Unit 5-Kings M & M's

[LYNN ROGERS]

Kings M & M's is a simulation activity that helps students to understand the frustration the colonists felt over the taxes imposed by Parliment and the King.

 

Each student randomly chooses a card with the following words written on it:  King (1), Parliment (2), Tax collector (2), colonist (remainder of students).

 

Each colonist is given a cup with M & M's.  The number of M & M's could be around a dozen and can vary with each cup (small hand full).  King, parliment, and tax collectors have empty cups.

 

Notecards with "things to tax" are laid on the table for parliment to draw.  These could include but are not limited to the following: tennis shoes (3 M & M's), earrings (4 M & M's), Hair that has been cut with clippers (5 M & M's), sweatshirt (2 M & M's), and so on.

 

A member of parliment draws a card and the tax collectors walk around the room collecting M & M's from the kids with what the card says. 

 

I have parliment draw several different times, always emphasizing that the king needs to pay for the French and Indian War, who better to help with that but 'His Subjects, the Colonists'.

 

It's a blast to watch the reactions with the tax collector comes to take their blessed M & M's. 

 

Journaling afterward is insightful.

[kre...@csdo.org]

This looks great.  I'm going to give it a try.