Eighth graders play WWI alliance game

Eighth graders in history teacher Judith Neidlein-Dial’s class strategized their way through an international alliance game to demonstrate how a small conflict between two countries escalated into World War I. Students divided into six groups represented different fictional countries residing on the same continent. “The goal is for no country to be without an alliance, but to also not make alliances that contradict each other,” Neidlein-Dial said. Toward the end of the game, Neidlein-Dial introduced a scenario where one country attacked another. Due to their alliances, every group’s country became involved, which led to a great war.