Force: Corporate Board on Board Diversity Congratulations! You have been assigned to present a detailed plan of actions to the corporate board of your

Destroy a Stereotype

Task Force: Destroy a Stereotype Congratulations! You are the Executive Director of a newly founded nonprofit aimed at combating social inequality. Your task is to

Rainbow Capitalism

Task Force: Rainbow Capitalism Congratulations! You have been asked to join a committee that advises corporate boards on their Pride month campaigns. Your task is