ICONS in High Schools

Build global competence in your high school students.

Investigating issues, recognizing perspectives, and communicating ideas — these are three important capabilities of globally competent students.* Many high school teachers have had great success incorporating ICONS simulations into their classes as a way to help develop these capabilities in students while also strengthening their negotiation, collaboration, and writing skills.

Supporting student growth

Our simulations are an ideal fit for advanced high school courses. We encourage high school classes to start with one of our simulations with role sheets, as this simulation style provides the most structure for students, and then progress to our more research-focused simulations. For more tips on introducing ICONS simulations in high school courses, please contact our team.

Ideas for funding

We know cost is always an important consideration. If you have challenges obtaining funding for a simulation, the ICONS staff maintains a list of relevant grant opportunities and potential funding sources for high schools. Please contact us for a list!

In addition, ICONS provides simulation funding assistance to high schools in need within the State of Maryland as part of the University of Maryland's state outreach efforts. Contact the ICONS team for details.

Connecting to Common Core

ICONS simulations support learning relevant to a number of the Common Core State Standards**, including:

  • W.11-12.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
  • W.11-12.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • W.11-12.5: Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
  • W.11-12.6: Using technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.
  • W.11-12.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
  • SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
  • SL.11-12.3: Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
  • RH.11-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address or solve a problem.
  • RH.11-12.8: Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.

*These capabilities were highlighted in the Global Competence Matrix created as part of the Council of Chief State School Officers' EdSteps Project, in partnership with the Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning. © 2011 by the Council of Chief State School Officers, Washington, DC All rights reserved. View the Global Competence Matrix.

** © 2010 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved. View the complete Common Core State Standards.