Karma Tycoon Video Game Study Guide Unit

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

Study Guide by Do Something
The JPMorgan Chase Foundation
9MMedia
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

Karma Tycoon rocks the gaming world by offering you a thrilling ride through the world of social entrepreneurship as you earn Karma in virtual communities across the US.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

UNIT INTRODUCTION
ABOUT US:
- DO SOMETHING
- THE JPMORGAN CHASE FOUNDATION
- 9MMEDIA
KARMA TYCOON PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
LEARNING GOALS AND LINKS TO CLASSROOM LEARNING
HOW TO PLAY KARMA TYCOON
VOCABULARY
- Nonprofit Terms
- "Learn" Sections from Karma Tycoon Video Game for Grants, Foundations, Balance Sheets, Credit Cards, and Loans
CITIES AND NONPROFIT DATA
- Cities
- Types of Nonprofits
PRE-GAME LESSON PLAN 1
- What is a Nonprofit Organization?
PRE-GAME LESSON PLAN 2
- City and Nonprofit Internet Learning Hunt
(SEE BELOW)
PRE-GAME LESSON PLAN 3
- The Importance of Managing Your Finances
POST-GAME LESSON PLAN 1
- Devising a Budget for Your Nonprofit

Note:

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

9) PRE-GAME
LESSON PLAN 2

City and Nonprofit Learning Hunt

City and Nonprofit Learning Hunt

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 ______________________

City and Non-Profit Worksheet

INTERNET LEARNING HUNT

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 __________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

E-Mail karmatycoon@dosomething.org!