8th Grade Simulation -- How a Bill Becomes a Law

Mr. Robinson's 8th grade history classes are engaged in an incredible simulation of the processing of legislation through both bodies of Congress. Students have assumed roles, from Minority Whip to lobbyist. They are developing, debating, and editing health care legislation. This is the kind of high-engagement, high impact, activity that make Mr. Robinson's classes memorable and meaningful for his students. And it's true, as well, across the faculty at Riverdale Grade School.

But this is different.

They're using Facebook.*



(* Yes, it's absolutely safe.

• The kids created new Facebook accounts for this occasion only.
• Only RGS 8th graders are allowed into the forum.
• Comments and posts are regulated for appropriate content.
• There are alternate assignments should families determine this is not their bag.)

What I'm most excited about is Mr. Robinson's effort to turn a social networking tool -- one that is nearly ubiquitous in the social web occupied by our students -- on its head. Our students are seeing -- perhaps for the first time -- that Facebook can have legitimate academic and intellectual purposes. Almost as exciting is that the format has not diminished the face-to-face aspects of the project. Far from it. In fact, the conversational buzz in the classroom has been enhanced by the use of a networking tool they're almost all using on a daily basis already.

Nor is this experimentation with social networking in the classroom a generic school-wide endorsement of technologies that can, and do, have negative impacts on student achievement and engagement at school. We have to leverage the capacity of "Web 2.0" tools to impress upon our students that there are legitimate and academic potentials lying inert in them, waiting to be tapped.