Pass Go and Collect $200: Classroom Ideas
In 1904, Lizzie Magie filed a patent for her Landlord’s Game which showcased the unfair landlord-tenant relationship. The game was manufactured, and fans of the game started making their own house rules. A University professor used the game as a teaching tool, and his students re-named it Monopoly. Lizzie approached the Parker Brothers, but they weren’t interested in the game - too educational. In 1935, Charles Darrow made his own board, improved and sold the game to Parker Brothers. The Parker Brothers gave Lizzie $500. They listed Charles as the inventor, and he became a millionaire.
Classroom Ideas:
Value Line-Ups:
The teacher poses a question or asks students to evaluate a statement. Possible statements:
The government should force landlords to lower rent when the wealth gap between landlords and renters gets to a certain point.
I like changing rules to games or making “house rules.”
Charles Darrow is the REAL inventor of Monopoly
2. Students line up across the room according to their response based on their degree of agreement or disagreement. (Students can write 2-3 reasons for their response prior to lining up)
3. The class discusses rationale for students’ placement.
Dual timelines: Create a timeline of events in the book, add in relevant events in US history that impacted the story (Great Depression, etc. )
Make a game based on a topic from class
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