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Help me love the Urbanization Game...

ERIN CUNNINGHAM

Hi all!

I'm sure that a lot of my concerns here derive from the time of year but I'm wondering how other people have experienced the Urbanization Game in their classes and what modifications you've made to it.

I've used the game the last few years and I find it really stressful to facilitate! Between the directions, the timing, the reading (which I left out this year...), and the non-stop questions, it's a lot to manage in one class period. I've used these slides that I adapted from  which helps with the pacing but there are lots of questions about what to draw (even though it's on the slide...), how to draw it, where to place things, etc. so that they get it "right" despite my disclaimer that the assessment comes from the reflection post-activity and not the drawing itself, 

Ultimately I get the learning I want--the Industrial Revolution and the resulting urbanization was stressful and rapid for those who experienced it--but it's gotten to the point where I almost want to nix it entirely because I dread facilitating the activity so much. 

So what I'm looking for is what others have done to make the experience enjoyable for students AND teacher Blush

In more positive news, I found this video to show the following day to recap the effects of urbanization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKKzUcqZgMY 

  •   , I had similar reservations about this activity due to the amount of time it takes students to complete.  With hybrid learning during Covid, I created a virtual activity based on an activity I had from years ago. I wish I could give someone credit for it but it was so long ago I'm not sure where it came from. I know Jamboard won't be around much longer, but this is the version that I used. I will have to convert it to a Google Slide or similar document, but that is a problem for future me. 

    Students still have a difficult time trying to place everything, but it does cut down on the amount of class time it takes since students just have to click & drag. 

  • in reply to Todd Nussen

    That's right,  ! I hang up student projects on my wall throughtout the course of the year. This moves in chronological order beginning with an Ancient Civilization project. We then move to a plague project, followed by Renaissance, Columbian Exchange, Enlightenment, French Revolution, Napoloen, Industrial Revolution, WWI, Russian Revolution and typically end with WWII. This is a year-long effort to keep students engage and to support understanding where events fit spatially. I also hold competitions after students have completed their projects to vote on who did the best job in each class. It's funny how into the projects they get. Trying to get their work on the Timeline. I also use those who reach the wall as models for the following year. Some students from pervious years come to check what we're working on and see if their work is still be modeled. All in good fun.

  • in reply to Jeffrey Boles

    Love it!  That's an excellent idea.  I'm marking it down and making it a goal for next year. It seems like it could be an extremely helpful reference for students.  Thanks man. 

  • in reply to Todd Nussen

     , a few students asked me to hang up their drawings and it did end up being a good reference point as we continued through the Industrial Revolution.

  • in reply to Andrea Wong

    Thanks  , it's definitely the time investment vs. payoff that gets me. Jamboard was a great tool that I got a lot of mileage out of during hybrid learning. Converting to Slides should probably work--I also wonder if Kami would work, too.

  • Hi all,

    I think it is worth the time investment.  One reason is that the students just start doing "whatever" near the end of the time they have to complete it.  I use this as a teachable moment b/c I can stress that their lack of time to plan is reflective of the lack of planning for urban centers during the IR.  There wasn't much, if any, so I can hammer that point home when they start just trying to finish with no thought on their part!  

    As  mentioned, I do show various students work to the class, mainly the ones that are most chaotic, but also ones that look fairly planned and we can compare and contrast!

  • Thanks everyone for all the replies! Has anyone managed to complete the entire drawing process in one 50 minute period?

    I usually have to cut it off before we get to the really chaotic stages. I guess I could combine some of the earlier steps...or maybe do the earlier stages the previous day...

  • in reply to ERIN CUNNINGHAM

    I Have done it in both 85 minutes and 60 minutes.  I can get it done in a longer time period.  Next year it will be 45 minute period.  I think it will have to be two days.  One reason I love it is because it is so different from a typical day.  I do have students who disengage by the end of the period.  I wonder if you surveyed your students a year or two on to see if and how they remember it.  

  •  There is so much support in this thread for the Urban Game and I am here to add mine! My approach is much like  . I was bummed this year to not be teaching World History, but I knew if I looked hard enough I would find something similar that I could incorporate in my US History class. I eventually came across an activity that uses New York's Five Points neighborhood to explore the changes. Although they complained that it was raising their blood pressure because we were moving so quickly, I am pretty sure my kids had fun...and I have fun watching them!

  • in reply to Megan Suits

      how can I find this Five Points activity?