Students will learn the skills of diplomacy and national security, and will develop civic knowledge about how the executive branch of the US government handles critical foreign policy situations. Not only will they finish the class with a better understanding of the government, they will also have in-depth knowledge of current events that impact the United States. Through participation in the simulation, students will learn collaboration skills, communication skills, and critical thinking.

I love helping students see the connections in our world. The simulations created by the CFR are realistic and approachable project-based learning. I have taught this class to students both in person, and online, and students find that they continue to see the relevancy of what they learned long after the class ends. It is a great way to incorporate the government, history, economics, and geography classes that I teach separately. 

I have a BA in Political Science, History, and Secondary Education and a MA in American Studies. I have over 10 years of experience teaching high school and college students social studies and critical thinking skills. My expertise in teaching is in helping students see the many ways that history, geography, politics, and economics intersect. I have used these CFR simulations in live and online classes for several years. 

The following sources are used to provide information for this class:

Council on Foreign Relations. “Cyber Clash With China.” Model Diplomacy, Council on Foreign Relations, modeldiplomacy.cfr.org/preview/65/overview. Accessed 10 Mar. 2021.

---. “Cyberspace and Cybersecurity.” World101 from the Council on Foreign Relations, 13 May 2018, world101.cfr.org/global-era-issues/cyberspace-and-cybersecurity.“Cyber Warfare.” 

---. “Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea.” Global Conflict Tracker, www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/territorial-disputes-south-china-sea. Accessed 11 Mar. 2021.

Kuo, Mercy. “The Geopolitics of Oil and Gas in the South China Sea.” The Diplomat, 12 Dec. 2018, thediplomat.com/2018/12/the-geopolitics-of-oil-and-gas-in-the-south-china-sea.

RAND, www.rand.org/topics/cyber-warfare.html. Accessed 11 Mar. 2021.

“Who Owns the South China Sea?” YouTube, uploaded by CNBC International, 1 Feb. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOpkTdUv4zU.