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

School Board on Violence

Task Force: School Board on Violence Congratulations! You have been assigned by the school board to come up with a plan to help mitigate the

Artificial Intelligence Replacing Jobs

Task Force: Artificial Intelligence Replacing Jobs Congratulations! You have discovered a time machine that has allowed you to fast forward to the year 2060… but

Design a Green City

Task Force: Design a Green City Congratulations! You have been selected to participate in a program that allows you to redesign your home city. The

Rank The Rights

Task Force: Rank The Rights Congratulations! You have been selected to rank the rights that U.S. citizens are given, present your ideas at a conference

Program Your Car

Task Force: Program Your Car Congratulations! You have been selected to participate in a project for the future of programmed cars. Your goal is to

Population Stalling

Task Force: Population Stalling Yikes! The birth rate in your country has dropped to 0. People have stopped having children due to climate change. People

Licensing Parents

Task Force: Licensing Parents Congratulations! You have been given the opportunity to design a license for parents that want to adopt children. Your goal is

Gendered Division of Labor App

Task Force: Gendered Division of Labor App Congratulations! You have been recruited to design an application for gendered division of labor. The goal is to

Flattening The Curve

Task Force: Flattening The Curve Congratulations! The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has put you in charge of flattening the curve. It is

Fix The Budget

Task Force: Fix The Budget Congratulations! The Congressional Budget Office has assigned