Global Challenge started out as a simple geography and history game which took a few weeks to play. Students competed to occupy and maintain territory on the world map by answering questions from their textbooks and stating geographical and historical facts. Over the years, the game expanded in complexity and eventually played out over an entire semester. Thriving in this new kind of environment, students formed teams with unique names, created team logos and posters, compiled huge databases and held meetings at lunch and after school. "Underground" markets were even created to make deals and trade information and ideas. The game itself came to be a working metaphor for the challenges that came along with advanced civilizations.
As a classroom project, Global Challenge can be an excellent way to challenge your students to look way beyond the text book and explore the world as it has come to be. By participating, students will learn about history, economics, political science, finance and how to be part of a team. Teachers who use this in their classes will learn how to teach in a new way - by allowing students to create their own learning experiences. This game represents a new way of learning, from the bottom up, and shows that learning can go way beyond basic classroom content and standardized tests. This workshop will show you how to set this up in your class, but more importantly, will show you a new way to teach.









