Micro Nation: Create Your Own Country!

This class takes young learners through all the steps and considerations of what it means to be a nation. 

Week one explores the logistics of what makes a country a country, considering what are requirements of nations, who decides if a country is a country and more. 

Week two considers how a countries geography - land, climate and seas - can affect and influence a country. From its ability to grow crops, to its proximity to oceans and trade routes, learners will have the chance to critically examine how geography plays an important role in the formation of a country. 

During week three we will focus on law and order, how a country is run. Who is in charge? What type of government exists? What are the laws of the nation? These important questions will be considered by learners as they work to create their nation state. 

Week four turns to the ever important issue of economy. Learners will understand how the type of economic management that a country has influences the way it is run. Pulling apart the difference in economic versus government systems, learners will consider economic systems, natural resource management and trade as they do the important work of nation building. 

During week five, the learners will look inward, specifically focusing on issues of infrastructure in their country. Transportation systems, communication systems, water, postal services, electricity and garbage collection are a few of the considerations the nation builders will tackle this week. 

Week six turns to a national identity considering how culture connects people and builds loyalty to a nation. From national holidays to food, clothing and language, a nations culture is an important aspect to explore when creating a country. 

Finally, in week 7 we will consider how our country fits into a global world, exploring rights and responsibilities to a global environment through exploration into treaties and UN membership. 

Week 8 is reserved for the final presentation by each learner of their newly created country. 

Each class will consist of learning through presentation of materials and guided in class discussions to help learners form their own thoughts on each topic of consideration. The class will also have projects for learners to work on each week, some of the work will happen during class and some will be completed after class as homework. These projects will be fun and include things like creating your countries flag, drafting a code of laws, creating a national anthem or a newly formed language all your own. By the end of the course, each learner will present their very own, unique country to the class, having considered all aspects of nation building along the way.