Project Based Learning Unit
Project Name: Global Games
Subject: Global Studies
Other Subjects: Science, English, Business
Duration: 9 weeks
Grade level: 9 th and 10 th Graders
Project Idea: Students will explore the cultural, economic, environmental, trade, and health impact of globalization and how it has both enhanced and harm quality of life on planet Earth. Students will be able to evaluate the impact globalization as it relates to their own lives and humans around the world.
We will explore historical events that led to globalization and use those examples to better understand current events. For example, currently the Ebola virus has hit the West African coastal countries pretty hard, to date over 800 people have died from this virus. Currently health care providers from the US who went to Africa to treat infected people have themselves contracted the virus and were sent back to the US. This current events topic is also my hook since most students have a high level of interest.
Students should have proposals on how to solve problems created by globalization and be able to make recommendations
Driving Question: Has going global improved life on Earth?
21 st Century Skills:
Collaboration T&A
Presentation T&A
Critical Thinking E
Culminating Products/Performances: In teams students will present to different classes throughout the school using a slide presentation and Q and A…each presentation should take 35-40 minutes (longer) and students as well as teachers from other classes will have rubric to evaluate the effectiveness of the presentations. Students will present the question: has going global improved life on Earth?
Time Frame-
Week one and two- What is globalization and how did we get here
Lesson Ideas-
Week three- Why trade?

Lesson ideas- Chinese silk route, Punic Wars (battle for control of trade), Delian League,
Imperialism, WWI, NAFTA, Open Door Policy, Dollar Diplomacy, The Great Recession and banking crisis, trade with China and outsourcing of factory work (changing work force)
Debate/Socratic Seminar ideas: Trade v. self-sufficiency
Week four: Economics (need a question)
Lesson Ideas- Feudalism, Capitalism, Monarchies, Communism, Geopolitics
Debate/Socratic Seminar idea: Can capitalism be ethical?
Week five: Health (need a question)
Lesson ideas- Athenian plague, Black Death (bubonic plague), Spanish Influenza, Ebola virus, film
Contagion, MERS
Debate/Socratic Seminar Idea: speaker from county health department for Q and A
Week six: Environment (need a question)
Lesson ideas-
Debate/Socratic Seminar Idea:
Week seven: Is Americanization killing culture?
Lesson ideas: cultural diffusion, native cultures, McDonalds, Walmart
Debate/Socratic Seminar Idea: Is the US engaging in cultural imperialism?
Week eight: Final preparation…. Lab time, reteaching ideas to students who need extra help, research to fill in holes in graphic organizer
Week nine: Presentations and debriefing… final evaluations of individuals, group evaluations
Culture/Routine
Monday/Wednesday- 1, 3, 5 (prep) 7 ….Workshop model
Tuesday/Thursday- 2,4,6 (prep)….workshop model
Friday 1 -7 ….debates/Socratic seminar discussions/blogging etc.
Workshop Days….
First 5 Minutes…with base groups, attendance and catch up any students who were absent

Next 10 Minutes….Current events story tied to the theme of the week with journal and reflective questions
Next 20-25 minutes….Mini Lesson of the day (those are centered around lesson ideas above)
30-35 minutes Work Time….Students will be using the thinking strategies for the work time, some of time spent silently reading material and discussion protocols or other to engage around text of the day
5 Minutes…group evaluation (teaching collaboration skills)
5 – 10 minutes….Review Q and A and cover homework and next steps…exit ticket
(if there is extra time kids will have SSR time with an historical fiction novel (or non-fiction) of choice which will be required reading for the course and tested through the Advanced Reading program… otherwise the reading will be homework)