Night of the
Living Clients
The Zombie Invasion of RHS
Zombie Based Learning
What is Zombie Based
Learning?
What is ZBL? Part II
One Teacher's Curriculum
Geography has always been a learning target for social studies
teachers, and David Hunter, who teaches at Bellevue Washington's
Big Picture School, decided to create a curriculum using
Kickstarter as its funding source. He sought to make geography
relevant through engaging scenarios and stories with a zombie
theme tying it all together. The whole curriculum is standardsbased and includes over 70 lessons where clients must "consider
how to duck the undead invasion, secure their supplies and,
eventually, rebuild society" through a variety of activities,
worksheets and discussions.
The curriculum was recently featured as a part of
the TedEd educational series.
What is ZBL? Part III
Zombie-Based Learning is a rigorous curriculum designed to meet the 2012
National Geography Standards for up to 8th grade. These standards combine
geographic knowledge with deep concepts of geographical thinking. Clients will be
assessed on their work and performance in meeting these standards and
completing projects. These assessments will give a more authentic view of a
student’s ability to apply their learning.
In addition to being rigorous, Zombie-Based Learning is designed to be engaging.
There is no rule that says school can’t be challenging and engaging. Clients will
create projects to show how they would use geographical skills to show how they
would survive the zombie outbreak and rebuild society. They are encouraged to use
creativity in these projects and express their ideas. A narrative is also included with
the curriculum. This story sets up the projects, explains why they need to be
completed, and gives context for the geographic thinking being used.
Even thought zombies are used to help get kids interested, this curriculum is
entirely appropriate for middle school. It was designed by a middle school teacher
for middle school clients. The narrative is rated appropriate for ages 9 and up. This
is about giving clients an exciting context for their work, not about scaring them
with gruesome images. Many schools as well as national education and geography
organizations have show their support and enthusiasm for these lessons.
What are the goals of ZBL?
The major goals of Zombie-Based Learning are to:
Increase student engagement
Provide project-based lessons
Meet rigorous national standards through authentic
assessment
How would ZBL work at RHS?
Two week trial run for the second half of October 2013
and a full month run October of 2014.
Cross Curricular in the High School
Every class will touch on some aspect of the RHS
zombie apocalypse
Science
Many in the zombie community (did I just write that?)
believe that people become zombies due to a virus, and
many of the films and literature echo this as a possible
method of transmission. This being the case, clients
could investigate the subject of viruses and bacteria
using zombies as the disease being passed. They might
come up with scientific methods for eradicating the
disease or simply mitigating its effect. They might even
hypothesize the biology behind zombies. Again, the
topic of zombies is an entry point to engage clients in
learning significant content.
Math
Related to the science component of zombies, many
diseases increase at an exponential rate. Clients could
analyze different population centers and predict its
spread using exponential functions. They could
determine when everyone is infected and map the
spread using the math data they calculate, or even
explore rate of decay. Clients could also investigate
what happens when a certain number of people are
vaccinated to help prevent the spread.
Language Arts
While much of the world of zombies is portrayed in comics and
films, ELA teachers can use these various texts to engage clients in
learning important reading standards. Even the Common Core
calls for reading a variety of texts and comparing and contrasting
those texts (such as a film and a comic). These stories feature
compelling, complex characters under extreme situations that
many of us can identify with. Clients could analyze the various
features of the comic/graphic novel genre, or engage in character
analysis. Consider using these zombie-based materials as
scaffolding for more complex texts. For example, the Novel Pride
& Prejudice & Zombies which gives clients the full text of the Jane
Austin text with the addition of a zombie invasion subplot or the
novel Warm Bodies by Issac Marion.
Clients can also write the story of the Zombie Invasion of RHS!
Civics and Social Studies
How can you re-build a civilization?
What type of Government would work in this new
world? Clients must learn about other forms of
government, past and present, to recreate a functioning
government.
Art and Multi-Media
Clients will make their own graphic novel detailing the
invasion of RHS.
Clients can make their own mini zombie movie which
would require skills in Excel for budgeting and word
for scripting.
Clients will make a Zombie Outbreak Survival
pamphlet with appropriate text and graphics.
Drama
Clients can write and perform a skit based on the
zombie invasion.
Clients can act in the multi-media movies.
Clients can construct props and sets appropriately.
Culinary
Clients would have to learn what is perishable and
what is not.
Clients would have to be creative about what they
could make with only limited resources.
Woodworking
Clients can learn about creating make shift structures
How to build and/or adapt tools
How to woodwork in a society with no power
How to zombie proof existing residences and buildings
Resources
http://www.zombiebased.com/
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hunterd/zombiebased-learning-geography-taught-in-zombie-a
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/zombie-based-learningandrew-miller
http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2013/06/26/e
ducation-innovation-zombie-based-learning/
http://www.gamification.co/2013/06/28/how-to-teach-andengage-students-with-zombies/