Crade Level: 7

Sub[ecL: PumanlLles
1lLle/1oplc: Communlsm vs. CaplLallsm SlmulaLlon
1oLal 1lme AlloLLed: 73 MlnuLes


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1. undersLand Lhe baslc dlfferences beLween communlsm and caplLallsm.
2. Caln a clear undersLandlng of why communlsm dld and does noL work ln pracLlce.
3. LlsL advanLages and dlsadvanLages of each pollLlcal sysLem.

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8lank paper and drawlng uLenslls
Candy canes and Pershey's klsses (dlsLrlbuLed equally lnLo baggles)
WhlLeboard and markers

5678!9:;75!6 <73&21 3= >'($ ?'/-&$)@

l. 9:$(;<%,$-</:,-'. Ask sLudenLs Lo Lhlnk abouL/llsL whaL Lhey already know abouL
communlsm and caplLallsm and Lhlngs Lhey sLlll do noL undersLand. 1hen, geL Lhem Lo
speak wlLh a parLner Lo address concerns. As a class clarlfy whaL has already been
sLaLed and make noLe on Lhe board.

A;75B575C, <73&21 3= >'=&D ?'/-&$)@

l. Lxplaln Lo sLudenLs LhaL by Lhe end of Lhe class Lhey wlll have a clearer undersLandlng of
why communlsm dld noL work and how lL dlffers from caplLallsm. Lxplaln Lo Lhem LhaL
ln order Lo Lruly undersLand Lhe advanLages and flaws of each sysLem, Lhey wlll undergo
a slmulaLlon of each sysLem. Choose Lwo sLudenLs from Lhe class Lo acL as consumers.
1he resL of Lhe class wlll be producers. ln Lhe flrsL round (caplLallsm), Lhe consumers wlll
be buylng cars from Lhe resL of Lhe class uslng candy canes (worLh $3) and Pershey's
klsses (worLh $1 each.) SLudenLs can palr up Lo draw cars (lf Lhey choose) and wlll be
glven Lhree mlnuLes Lo develop a car LhaL Lhey Lhlnk Lhe consumer wlll wanL Lo pay a loL
of money for. (3 mlnuLes)
ll. AfLer Lhey have compleLed Lhls Lask, each half of Lhe class wlll vlslL Lhelr respecLlve
consumer. 1he consumers wlll have only a cerLaln amounL of money" Lo glve away,
and musL glve lL all away. roducers can elLher sell Lhelr cars or refuse Lo Lake money
and work on Lhem agaln ln Lhe nexL round Lo make lmprovemenLs. (7 mlnuLes)
lll. uurlng Lhe nexL round, sLudenLs can elLher draw a new car or Lhey can conLlnue worklng
on Lhelr exlsLlng one Lo meeL Lhe demands of Lhe consumer, afLer havlng seen whaL Lhe
consumer ls looklng for. 1hey wlll agaln have Lhree mlnuLes, and wlll Lry Lo lmprove lL as
much as posslble Lo geL more candy Lhe nexL round. Cnce Lhree mlnuLes are up, Lhey
wlll reLurn Lo Lhe consumer Lo Lry and sell Lhelr cars agaln. (7 mlnuLes)
lv. AfLer Lhls flrsL slmulaLlon ls compleLed, explaln Lo sLudenLs LhaL Lhls flrsL round
slmulaLed caplLallsm. SLlmulaLe dlscusslon by asklng sLudenLs how Lhey lmproved Lhelr
cars Lo meeL Lhe demands of Lhe consumer (Lhe markeL") and whaL Lhelr aLLlLudes
were Loward Lhe pro[ecL and sysLem lLself. Ask Lhem Lo llsL some of Lhe advanLages and
dlsadvanLages of Lhls sysLem. (10 mlnuLes)
v. AfLer dlscusslng caplLallsm, Lell sLudenLs LhaL you're now lnsLaLlng a communlsL
governmenL because you have declded LhaL lL lsn'L falr for some people Lo have more
money/properLy Lhan oLhers. ?ou have lnsLead declded Lo Lake Lhelr earnlngs away and
wlll dlsLrlbuLe Lhem equally. Lveryone wlll agaln have Lhe chance Lo bulld a car for Lhe
consumer, buL Lhls Llme no maLLer whaL Lhey produce Lhey wlll all recelve equal pay for
Lhelr work. (3 mlnuLes)
vl. SLudenLs wlll agaln go Lhrough Lwo rounds of drawlng and revlslons. Many sLudenLs wlll
noL puL ln much efforL, as Lhey do noL have Lo ln order Lo make any money. 1ake noLe
of any observaLlons and remarks Lhey make whlle undergolng Lhls slmulaLlon. (13
mlnuLes)

;E!,:8C ,C;75!6 <73&21 3= 70$/&D ?'/-&$)@

l. Ask sLudenLs whlch sysLem Lhey preferred and whaL Lhey LhoughL abouL Lhe
communlsm sysLem. Pow dld Lhey feel abouL Lhelr candy belng Laken away? WhaL
were some of Lhe advanLages and dlsadvanLages of each sysLem? 8y Lhe end of Lhe
exerclse, many sLudenLs wlll ldenLlfy LhaL communlsm does noL work because Lhere ls
llLLle lncenLlve Lo work hard-as evldenced by Lhe work (or lack Lhereof) of some of Lhelr
peers. (13 mlnuLes)
ll. Allow sLudenLs Llme Lo wrlLe down Lhelr lmpresslons of Lhe lesson ln Lhelr wrlLer's
noLebook, noLlng any remalnlng quesLlons Lhey have or polnLs for clarlflcaLlon Lo be
dlscussed ln Lomorrow's lesson. (3 mlnuLes)