A typical social studies lesson, complete with vocabulary words, worksheets, and practice essays, is one way a teacher can introduce a topic, although some students can feel disengaged or even bored when learning this way.
While at times delivering a lesson this way can be useful, it’s also nice to spice it up every once in a while. This is exactly what Cory Strain, a teacher of sixth and eighth grade social studies, has been doing.
He brought new and innovative ideas from New York City, where he originally taught, and is now passing that knowledge on to students at Springs, where he has worked for roughly two years now.
Since he started, he’s been creating simulations to really drive home the idea of what life was like during various time periods. During an Egyptian history unit, for example, Mr. Strain created a plaster mummy with fake organs inside, and the sixth graders became ancient Egyptians for the day. Students expressed murmurs of excitement during a lesson they’d never forget — and that’s the point.
Another one of Mr. Strain’s favorite activities is his stock-market-crash simulation for eighth graders. He said he enjoys watching them scramble around and tackling the problems this nerve-racking simulation brings forth.
These clever simulations keep kids engaged and ready to learn. It’s always been Mr. Strain’s dream to teach, and he likes working with older kids so he can do fun lessons like these with better outcomes. They don’t always go according to plan, and some need to be heavily modified or changed, but the goal is always the same — making lessons engaging and interesting for young people.
By Rafaela DeMartis, Grade 8