Role-Playing Scenarios
Only a few of the following examples are actually ready-to-run in an undergraduate classroom, but they will provide inspiration and materials for your own role-playing exercises. Many of the scenarios, characters, and assignments need a few added details, which will enable you to tailor them to your course.
Earth System Topics
- Atmosphere 8 matches
- Biosphere 6 matches
- Climate 8 matches
- Earth's Cycles 1 match rock cycle, hydrologic cycle, carbon cycle and nitrogen cycle
- Geography 2 matches
- Human Dimensions 15 matches
- Hydrology 5 matches
- Oceans 2 matches
- Solar System and Astronomy 2 matches
- Solid Earth 8 matches
- Surface Processes 1 match
- Time/Earth History 1 match
Results 1 - 10 of 28 matches
Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Role-Play Exercise part of Pedagogy in Action:Library:Role Playing:Examples
When the science is so clear, why is it so difficult to make agreements that will reduce our impact on climate change? This exercise is designed to help students explore that important question in an active and ...
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What are the causes and effects of ENSO? part of Complex Systems:Teaching Activities
This NASA Mission Geography module focuses on the evidence for global climate change. In the specific activity on ENSO, students role play policy makers deciding how to allocate Peru's resources to manage for ...
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The Sleeping Mountain part of Pedagogy in Action:Library:Role Playing:Examples
In this role-playing scenario, students represent townspeople whose lives and livelihoods are endangered by an active volcano which may or may not erupt in the near future.
See the activity page for details.
An Activity to Introduce the Geoscience Perspective part of Pedagogy in Action:Library:Role Playing:Examples
This role-playing exercise introduces students to geology by having them examine rocks from the perspective of a child, a sculptor, a geologist or someone from another walk of life.
Being P-Waves and S-Waves part of Pedagogy in Action:Library:Role Playing:Examples
Teach students about P-waves and S-waves by having them model them with their own bodies.
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Distribution of Active Volcanoes Exercise part of Pedagogy in Action:Library:Role Playing:Examples
In this series of inquiry-based exercises about volcanoes and plate tectonics, students will collect, plot, and interpret data and finish with a role-playing activity and a virtual field trip.
Runaway Greenhouse Effect Exercise part of Pedagogy in Action:Library:Role Playing:Examples
This site has a collection of role-playing exercises that provide the students with equations and data to use in collaborative problem-solving.
See the activity page for details.
Mock Environmental Summit part of Pedagogy in Action:Library:Role Playing:Examples
At the end of a six-week class or unit on global warming, students role-play representatives from various countries and organizations at an international summit on global warming.
See the activity page for details.
Recycle -- or not? A case from New York City part of Pedagogy in Action:Library:Teaching with the Case Method:Examples
A case for the analysis of externalities (social costs and benefits) in the context of recycling. Drawn from a program in New York City.
The Use of a Piece of Land part of Pedagogy in Action:Library:Role Playing:Examples
In this role-playing exercise, students represent groups interested in buying the same piece of land and will need to consult land-use laws.
