Global Awareness Lesson Plan

What activity did you select to use for your global assignment?

I explored the BigPictureSmallWorld website and went through their games section. I chose to use the educational simulation game Real Lives for my assignment.

Describe the activity.

The game itself is a virtual life simulation, randomizing each time unless presets are made by the user. You start out as a baby and go through life experiencing some of the possible things that the specific person you're playing as, might experience. It's basically a chose your own adventure game, but dealing with multicultural identities.

Describe how you incorporate that activity into your classroom. 

I've incorporated the Real Lives game into a research/artwork based unit plan. Students will use this game to develop a virtual identity and then research their region and culture. Using the research, they will develop and design an artwork that represents what they've learned about their culture. Students will be able to select art materials and subject matter of their choice in order to encourage creativity and individuality.

Describe how the lesson is considered global awareness.

The lesson I planned around Real Lives is based on the global awareness of art. The last class of this unit will consist of students presenting their research information and artworks. Each student will be responsible for analyzing their classmate's work and completing an "exploration" paper. This will encourage awareness of not only the student's own culture and region, but that of 20+ other examples.