Amanda Zanette shares the inspiring journey behind "The City Game," a project born from a desire to make school more meaningful. Collaborating with her school associate, Sue Hara, and drawing inspiration from a book, Amanda began developing the game. After moving to a new school and working with her students over several years, she finally brought "The City Game" to life eight years later.

In this video, Amanda shares implementation techniques, adaptable strategies for all learners, and the profound benefits for everyone involved—students, teachers, parents, and custodians. Discover how this game empowers students to take on more responsibility, allowing you to provide focused one-on-one support. For a deeper dive, check out pages 2-5 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette discusses the time needed to implement and play The City Game, the materials she uses, and how she sets them up in her classroom. For more details, including required appendixes for each lesson, refer to pages 9-15 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette introduces a flow chart detailing the game's sequence, designed to guide you during implementation. You can keep it on your desk for easy reference, and it’s also available on page 88. Refer to page 16 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette guides you through the game’s implementation with clear explanations of each activity's layout and purpose. Each lesson follows a consistent format, simplifying the process for you and your students. Find these layouts in Section 3, "Learning to Play," of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette kicks off with Activity 1, where students explore the concept of community by comparing their classroom and home communities. They also learn about various roles in The City Game and discuss classroom responsibilities. Plus, Amanda offers a customizable letter to engage families in the game's implementation. For full details, see page 17-20 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette dives into Activity 2, guiding students through skills beneficial for potential career paths. She highlights the value of segmenting lessons between Community and Management roles, offers tailored job examples for specific students, and emphasizes the importance of home discussions to help students identify their ideal fit. For more details, refer to pages 20-23 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette introduces Activity 3, where bonuses and fines encourage intrinsic motivation. By setting clear expectations and adapting to different learning needs, students are guided to reach their full potential. For more details, see pages 24-25 of The City Game Book.

In Activity 4, Amanda Zanette introduces students to the concept of a resume, guiding them through each step to create their own. Reflecting with parents on community contributions and personal strengths helps students build a strong sense of identity. Teachers and peers deepen connections through shared experiences, fostering a strong community. For more, see pages 26-29 of The City Game Book!

In Activity 5, Amanda Zanette introduces the concept of money, focusing on decimal calculations. She offers key tips and adaptation strategies for different learners. For more, see pages 30-31 of The City Game Book.

In Activity 6, Amanda Zanette explores the excitement of introducing students to biweekly pay. She shares fun, adaptable strategies for teaching banking - ensuring every student feels successful. For more, see pages 32-38 of The City Game Book.

In Activity 7, Amanda Zanette guides students through the excitement of finalizing job choices and professionally completing applications. For more, see pages 39-40 of The City Game Book.

In Activity 8, Amanda Zanette shares strategies for building collaborative cities, explains the value of keeping students in the same city for a full term, and highlights the benefits of city posters. For more, see pages 41-43 of The City Game Book.

In Activity 9, Amanda Zanette outlines the student hiring process, highlighting common pitfalls and offering tips for matching jobs to individual needs. She advises on engaging roles for students who need extra stimulation and describes the hiring day process. For more, see pages 44-45 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette reveals adaptable Community Employee roles designed to enhance classroom efficiency and reduce teacher workload, with students earning biweekly pay. She also provides a detailed flow chart for effective training. Explore these roles on page 46 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette unveils a list of student roles mirroring real-world professions such as Deputy Mayors, Police Officers, and Bank Clerks. Paid biweekly, these engaging positions enhance classroom efficiency and ease teacher workloads, allowing for more individualized support. Explore these innovative roles on pages 52-75 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette provides a clear overview of how "The City Game" is scheduled every two weeks in the classroom, explaining the weekly time commitment needed for its successful implementation. Found on page 76 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette introduces the concept of renting and buying desks in the classroom, where students can participate in auctions, save to purchase desks, and even trade or borrow money. She also shares strategies for introducing taxes to students, emphasizing the importance of informing them in advance if taxes will be applied. Found on page 77-79 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette explains the purpose and benefits of holding a classroom auction, outlining the rules and format used to conduct it. For detailed instructions and a mock auction, refer to pages 80-83 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette explains the Class Meeting format, where student-led sessions address anonymously shared concerns, promote empathy, and encourage collaborative problem-solving. Led by Deputy Mayors (students), these weekly meetings are essential for modeling respectful communication and decision-making. For a fresh approach, try the Four Corner method to engage students physically. For more details, check out pages 83-87 of The City Game Book.

Amanda Zanette guides you through two flow charts: one outlining the classroom setup and another showing how activities streamline by term two as students grasp the game’s foundation and begin training others. You'll also discover a simplified version of the game on page 95 and learn how the game concludes. More details can be found on pages 88-89 of The City Game Book.