Mission US and Student Engagement
You have seen so far how Mission US, by promoting the practice of historical empathy, can make history feel personal and relevant to students. What does that look like in the classroom?
Jen A., a veteran Mission US teacher who has used it in both middle and high school classrooms, can give us a glimpse. Read her reflection about the impact of Mission US on her students below. As you read, highlight words, phrases, or sentences that describe something that you would value in your classroom.
highlighting
Using your cursor, select the phrases and sentences in the text you want to highlight. Next, click on the pen icon. You may add a comment or question in the text box that appears. Be sure to click Save before continuing.
Jen’s Reflections on Student Engagement with Mission US |
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What I noticed when using “Cheyenne Odyssey” with my middle school students was the level of engagement. You could hear in their voices and conversations with each other and the class that they enjoyed sharing what they experienced in the game. The game gave my 8th graders the opportunity to show their personality and take risks. They learned about cause and effect, but also how their choices impacted them and their character. We got to know each other a bit more by hearing how everyone made different choices and took a different path. We were also able to discuss historical events and people relative to the game and unit. Seeing these events and characters made students more invested. In my high school classes, I used both “City of Immigrants” and “Cheyenne Odyssey.” A benefit I noticed with both was student understanding - this game seemed to make history more “real” in a sense. |
Take Notes
- Choose a word, phrase, or sentence that you highlighted in Jen’s teacher reflection above. Take a moment to describe it below and explain why you chose it as something you value in your classroom.
