Fandom High School

"Good afternoon, and before we get started on your final exam, I wanted to say how much I've enjoyed being your teacher, and that I hope you've all at least learned to question your government, no matter what kind you're used to. Today's final is about the thing that most governments pretend isn't their ultimate goal, because it's not polite, or something. Anyway, the goal here is to have as many countries as you can by the end of the game."

She set out the ( Game Board ) and ( List of Territories )

"Have fun, and may the best strategist win!"

[ooc: Idea blatantly stolen from peter__parker. If you want to see how this works in game, see here or here. Wiki entry is here. Slow play, is, of course, expected. First round assignments will be posted as soon as I figure them out, and if one person could post every successive round from there, that would be very helpful.]

Vala was nowhere to be seen as the class entered, but there was a DVD player and television hooked up, along with a note.

"Enjoy watching the movie, and we'll discuss theocracies and religious oppression next week.

P.S.: Evey, it's set up, so all you need to do is press play, and there's popcorn and sodas in the back.

P.P.S.: You also have my permission to keep order in any way you need to, short of drawing blood or electrocution."

"Good afternoon!" Vala greeted the students as they entered from her customary spot perched on her desk. Noticeably absent would be any sleeping mats, blankets, and pillows, although there was a desk in the corner with glasses of apple juice and stacks of graham crackers. Some were even chocolate-covered. "I hope you've all had a much more peaceful weekend than the last one--I know I did. Anyway, there is a very, very important part of governing that we have not yet covered, and that would be diplomacy between nations, or between states."

"So, today I will split you into two groups. You both want the same piece of land, which is fertile, well-populated by happy, hard-working peaceful people, and conveniently located on multiple trade routes, as well as to both your nations. Your assignment will be to work out a peaceful solution that is hopefully satisfactory to both sides."

It wouldn't be, but they probably wouldn't know that yet. It was just the way compromises worked.

[ooc: Idea by socksofcool. Thanks so much! OCD coming is up!]

Vala was excessively cheerful when the class entered. "Hello! I'm sorry I missed last week's class, but I had a wonderful time in Mexico, thank you for asking."

"I would also like to thank my wonderful assistant Evey if she's here." She left a copy of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence on Evey's desk as a thank you. "Today will be your midterm, and I would like to know what kind of government you would choose for your country--and at least five reasons why. Here's the thing, though. I'm not psychic, so I have no idea if you're telling the truth, so choose whatever government you have the best five reasons for and go with that."

"Yes, there are points for creativity. Aren't there always?"

"Good afternoon, everyone," Vala greeted them from her regular perch on top of her desk. Her appearance was slightly different, as was her bearing, which was more regal and imperious than usual. She purposely made no eye contact with any of her students and did her best to look right through them.

"Your world has just been overtaken by a new ruler. Her guards are regularly patrolling your city, or planet, or village. Word is that she's going to be instituting new rules and policies." Vala, naturally, would have been in charge of spreading that word. "Some of these policies will not be to your benefit."

"Your task today," and here she inclined her head in acknowledgement of their existence, "is to convince her to change her mind."

Suddenly her eyes flashed gold and her voice deepened an octave, sounding both mechanical and more powerful.

"Good luck."

She was going to have to do so much drinking after this.

Vala was looking a little tired as she set up the audio visual equipment, and yawned as she addressed the class. Almost as if she'd been playing Oregon Trail until the wee hours of the morning.

"Hello. Well, you'll be happy to know that we'll be watching a film today--The United States Executive, and discussing the role of media in politics. How important is it that the public know absolutely everything about their leader? As a member of the public, what do you want or not want to know? Do you (or the reporters) have a responsibility to act on the information, or can you just take a nap?"

"Good afternoon," she greeted the class, "and congratulations on making it through another delightful weekend here in Fandom. When you sign in, please use whichever name you think most appropriate, and hopefully it'll match my lists."

"Today, we're going to talk about support services. Things like health care, employment, roads, mental health treatment," and here she paused and looked at a couple of people in particular. "First, I'd like you to decide, as a plain old citizen, what you'd like your government to do for you--do you want them to provide you care, or guarantee a job, or subsidize activities in the arts? How do you think this should be paid for--nothing comes free, you know, especially in government."

"Once you've decided your personal answer to these issues, I'd like you to get together in small groups and decide how you're going to address them with your government. How would you change what you wanted, or how you were asking for these services, based on the type of government you were dealing with? What kind of approach do you think would be most successful?"

"Hello, my class, and welcome to a new semester and a new class with me, your professor. If you're not supposed to be in Choose Your Own Government with Professor Mal Doran, well, feel free to stay anyway, but you're probably missing valuable naptime. For those of you who chose to remain, you can call me Vala and I won't be offended in the slightest."

"Today's adventure in education will probably be rather minimalist. I'd like to know your name, the kind of government you grew up under and have experienced--please tell me about all of them if you've experienced more than one--and what kind of government you think you'd like to live under, or be a part of. I'd also like to know your thoughts about what a government or leader should do for its people. Then, I'd like you to split into three groups and debate why, and choose one government for the small group--a list of descriptions is here, and there are plenty for everyone. Scenarios will be forthcoming as classes go on, and each of your small governments will be responsible for solving the problems, then evaluating what did or didn't work in your approach. I will then be using these evaluations in my grading criteria."

"Also, I'm looking for a teaching assistant, if you're interested."