A recent tip from an experienced HuGe teacher Brian C. led me to 3rd World Farmer, an agriculture video game simulation. While this game was not likely created by anyone with human geography intentions, it doesn’t take much for any HuGe teacher to find a connection to our content. I did a Facebook group search for the simulation, and of course found other teachers successfully leveraging it in their classrooms.

It is a mistake to disregard the game if just judging by the title, so I will put that aside for a moment and talk about why this simulation went well for my class.

We just came off the Intro unit and just started agriculture. Students read about the Koppen_Climate_Maps and we briefly discussed how climate, soil, temperature, and precipitation are the big variables in cultivation. Primer page on Koppen.

The game is web-based, but because my district has most games blocked on student iPads, they used their cell phones. I would much rather they play on their iPads, as the screen is larger, but once students started playing there were no complaints.  The game is also available on Google Play as an app.

In the simulation, students are given a small family, small amount of money, and resources that they can use to assist them (seeds/animals/tools). When they really get moving, they can purchase other resources such as roads, cell towers, and clinics. Yes, they can also purchase support a politician for $800.00.

Once they hit the play button and run through a calendar year, they will either lose or earn money. Players also have the option to sell their tools or agriculture for profit and can then reinvest it back into their farm.

After each year is played, various scenarios impact their decision making as they progress. Here are some examples:

At the end of each year, an annual report gives players insight to help guide their next move.

Players can also click on each family member to make some key demographic decisions that may or may not help their overall profit.

An experienced APHG teacher Rik K. has a brief instruction page to get students started. He gave permission to download it HERE.

How I used the simulation in class:

As students are thrown scenarios, I had them practice identifying the S.P.E.E.D.S. categories that I use for the course. Students replicated my template in their interactive notebook and jotted notes as they played. *Instructions: Consider the social, political, economic, environmental, demographic, and spatial variables that impacted your success/failures during the simulation.

After a good 30 minutes of play, you should have enough scenarios to discuss as a class. It was a great opportunity to help them understand why poaching elephant tusks was an economic variable instead of environmental (when it came to the economic success of their farm). Spatial will be the most difficult for them to consider, but a lack of clinics in the vicinity of a sick village was the best response one of my students came up with. We also reviewed the idea that sometimes a variable can fall under more than one S.P.E.E.D.S category and that it is OK as long as they justify it. I think this was a low-key, great way to start the agriculture unit and get students thinking about basic variables that can impact cultivation. And…..they liked it 🙂

APHG Teacher Reviews from FB group:

“I wasn’t sure how my older students would feel about this game but everyone loved playing! Sadly, many couldn’t keep their family alive but they would try again and again. They have talked about it all week and even some parents have told me stories from their children. Thank you!!” – Michelle P.

“Doing the simulation today and the kids are SO into it. They love it! Thanks for sharing. ” – Dani T.

Additional Simulation:

In the Facebook group, Spencer S. posted another simulation provided by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History that works well for developed countries and their particular agricultural scenarios. I would be inclined to use this as I get into commercial agriculture.

If you are looking for students to compare 3rd World Farmer to the “1st World Farmer” simulation, Rik K. once again pulls through with a tutorial and instructions, which he once again gave permission to download HERE.

Note about the title of 3rd World Farmer:

The term “Third World” and “First World” can be problematic and is typically no longer the terminology that geographers use to describe developing and developed countries. With that being said, this could make for a good discussion in your classroom. Tamara T. posted a link to a blog post that addressed five reasons why using the term “3rd World” is problematic, you might find it useful to preview. 

Thanks for the ideas everyone and for an awesome Friday lesson plan 🙂

Use or refuse.