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Aim
To find out about Botanica and get into role as one of eight groups.
Objectives
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Read background information and select important facts.
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Produce a visual representation of this information.
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Develop an understanding of other points of view, through role play.
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Work with others.
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Resources
Tasks
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1.
Start the lesson by explaining in broad terms what the simulation is about and the ways in which students will be working together, the kinds of information they will learn and the skills they are likely to be developing. Then ask students to take a few minutes to complete the 'Score Before' column on
Activity Sheet 1.1
. This sheet will help students assess how they have done through activities 1 and 2, so they must keep it somewhere safe.
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2.
Split the students into eight groups. Each group will need at least two members but they should be roughly equal in size. Each group should also include at least one competent reader.
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3.
Hand out the Botanica information packs (Activity Sheets
1.4
,
1.5
and
1.6
) and the question sheet (
Activity Sheet 1.2
). Ask the students to complete Activity Sheet 1.2. This task might best be divided up so that each individual reads one information sheet, and then the group as a whole works out the answers, each person contributing the facts from their own sheet to the group's answer paper. The answers on
Activity Sheet 1.3
will help the teacher check how each group is doing. Try to keep this activity brisk and do not let the students struggle if they find some of the reading or questions difficult. The main aim is to give everyone a basic picture of what Botanica is like.
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4.
Once the time is up, check that all the groups have understood the information by trying to establish an oral picture of the country. Useful phrases to draw this out might include:
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Rich in terms of ...
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Attractive to us because ...
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Problems that might include ...
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5.
Ask each group to produce a picture of Botanica, labelling some of the key features. These can then be shown to others or put up as a display later.
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6.
Once this introductory work has been completed, hand out a role card (Activity Sheets
1.7
,
1.8
,
1.9
,
1.10
,
1.11
,
1.12
,
1.13
and
1.14
) to each of the eight groups. Ask students to take a few minutes to read their card and discuss it, and check that everyone is clear about who they are.
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7.
Interrupt their discussions after a few minutes with the following announcement (you may want to pre-record this in the style of a radio news-bulletin for added impact):
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We are interrupting our regular programmes to make a special public announcement on behalf of the President of Botanica.
Citizens of Botanica! Our country has an important decision to make which could affect our future development for many years.
FIFA has announced that in 2014 the World Cup is to be held in a so-called 'developing' country and has invited us to put in a bid to host it here in Botanica.
The country that wins the bid will receive a large sum of money and much foreign investment to enable it to develop its infrastructure and facilities for hosting the World Cup competition.
This is a unique opportunity for Botanica to really put itself on the world map. It would be a tremendous boost to our tourist industry and would create many jobs for our citizens. We would be able to vastly improve the road network linking remote parts of the country together, and work that has already begun on our new airport would be guaranteed completion.
When we submit our bid to FIFA to host the World Cup, we must show that our citizens have been consulted so public consultation meetings are to be held all round the country.
This is your chance to vote for Botanica's future!
All citizens of Botanica are expected to attend a meeting on ... [insert time of next lesson], when there will be an opportunity to meet each other to discuss the issue and then vote on it.
The President urges you to think positively about the bid.
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8.
Hand out
Activity Sheet 1.15
for the group to complete in their role. Ask them to think about their response to the government's request. From their perspective, what would be good or bad about it? In what way will life change for them and for others in the country?
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9.
In the last few minutes of the lesson, ask each group to write a very brief summary of their response limited to between 15 and 20 words. The summary will be used in Task 1 of Activity 2 in the next lesson.
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Discussion Points
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How is Botanica different from the UK?
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What other countries do you know about that are similar to Botanica?
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Extension
This work could be built on before the next lesson by asking students to think what the other groups' responses might be, so that they can pre-empt some of the opposing views that might emerge in the next lesson's discussion.
Differentiation
Homework
Students could discuss with people outside the class the pros and cons for a country of hosting major events.
National Curriculum Focus
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1(i) Global community
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2(a-c) Enquiry and communication skills
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3(a) Use imagination to consider the experience of others
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