(ELL RESOURCE) OMG-GMO Townhall Hearing Roleplay (ELL RESOURCE)
In this Town Hall simulation, students assume a variety of roles and perspectives in relation to Measure 92, a 2014 ballot measure that would require genetically engineering food products to be labeled as such. During this town hall, most students (working in small teams) assume the role of a particular community member or organization, create testimony that articulates their particular viewpoint, present their views to a mock legislative committee, listen to other speakers' views, respond to questions from the (student-comprised) legislative committee, and debrief the process with the rest of the class. Town hall simulations provide many ways for teachers to modify the activity to meet their own students' needs, time constraints, and other contextual considerations.