Decurso
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Things you own end up owning you
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Post by Decurso on Mar 28, 2006 9:16:22 GMT 7
I was really stuck for a lesson this week for my senior middle school classes.The topic was supposed to be drama,but given the class sizes(60-75),class time(40 minutes) and wide variance in English levels it was really hard to think of something suitable for everyone.
So I dug out an old lesson I learned in my TEFL course.It's sort of a role play..some it kind of fits in with the drama topic.
After introducing the relevant vocabulary,the class is told the world is going to end.There are 10 people being considered for a spot on a spaceship that will leave to start a new colony.The catch...there is only room for 5.The class is split into ten groups and assigned a role.Each group then gets to present an argument for why they should go.
The people are as follows...
1.a white female teacher,age 25
2.an asian female athlete,22
3.a white female biologist with only one arm,28
4.a hispanic female nurse who suffers from depression,32
5.a black female artist who is pregnant,30
6.a white musician who is married to the artist,40
7.an arabic male carpenter,25
8.a white male doctor who is gay,35
9.an asian male soldier,23
10.a whire male farmer who is racist,45
I taught it twice today and was a big hit.Even the kids who normally sleep,do homework ect during class really got into it.Some of you may know this activity already,but for the rest of you-this makes a great backup plan when you're stuck for ideas.
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woza17
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Post by woza17 on Mar 28, 2006 13:27:09 GMT 7
Thanks Decurso.
I will definitely give that one a try tomorrow.
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Post by con's fly is open on Mar 28, 2006 18:11:24 GMT 7
Kick ass! I'll steal that one for sure.  |
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Ruth
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God's provisions are strategically placed along the path of your obedience.
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Post by Ruth on Mar 28, 2006 21:14:53 GMT 7
Con, when you try it, I want to know how it goes over with the kindies  Good idea, Decurso. I teach the same age group with horrendously large classes and that sounds like a good lesson. |
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Post by Nate M on Mar 29, 2006 1:47:37 GMT 7
Yeah, I've seen that one before, and it is a good one. I've never tried it in class before, but once I get a class again I'd definately like to try that out. On that note, Decurso, would you consider posting this in the newly formed "Lesson Plan Area" over on the NCSR side of things? It's just getting started and it would be great if we could get some resources set up over there. |
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Decurso
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Things you own end up owning you
Posts: 581
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Post by Decurso on Mar 29, 2006 14:31:42 GMT 7
Will do Nate.I registered today,but the site isn't accepting my username or password.Why is this?
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Post by Nate M on Mar 29, 2006 18:55:18 GMT 7
Do you remember the user name you used? I looked and saw that we had one registration today, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't from you, because they were able to log in and submit something. Are you sure you filled it out completely? Here is the area to sign up: www.chinaschoolreview.net/user.php?op=register&module=NS-NewUser |
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Decurso
Barfly
Things you own end up owning you
Posts: 581
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Post by Decurso on Mar 30, 2006 22:12:29 GMT 7
Got it..didn't check the "terms" box.
Hope to add more..it's a great resource..of which I appear to be the only contributor.I encourage other Saloonies to get over to Nates and give the rest of us something steal borrow.
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Post by Nate M on Apr 3, 2006 20:47:38 GMT 7
Hope to add more..it's a great resource..of which I appear to be the only contributor.I encourage other Saloonies to get over to Nates and give the rest of us something steal borrow. I'd like to, um, second that motion. We're going on a week of being open here and we've had a whopping 4 lesson plans submitted, with two of them being from me. I know we saloonies can do better than that! |
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Post by Dr. Gonzo on Apr 5, 2006 16:50:50 GMT 7
This one's an old favorite. I first did it in around '78. It can be a lifeboat or an air-raid shelter.
Vary the contestants according to the social context you're in. When playing it with SOE execs in Shanghai I pushed things to the limit: Sexy secretary, unsexy party secretary, honest worker, vice pres. on the take [close to home for some].
Endless possibilities. Potentially volatile. Be prepared!
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Post by George61 on Apr 10, 2006 20:39:54 GMT 7
Tried this today...6 kids in the class...5 girls, 1 boy, so I had to vary the procedure. I asked them to choose the 5 they would send, and explain their reasons. They got a bit bogged down, so I had to push them in different directions...Why take this one, when this one has something to offer. Finally, they had enough and launched a tirade about wanting to practice their English when all I wanted them to do was read and think. When they finished criricizing, I asked them what they had just been doing! The penny dropped! m'kay! We've just been speaking English! The girls simply wanted to avoid discussing the population growth aspect of the expedition.
They had been choosing one female and four males. Once they realized what had happened, things went great.
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Ruth
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God's provisions are strategically placed along the path of your obedience.
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Post by Ruth on Apr 10, 2006 20:42:58 GMT 7
It takes a good teacher to gently push students in the right direction. Good one, George.
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Post by George61 on Apr 10, 2006 20:56:25 GMT 7
They are funny kids....anything remotely connected with sex is a no-no. Even the definition of "gender" sent some of them into a tizzy. Later in the lesson when they realised they weren't going to get raped or worse, they conceded that the female population had to be increased to aid diversity.
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Decurso
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Things you own end up owning you
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Post by Decurso on Apr 10, 2006 21:43:03 GMT 7
I had one class send 4 women and one man..never wanted to be an Arabic carpenter so bad.
The carpenter got picked 15 of 16 times..the one time he didn't go the caprenters selflessly volunteered their spot to the pregnant woman.Next time I think I might make him 60 or something.His argument is too easy.
Ironically,my worst class was the only one to make a good argument for the musicians.Everyone else said"the world needs music"..at which point I told them we had plenty of CDS.
We handed out worksheets for this exercise but asked for them back(my school is cheap).Many came back with writing on them.One said"white is better than black".Nobody ever said that in the classroom..but it's an amusing insight into the minds of Chinese high school students.
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Post by George61 on Apr 11, 2006 5:07:04 GMT 7
The lone boy in that class decided against the black woman on the grounds that black people have poor family planning..ie, too many children. He also wanted to include the musician because he would be a creative person.
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Post by uberzilla on Apr 24, 2006 20:37:12 GMT 7
If I get to do this I am going to change things up a bit.
The spaceship pilot happens to be me.
The people are as follows...
1.a white female supermodel,age 25
2.an asian female supermodel,22
3.a white female biologist with supermodel looks,28
4.a hispanic female nurse with supermodel looks and likes spaceship pilots,32
5.a black female artist who looks like halle berry,30
6.a white musician who is not an option,40
7.an arabic male also not an option,25
8.a white male doctor also not an option35
9.an asian male soldieralso not an option,23
10.a whire male farmer also not an option,45
Yup I think that would work out just fine ;D
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Post by cheekygal on May 9, 2006 12:24:25 GMT 7
yeah, you have to take at least one more guy: what if you are incapable of repopulating the earth? :-p
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Post by Stil on May 9, 2006 14:58:06 GMT 7
I'll come, i'll come. I'll be a guy that makes mirrors. You're not going to need a lot of food for that crew.
I didn't know Cheeky was a biologists.
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Post by Mr Nobody on May 14, 2006 22:19:38 GMT 7
I repeat a previous observation. since 5 people are completely and definitely insufficient for a colony, then, you can only consider it a pleasure cruise. I would take the chicks. Sorry, guys, but in the end, m'kay you all.
at least this way, we have maybe 7 generations.
Uber's rulings would only make it more pleasurable, but of course as a biologist I get to fly the ship. If not, then I get to fly it because I would kill any motherm'kayer who got in my way.
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Post by George61 on May 15, 2006 4:38:31 GMT 7
Many people maintain that the original colony was started by two!!
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Post by Mr Nobody on May 26, 2006 18:40:14 GMT 7
Many people maintain that the original colony was started by two!! Many people thought the world was flat. |
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Ruth
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God's provisions are strategically placed along the path of your obedience.
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Post by Ruth on May 31, 2006 9:23:33 GMT 7
Many people believe the original colony was wiped out by a flood and started over again with 8 people.
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Post by Mr Nobody on May 31, 2006 17:32:42 GMT 7
All of which are impossible given the human (or any other species) genome. There are possibly one or two exceptions, but humans aren't one.
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Post by Dragonsaver on May 31, 2006 17:50:52 GMT 7
Many people believe the original colony was wiped out by a flood and started over again with 8 people. Yes Ruth, but weren't they all related???  |
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Post by Mr Nobody on Jun 1, 2006 6:36:29 GMT 7
There are a couple of species that appear to have re-started, possibly after some big disaster which wiped out the rest of their species, with fewer than 100. I think cheetahs or panthers or something are one (I remember the number '30'). I think the rest aren't mammalian. I can't recall.
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