P.O. Box 29
27 School Street
Castine, Maine 04421
326-8608
www.adamsschool.com
Todd R. Nelson - Principal
326-8608
www.adamsschool.com
Where
in the World is
Nineva, Sutaria?*
In
Golana, the military dictatorship has lots of money, a large army, and
too
little food for the huge population. In Egala, a typhoon has wrecked
the
fishing fleet, threatening economic disaster. A chemical spill in
Dominico
could poison the water supply for the capital city. But in Futili, oil
has been
discovered in the desert, a boon for such a poor, arid country, and
farmers in
Heelotia are taking in a robust grain crop. Trade will revive, perhaps
benefiting the whole region. Now if only political stability could be
achieved
in Futili, where a new dictator has thrown out the old one, and treaty
talks guarantee
the security of ethnic Icaris living in Dominico—then The Continent
would be a
more peaceful, secure place to live.
Welcome
to the simulation our 6-8h graders will experience next week. Do you
have your
passport and visa?
The
lifespan of the simulated continent will begin with an exploration of
culture
and physical resources when the inhabitants of each of five countries
must
create governments (monarchies, democracies, dictatorships,
politburos),
explore the physical geography of the rest of the continent in order to
locate
other countries and resources, and develop an internal culture complete
with
founding stories, idiosyncratic greeting rituals, and colorful national
flags
and symbols. Our goal is to “inhabit” geography, and learn lessons in
dealing
with some real world problems by making treaties, trading resources, or
waging
war.
It may
sound like the
game of Risk—and some students given a sneak preview are ready to roll
the dice
and in the hope of conquering neighboring lands. However, the real name
of the
game is survival: feeding your population; having a balance of skill
and raw
materials for a thriving economy; negotiating treaties that will
guarantee
peace with neighbors; settling any internal conflicts that threaten
stability.
Perhaps rolling the dice in warfare can achieve this? Or maybe trade
and
treaties are a better option? These are the decisions we’re asking the
students
to make. You can see the rules online at:
http://www.adamsschool.com/adamscontinent.html
Just to
test the best
laid plans of each country, random disasters will come along on the
third day
of the simulation. A typhoon, a
population movement, or crop failure could strain individual survival.
What
will “world leaders” do to cope?
We’ll
also ask our countries to explore the definition of “contentment” and
“betterment.” Does the country with the largest treasury, army or
industrial
base have the highest contentment index among its citizens? Perhaps
being a
simple fisherman in Dominico, or a goatherd in Egala constitutes the
good life?
The bankers in Sutaria may have a high rate of stress-induced illness,
for all
their apparent affluence. . . even if all their children are above
average!
Some countries start the game with a surplus of the resources they need
to
survive. So what is their incentive to trade or negotiate treaties?
Altruism?
The
primary goal of our simulation experience will be to create a scale
model for
understanding complex data and relationships. Perhaps it’ll give us the
ability
to bring a few of the real world’s dilemmas and solutions back to
Castine. Any
number of world problems would be a fitting background to our game. We
use the
phrase “global village” to describe the shrinking
scale of planetary relationships.
But “village” is also alive in our culture as a touchstone for a
sympathetic,
ideal dwelling place. In many ways, we wish the world were
a village. And perhaps after playing this game, we can also
say that our village is the world—and that we’ve learned some important
lessons
in understanding and caring for it. As John Donne wrote, “No man is an
island,
entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, part of the
main.” Why
not think locally…and act globally?
—Todd
*
Quattro de Mayo dinner…taco
fest! Thursday, May 4th.
Emerson Hall,
Bottles/returnables
Drive on Sunday. The 8th grade class would love to have
your
returnables…bring them to the school from
The State of Maine
departs at
Tennis Sign up.
Permission slips went home on Monday and afternoon tennis starts next
Wednesday, May 3. Tennis meets three times
per week,
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from
L’école
Jean Vincent d’Abbadie, Village de Saint Castin,
Kindergarten
Screening…Wednesday,
May 24th.
Call school to schedule (326-8608).
Kneisel Hall
String
Quartet preview.
Once again, a string quartet fro Kneisel Hall will visit us to perform.
Save
the date: Friday, May 26th at
Monday – Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake, Roll, Salad, Peaches, Milk
Tuesday – Beef Ravioli, Roll, Salad, Apple Sauce, Milk
Weds. – Corn Chowder, Crackers, Cornbread, Pears, Milk
Thursday – Pizza, Salad, Apple Crisp, Milk
Friday - Beef Stew, Biscuit, Crackers, Fruit Cocktail, Milk
*****************************************************************************
May
3
State of
4
School Board/PTC meetings
4
Cinco de Mayo fund raising dinner,
Emerson,
5
Interim Reports sent home
6
10
Early Release Day,
13
Nature center work day
16
4-5th grade to The Grand for "Alex
the Jester."
18
Art Show/ Exhibition Night:
19
Earth Day & Smorgs (12-2:00). (No
music)
20
PTC Spring Clean Up at School.
23
Art field trip for 8th
graders to
24
Kindergarten Screening/Step-Up Day.
26
Kneisel Hall String Quartet preview
concert, lower level,
28-31
8th grade class trip to
29
Memorial Day: No School.