Intended End User: Teacher
Age Group: Lower Secondary; Upper Secondary
School Curriculum: Social, Physical & Health Education; Social & Environment Science; Languages
Themes and Topics: Energy Use and Production, Collective Action, Power & Influence, Citizenship
Duration: 2h
Type of Resource: Game, Guidelines & Notes, Lesson Plans
Keywords: Role-Playing, Community Planning, Environmental Stewardship, Collaborative, Decision-Making
Languages: English
Description
This handbook is a detailed guide for teachers to implement a role-playing game designed to engage students in a collaborative and thought-provoking discussion about sustainable development and community planning. Set in the fictional municipality of Babrunn, the game explores the potential construction of a water park and its implications for the environment, local economy, and community well-being.
Students assume roles such as environmentalists, business leaders, civic association members, and the mayor, each with distinct perspectives and objectives. Using role cards, scenario descriptions, and supplementary materials, participants debate the future of the community while balancing competing priorities like economic growth, environmental preservation, and social cohesion.
The resource encourages:
- Critical thinking: Students analyze real-world trade-offs and defend their positions with logical arguments.
- Collaboration: The game fosters teamwork and respect for diverse viewpoints.
- Environmental awareness: The scenario highlights the importance of sustainable land use and ecological preservation.
- Empathy: The role-playing game provides a deeper understanding and empathy for the situation of other stakeholders.
Teachers are provided with structured instructions, discussion prompts, and role descriptions to ensure smooth facilitation. This hands-on approach not only enhances student engagement but also equips them with decision-making skills relevant to complex societal challenges.
Ideal for secondary school classrooms, the role-playing game integrates seamlessly into subjects like social studies, environmental science, and ethics, making it a versatile tool for experiential learning.
How to use this resource
This resource is a role-playing game designed to facilitate active and collaborative learning about sustainability, community planning, and stakeholder engagement.
It guides the teacher and students through the preparation phase, role-play execution and reflection phase. It provides all materials needed to do the role play.
The resources
Babrunn PDF:
Learning Outcomes
- Elicit prior knowledge and further develop knowledge and comprehension of key Sustainability Citizenship key concepts, challenging established worldviews and values.
- Apply a range of suitable tools and frameworks to promote student Sustainability Citizenship
- Reflect on practice and examine national curricula to identify opportunities to promote Sustainability Citizenship in interdisciplinary ways and engage with external stakeholders.
- Collaboratively synthesise the knowledge, tools and frameworks to create educational materials and lessons plans adapted to their own local context
Green Competencies
- Embodying Sustainable Values: Valuing Sustainability; Supporting Fairness
- Embracing Complexity in Sustainability: Systems Thinking; Critical Thinking; Problem Framing
- Acting for Sustainability: Political Agency
Creative Commons
SDGs
