Subject(s): Language Arts, Math, Social Studies Grades(s): Grades 6-7, Junior High/High School

Title – Karma Tycoon Video Game Study Guide Unit
Pre-Game Lesson Plan 2:
City and Nonprofit Learning Hunt

Primary Subject – Social Studies
Secondary Subjects – Language Arts, Math
Grade Level – 7-12

A STUDY GUIDE
9) Pre-Game Lesson Plan 2:
City and Nonprofit Learning Hunt

Grades 7-12

Note:

To access these unit chapters, click on their titles above.

INTRODUCTION

This lesson focuses on researching cities and non-profits on the Internet. Students will learn facts about the eleven cities in the game Karma Tycoon to help them run their non-profit organizations.

GOALS

• To develop a geographic and statistical understanding of the eleven cities in the game.
• To learn about types of non-profits and the civic issues they address in each community.

VOCABULARY

Animal shelter, homeless shelter, mission statement, nonprofit, performing arts center, senior center, youth center

MATERIALS

• Computer lab
• City and Nonprofit Learning Hunt Worksheet
• City and Types of Nonprofits Handout (See Lesson 1)

INSTRUCTION

Opener

• Begin this lesson by asking students, “How many of you have ever been on a scavenger hunt? What was it like? What did you learn about?” Explain to students that they are going to go on an online scavenger hunt to learn about the eleven cities in the game Karma Tycoon.

Checking Prior Knowledge (10 min.)

• Have students login to their computers. Have students browse the Internet to locate websites that provide city demographic information such as
  http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en and
  http://www.infoplease.com
• Record a list of websites on the board for students to reference.

Quick Content Lesson: City Search (15-20 min.)

• Instruct students to work in groups of two on one computer.
• Assign each group a city to research. Pass out the City and Nonprofit Learning Hunt worksheets for students to complete. One student should navigate the website and the other should record the information on the worksheet.

Class Discussion: Nonprofits in Your City (10-15 min.)

• Pass out the City and Types of Nonprofits Handout. Have students pick a type of non-profit (homeless shelter, animal shelter, senior center, youth center, or performing arts center) and research it on the Internet in their city.
• After students have completed the nonprofit section of the worksheet, ask them to come together to present what they learned about their cities and nonprofits to the class.

ASSESSMENT OPTIONS

• Collect the City and Nonprofit Learning Hunt Worksheet.
• Observe and record student participation

AND BEYOND

• Service Component: Have students volunteer at a local nonprofit organization for a day then write a personal response.

Name____________________________________ Date ______________________

Look up your city on the Internet and find facts to help you run your non-profit organizations.

http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en

City Data

City _____________ is also known as __________________________________

The total population is ______________________________________________

The population of seniors (65 and over) is ____________________________

The median age is __________________________________________________

The median household income is ____________________________________

The average temperature or climate is ________________________________

The number of homeless people is ___________________________________

Sports teams include ________________________________________________

Non-Profit Profile

Type of non-profit
(homeless shelter, animal shelter, youth center, senior center, or performing arts center)

___________________________________________________________________

City and state _____________________________________________________

Name of nonprofit __________________________________________________

Website address ____________________________________________________

Mission statement __________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

http://www.dosomething.org/karmatycoon

E-Mail karmatycoon@dosomething.org!