TITLE: The World On A String (Interdependence Simulation) AUTHOR: Lisa Knight, Meadow Glade, Battle Grounds, WA GRADE LEVEL: 5-6; History OBJECTIVE(s): To demonstrate through concrete experience the interconnectedness of all countries MATERIALS: Index cards with directions, ball of string ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES: Give each student a card with the country's name, export, and trading partner. Have the group stand in a circle at random (26 students max.). First country (Afghanistan) throws string to trading partner who in turn throws to his/her trading partner. Keep throwing string till it has crisscrossed the circle and each person is holding a part of the string. The first person relates some problem that affects hie/her export--i.e. "Drought hurts fruit crop. Exports drastically reduced" then tugs the string. Each person who feels the tug raises his/her hand, then tugs his/her string. Tugs continue till the affect travels around the world. VARIATION: Give students country cards and have the children determine a relationship to another country--i.e. Mexico borrows ten million dollars from the U.S., then throw the string to that country. INTERDEPENDENCE SIMULATION GAME COUNTRY PRODUCT TO 1. Afghanistan dried fruit Libya 2. Libya oil Norway 3. Norway fish Sweden 4. Sweden wood West Germany 5. West Germany machinery France 6. France textiles Italy 7. Italy footwear U.S.A. 8. U.S.A. machinery Canada 9. Canada wheat Venezuela 10.Venezuela gold Brazil 11.Brazil coffee Djibouti 12.Djibouti hides Somalia 13.Somalia food Saudi Arabia 14.Saudi Arabia oil Switzerland 15.Switzerland watches Albania 16.Albania wheat Greece 17.Greece tobacco Portugal 18.Portugal cork Britain 19.Britain manufactured goods Netherlands 20.Netherlands chocolate Japan 21.Japan machinery Hong Kong 22.Hong Kong manufactured goods Algeria 23.Algeria wine Austria 24.Austria iron Kuwait 25.Kuwait oil Australia 26.Australia coal Argentina
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