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Why
Use Sim City 2000?
Sim City 2000 uses
the power of simulation software to create
intriguing environments that allow students to
experiment with models of real world systems. These
simulated environments serve as a highly motivating
and dynamic tool for learning.
In Erving, a team of
fifth and sixth grade teachers use the Sim City
2000 computer simulation software as the core of a
two month multidisciplinary study of cities. The
students use the Sim City 2000 software to create
virtual cities that they control. Students
invariably see the cities as an extension of
themselves and are highly motivated to succeed. As
the mayor of their individual cities, they learn
what factors impact on the success or failure a
city and how these factors interact. They are often
humbled by recognizing the limits of even an
omnipotent mayor in determining the well being of a
city. They learn the practical values of patience,
thrift, planning and balancing the competing
demands on municipal funds. With a deeper
understanding of city issues, the students write
and deliver reelection speeches as mayor of their
Sim City metropolis, using ClarisWorks to construct
charts and graphs to bolster their campaign claims
and promises. Later, the students design and build
real model skyscrapers inspired by research on the
architecture of skyscrapers worldwide. The students
use the Internet to do research and plan field
trips to real cities. A field trip to New York City
is the culmination of the project. Driving and
walking through a real city provides the students
with many more questions to ponder, especially the
sociological and emotional realities of life in
communities large and small.
Our Sim City 2000
unit includes all students. All of our fifth and
sixth grade special needs children are completely
integrated into the regular education classrooms
and all of them participate in every lesson. All
students become eager to study the history and
current development of real cities as they begin to
look at cities in a different way. Using the
Internet and other sources of information, they do
research on real cities. They develop an
appreciation of the complex nature of mankind's
urban centers and the many factors involved in
maintaining these communities. While learning about
real cities they also learn basic methods of study
in history and economics as well as practical
applications of math and science. Using this model,
we have been able to effectively integrate
computers into the elementary curriculum in ways
that motivate even the most reluctant students. In
the process, the students develop important oral
and written communication skills and a deeper
understanding of important social studies content
and concepts.
Other teachers with
reasonable access to a school computer lab or a pod
of classroom computers can easily duplicate this
unit and use it with their own students.
The Massachusetts
English Language Arts Curriculum Frameworks call
for teachers to teach language arts in ways that
will "teach learners how to reason and use language
purposefully as they comprehend, construct and
convey meaning." The Massachusetts History and
Social Science Frameworks aim to teach children the
fundamental historical interrelationships between
man, society and the environment that has led to
our present civilization. Our Sim City 2000 project
demonstrates how the creative use of simulation
software can help teachers create exceptional
lessons that will meet the goals outlined in the
frameworks. Two examples are:
History and Social
Science Curriculum Frameworks
Economics - Learning
Standard 11 - Fundament Economic
Concepts
Students
will understand fundamental economic concepts,
including choice, ownership, exchange,
cooperation, competition, purposive effort,
entrepreneurship, incentive and money.
Geography - Learning
Standard 10 - Human Alteration of
Environments
Students
will describe the ways in which human activity
has changed the world, such as removing natural
barriers; transplanting some animal and plant
species, and eliminating others; increasing or
decreasing natural fertility of land and the
mining of resources. They explain how science,
technology, and institutions of many kinds have
affected human capacity to alter
environments.
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