Testimonials

Teacher Testimonials

Read what Social Studies Teachers are saying about History Simulations

Teacher Testimonials

World War I Simulation

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    Laura

    WWI- I just wanted to send you an email and let you know how appreciative I am that you shared your simulations online and allowed other teachers to use it. I work with an “at-risk” student population in an alternative school in Colorado. I have never seen the level of engagement that I got from them doing this simulation ever before. They were asking all the right questions and truly using strategic thinking. Questions like “Why would Japan attack the United States, it’s practically suicide!” and “Well, I don’t know what to do! I’m surrounded on both sides and I have nowhere to go! Should I just give up and retreat into my country? (This was Germany speaking).”Additionally, many of our kids have social deficits and do not know how to properly work together/discuss issues rationally and/or without emotion. Though there was plenty of emotion involved I used this as an opportunity to develop their teamwork skills, as well as their communication skills while angry or under pressure. All –in-all this was one of the most successful units I have completed with my 10th grade class.

    I will continue to purchase your products and I thank you again for your dedication to reaching the students on “their level” to help them learn concepts.

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    Josh Boraas

    WWI- I have, and it is EXCELLENT! The kids look forward to the day’s developments and really learn a lot about the progression of the war, and the strategic problems facing all parties. My favorite aspects include:

    WWI- Even if the simulation strays from history, we can learn the history by exploring the differences, and what-ifs.

    WWI- The pressure for the US to join the war before 1917 is very strong, which is excellent. In most of the classes, entrance by the US brought about a quick end due largely to the potential of the US to bring fresh troop to an exhausted war. Very realistic.

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    Bobby Cook - Lawton Public Schools, Lawton, OK

    The student interest soars through the roof when they are able to go “hands on” in regard to these simulations. It is a fun and unique way for them to learn what they have been hearing via lecture and video stimulation as well as writing. My students want to go through the simulations again the last three weeks of school as the school year winds down with the many activities that usually are taking place after national testing has been completed. It truly is a great product for most grade levels as I have taught from 8th grade to Sr’s.

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    Craig Boyce
    Bedford South School Bedford, NS Canada, [email protected]

    WWI- I teach junior high social studies and I was looking for a new and more engaging method of introducing my students to the First World War when I found this world war simulation online. It is not exactly as advertised - it is much letter! I finish the year with this unit and I had my fingers crossed because anyone who teaches knows what those last couple of weeks can be like. Not only did David’s simulation force the kids to be problem solvers and critical thinkers, it took their reasoning skills to another level. They had to learn and adapt to situations on the fly and it became such an intense learning experience that they wanted to set up online conferences and meetings after hours to discuss strategy. The simulation also had the added bonus of increasing attendance in those last weeks as no one wanted to miss class. We took the sim right down to the wire and I announced the scores on report card day - it’s all they wanted to talk about. There is not a better way to bring your students behind the scenes and give them a taste of what it must have been like in a war room at that time. The sim brings the least engaged student to the edge of their seat and all I had to do is facilitate the discussions and manage the spreadsheet - the kids did the rest without any prompting. The toughest job I had was getting them out of the room at the end of the hour. I would not hesitate to recommend this product to any teacher trying to bring The Great War to life.

World War II Simulation

Student Testimonials

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    Blake
    Alden High School, Iowa

    I graduated almost 12 years ago already and still remember playing this game in Mr. Harms class. This simulation kept all of our attention every day and was very fun to play. It is a great history lesson. It really teaches you how leaders have to think. How easy it is to make the wrong decision, and what the impact could be. This is a very good/powerful learning tool for students. More than just history, this game teaches you many other things like how to treat people. Also, how to manage subordinates in the work place without getting power hungry. Finally, this game is what started my interest in history so much and could be a part of why I joined the military. I am very grateful for the time Dave Harms put into this simulation and how devoted he is to his students. I highly recommend this game as a teaching tool! Thanks again Mr. Harms.

  • HistorySimulation.com (TM)

    Jessi
    IFAHS, Iowa Falls, Iowa

    Get Your War Face On

    All through the building you hear the victorious shouts after a battle has been won. This is the time of year for lots of action in the world history classroom of Mr. Harms due to simulations. Anyone in the high school who hears that word gets giddy with excitement during this time. The time of reenacting the two World Wars.

    Mr. Harms came up with this one of a kind idea and put it into practice about 20 years ago. The start of the simulations is quite exciting, that might be due to Mr. Harms’ vivid excitement, but you start by picking your poison. There are major countries, like Germany, smaller countries, like Greece, or you can be a foreign minister of a country and that title gives you the lead role in deal making and negotiation. The foreign minister role was just added this year.

    Brittney H. said, “I was a foreign minister and was not very excited about it, but it turned out to be a lot of fun,” about the new role she got to play. While students get to put their two cents in, Mr. Harms makes the final decision, and gives each student the role he believes he/she is cut out for. There are six classes of World History and each class plays out a little differently based on who puts on their war face and is ready for battle.

After everyone receives their roles, they get their country’s binder and learn their objectives. They have to play by their objectives. In order to get a good grade, they have to try and complete their objectives. This is how Mr. Harms controls the simulation so that the real feel for how things played out is portrayed.

As we all know from the true history of the World Wars, there are two sides, the Allies and the Central Powers. So in the objectives for each country, students are given points to be on one side or another, but that doesn’t stop people from making secret alliances.
The simulations can come between friendships, change where kids sit at lunch, these simulations don’t just stay in the classroom. Some kids plot and scheme and lose sleep trying to strategically make their plans to take over the world. “I got way more into it than I ever expected to. It was actually really intense,” said junior Delaney V.

The idea came to Harms when he was student teaching. “The original simulation I saw was about six fictitious countries, and it was mostly just showing how alliances affect war,” said Harms. Harms started out using that idea, but after only three years, he turned it into its much larger idea that he uses today. “I brought in the binders, the objectives, the maps, the navies. I wanted this to be the real deal,” said Harms and that is definitely what he has done.

  • HistorySimulation.com (TM)

    Joe - Student

    Mr. Harms’ Simulation of both World War 1 and World War 2 provide both an educational and incredibly fun way to learn about both World Wars. You get a sense of what it was like having to make decisions that either spell out for good times for your country in the future, or seal your doom and lose. I can safely say that I love history, and I thought I knew quite a bit about both World Wars, but this gave me a whole new light on to what it was like to make those decisions and the pros and cons of each decision. Everyone in my class loved the simulation, and took a lot from it.

The World History Simulations