Objective:

Students will explore how nations work together to solve problems like trade, cultural exchanges, and diplomacy. Through role-playing, students will simulate these interactions, learning the importance of communication and cooperation. They will integrate computational thinking by breaking down complex processes of international relations into manageable steps.

Materials Needed:

• Role-play cards representing different countries, trade agreements, and diplomatic problems

• A world map for reference

• Chart paper and markers for recording agreements

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin by discussing how countries interact with each other to solve problems like trade or peace treaties. 

  • Explain that countries, like people, need to communicate and work together to find solutions. 

  • Use examples of international diplomacy and ask students how countries might work together to solve issues like sharing resources.

• Group Activity:

  • Divide students into small groups, each representing a different country. 

  • Give each group a scenario where they must solve a problem with another country (e.g., creating a trade deal or forming an environmental agreement). 

  • Encourage students to communicate with each other and work through the scenario step by step, breaking down the problem into smaller pieces and brainstorming solutions. 

  • For example, one group may role-play a trade deal, where one country has lots of grain, and another has many fruits, and they need to decide how to trade fairly.

• Problem Solving and Cooperation:

  • As students work through their scenarios, guide them in thinking about how their choices affect both countries. 

  • Encourage them to use respectful communication and to consider both countries’ needs. 

  • Highlight the computational thinking element by pointing out how breaking down a big problem into smaller steps makes it easier to solve.

• Testing and Refining Solutions:

  • Once groups have reached an agreement, they will share it with the class. 

  • The class will discuss whether the solution seems fair and effective. 

  • If problems arise, students can refine their agreements by going back and modifying certain parts of their negotiation process.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group will present the solutions they came up with to the class, explaining the process of negotiation and how they arrived at a resolution. 

  • Lead a discussion on the importance of communication, teamwork, and compromise in both international relations and personal relationships.

Equity and Access:

Provide role-play scenarios that offer different levels of complexity, allowing all students to participate at their own comfort level. Use visual aids to support understanding for students who may need additional support.

Real-World Application:

Link the lesson to real-world issues like trade negotiations or peace treaties, emphasizing that nations, like people, must work together to solve problems peacefully.

CS Practice(s):

• Developing and Using Abstractions: Students break down the process of diplomacy into manageable parts.

• Collaborating Around Computing: Students work together in groups to simulate international relations, using communication and teamwork to resolve issues.

Standard(s):

• CA HSS 2.3.2

• CA CS K-2.AP.13

Objective:

Students will use Scratch Jr. or another favorite coding platform to create interactive digital scenes that model how nations work together to solve problems, focusing on trade, cultural exchange, treaties, diplomacy, and military actions. By breaking down these complex interactions into smaller steps and programming them, students will learn about global cooperation and the role of various nations in maintaining peace and resolving conflicts.

Materials Needed:

• Tablets or computers 

• Visual aids illustrating historical and modern examples of diplomacy, trade agreements, and treaties

• Pre-written scenarios that depict international interactions, such as a trade dispute or peace negotiations

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin with a class discussion on how countries interact with one another, using examples like trade agreements, peace treaties, and cultural exchanges. 

  • Ask students how these interactions help resolve problems like sharing resources or preventing conflict. Introduce the task: students will use Scratch Jr. or another coding platform to create an animated scene that shows how two countries resolve a conflict through diplomacy or trade.

• Group Activity:

  • Divide students into pairs. Each pair will select a scenario, such as negotiating a trade agreement between two countries, resolving a cultural misunderstanding, or negotiating a peace treaty. 

  • They will use a coding platform to program an animation that shows the step-by-step process of solving the problem through diplomacy or other peaceful methods. 

  • For example, one group might create a scene showing two countries trading goods, like oil for food, while another group shows diplomats working to prevent a conflict.

• Creating and Coding:

  • Guide students in breaking down their scenario into smaller steps, such as initial negotiations, proposals, and final agreements. 

  • Students will animate their scenes in a coding platform with characters representing different countries and create dialogue or actions that simulate problem-solving. 

  • For instance, they can code a diplomat character to propose a solution, or animate a scene where countries exchange goods through peaceful trade.

• Testing and Refining:

  • After creating their animations, students will test their code to ensure that the interactions between countries are clear and logical. 

  • They will check for any issues in their coding, such as missing dialogue or misplaced actions, and refine their animations to ensure the process of resolving the conflict is accurately depicted.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each pair will present their coding project to the class, explaining how their characters worked together to solve an international problem through trade, diplomacy, or treaties. 

  • Lead a class discussion on how nations interact with each other in real life and why cooperation is essential for resolving conflicts.

Equity and Access:

Provide pre-made templates that include basic animations and characters for students who may need additional support, allowing them to modify or expand upon the template according to their ability.

Real-World Application:

Link this activity to current international events, such as peace talks or global trade agreements, and emphasize how understanding these processes is vital for global citizenship and resolving conflicts peacefully.

CS Practice(s):

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students use a coding platform to design digital representations of international problem-solving scenarios.

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify the steps nations take to resolve conflicts and translate these into sequences in a coding platform

Standard(s):

• CA HSS 2.3.2

• CA CS K-2.AP.12

• CA CS K-2.AP.13