Experiential Exercises

In Experiential Exercises, participating in short, memorable experiences helps students grasp social studies concepts. Through the use of movement and introspection, students capture a moment or feeling that is central to understanding a particular concept or historical event.

Steps at a Glance

  • 1. Prepare your students for a safe, successful experience.
  • 2. Make the experience as authentic as possible by assuming an appropriate persona; hamming it up; and using simple props, costumes, music, and sound effects.
  • 3. Allow students to express their feelings immediately after the experience.
  • 4. Ask carefully sequenced questions to help make connections between students’ experiences and key concepts or events.
Experiential Exercise

The Fear and Paranoia of McCarthyism

In this Experiential Exercise, students experience the fear of communism and the paranoia that fueled McCarthyism through a game of “Fear of Dots.” Students are given a slip of paper that is either blank or contains a dot, and keep their designation secret as they move about the room trying to form a “dot-free” group while relying on questioning and suspicion.

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