The Game of K-12 Life

Summary

This is the third section of our Workshop Series: Educational Justice Campaigns. The Game of K-12 Life is meant to help students understand how the school-to-prison pipeline impacts youth and introduce some ways that students can push back.

Objectives
  • Deepen understanding of the school-to-prison pipeline
  • Understand how students are pushed out of school and how the experiences vary
  • Learn the importance of being a social justice club

Materials Needed: K-12 Game of Life Facilitators Script; K-12 Game of Life Powerpoint; 2 six-sided dice; Facilitation questions; report cards; pen for each participant/team

Recap STPP (0:05)

TRAINER NOTE: Start off workshop with PowerPoint up and ready to share with group.

TRAINER 1 OPENING STATEMENT: Welcome to the Game of K-12 Life workshop. This workshop will help illustrate the reality of every day life for students in schools, and begin deepening our understanding of school pushout and the school-to-prison pipeline as it relates to our school and state.

TRAINER 2 SAY: So let us begin with a quick recap of our last discussion on the school-to-prison pipeline. Can I have a couple of volunteers to answer the following questions?

POWERPOINT SLIDE

In your own words, what is the school-to-prison pipeline? What are some examples of school pushout? Who does the school-toprison pipeline affect and in what ways?

TRAINER 1 SAY: So now that we’ve had a refresher on what the school-to-prison pipeline is, we are going to do an activity to help illustrate how it works.

Activity – Game of K-12 Life (0:20)

Contact your local GSA network for the GAME of K-12 life PDF and slideshow. Turn on PowerPoint and follow instructions in the activity.

Conclusion: GSAs for Social Justice (0:05)

TRAINER 2 SAY: Can I have a couple of volunteers answer these questions? TRAINER NOTE: Take 2-3 responses for each question.

POWERPOINT SLIDE

Game of Life Discussion Questions

  • Who won, who got what?
  • Why do you think some youth had to roll different numbers? What might that reflect in real life?
  • What experiences in the game were similar to things that have happened to you or your friends?
  • Do you think this is realistic of what’s happening to students in our school/state?
  • What do you think should be done differently to make it so all students in the game could graduate?

TRAINER 2 CLOSING STATEMENT: It is important to recognize that there are tons of systems of oppression and -isms that keep us from being our whole selves in school, at home, and in our social lives. As GSA clubs, our presence on campus alone is a move for social justice and a move towards dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline.


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