So I never took a sociology class, sue me…
What, exactly, is a simulation? More like an experiment, in which you try to re-create a situation with the class as test subjects? Or more like a play, where a bunch of people get up and act out given parts? (presumably a drug dealer, a user, a DARE person, a police officer, etc)
If it’s a play, I can’t help you. That’s not learning, IMnsHO.
If it’s an experiment, that’s another matter entirely.
So, then, let’s presume that you have to simulate the complex actions of drugs in society, on several levels, and in such a way that you actually learn something new.
At first I thought this would be entirely too complex to simulate at all, but after some brainstorming I came up with a few ideas. Some serious work is left to do before this would be something to actually DO, much less in only an hour, but here goes…
Ok, I think the primary aspect of drugs is that people WANT to take them, once they know they exist and have access to them. DARE etc. work by realizing these two things can’t be ended completely, and intercepting with something which counteracts the desire, ie: information on the downsides of drug use, up to and including death.
Of course you can’t bring actual drugs into the classroom and see who takes them, so you have to start by simulating them. How about candy or cookies? Something that people would want, something they’d actively try to get, and something above all safe and legal.
Next, distribution. You could just put them in a bowl on the desk in the front of the room, but I don’t think they’d last long, and it would be too easy to avoid… just stay in your seat. So, let’s add the element of drug dealers into the mix… furthermore, let’s add variety:
One person has Oreos.
One person has store-brand oreo-like cookies.
One person has 'nilla wafers.
One person has homemade oatmeal cookies made without sugar.
Something like that, where there’s a distinct difference in the desireability of the types, which can help simulate the addictive nature of different drugs.
Give out monopoly money or some other form of fake currency… print it up on the school system, even. Don’t use something that the students are likely to bring from home if they hear about it ahead of time. For this, let’s just say toothpicks.
Each student gets a certain number of toothpicks before the ‘simulation’ is ‘run’, which they then use to buy cookies, once they locate a dealer.
At the end of the simulation, those with toothpicks left can purchase the types of cookies that are for sale as ‘drugs’ during the simulation… but at prices that will appear GROSSLY inflated once the simulation starts. Something like 30 for an oreo and 10 for an oatmeal. Something like that. This is important to increase the desireability of the ‘drugs’… when the dealer offers you something you want NOW for much cheaper than you’ll get it for LATER, you’re gonna want it even more. Heeheehee.
Now, the dealers have lots of the product, so they’re able to undercut the ‘store’ price, ie 30 for an oreo. Set their price like 10x as low, or let the dealers set their own prices for an additional level of complexity to deal with.
In this example, let’s say it’s
Oreo: 30 matchsticks
Store-brand: 25 matchsticks
Wafer: 20 matchsticks
Oatmeal: 10 matchstick
But for the dealers:
Oreo: 5 matchsticks
Store-brand: 4 matchsticks
Wafer: 2 matchsticks
Oatmeal: 1 matchstick
The individual ‘dealers’ would wander the room, trying to sell their specific brand of treat to others… or responding to others’ requests for more!
Have one student play the ‘police’. If they can correctly identify the dealer AND the specific product that dealer sells, the dealer is ‘arrested’ (removed from play, matchsticks confiscated)
Have one or more students provide ‘anti-cookie’ literature… or, conversely, PRO-cookie literature (to encourage eating of the oatmeal ones)
This is the interesting bit. You’re actually testing the effectiveness of various forms of information on drug use, right? So, here ya go…
One student provides a pamphlet saying all kinds of crazy stuff about how oreos cause brain cancer and oatmeal cookies make your legs fall off.
One says everything is ok, but if you buy the oreos, you’ll get an “F” for this grade.
One student provides a pamphlet about how the ‘police’ characters will put you in jail along with the dealers if you’re caught buying… but not if you tell them who the dealer is first, AND still have all your toothpicks. The ‘police’ will do nothing of the sort, of course, but will accept tips in their search for the ‘dealers’.
One student actually has the whole truth, with prices and comparison charts and whatever… but it LOOKS fake. It tells of a mythical ‘cake party’ afterwards that only those with all their toothpicks are invited to. Even that person shouldn’t know that there really IS a cake party afterward, to reward those who listened to him.
Etc etc… depending on class size there could be more students in this position, or you and the teacher(s) could print these beforehand.
Now you’ve got a little micro-city full of dealers and ‘marks’, and folks out there to stop all the dealing… start the fun!
With a little setup to encurage people to play their parts properly, I expect an interesting time will be had, at the very least.
Whether the results will be anything worth knowing, I can’t guarantee. q;}
Can you tell I play a lot of D&D-type games?
How about the fact that I usually DM them?
No? Good.