[For Elementary School Students] A Collection of Game Ideas to Use in Social Studies Classes

Economica

Economica #1: What is 'Economica'?

When it comes to studying economics, it often carries a somewhat stiff image.

There are many unfamiliar terms, like trade, foreign exchange, and government policies that influence markets.

But there’s a magical card game that lets you casually dive into this slightly intimidating world of economics.

It’s the economic trading card game “Economica.” Using three types of cards—Asset Cards, Event Cards, and Risk Hedge Cards—the learning experience is guaranteed to excite any elementary school student who’s used to card games.

The colorful cards with cute illustrations are another highlight.

Map Symbols Quiz

Taught by a mapmaker! Map symbol quiz!!

Map symbols learned in third grade.

Many people probably know marks like the post office symbol even before they learn them at school.

It would be fun to turn these map symbols into quizzes for social studies.

You can simply ask, “What does this symbol represent?”, but if you’re targeting upper grades, you could go a step further with questions like “Why is the lighthouse map symbol designed the way it is?” or “As of 2024, what is the newest map symbol?” It’s also a good idea for each group to create map symbol quizzes and exchange them.

By the way, the newest map symbol is the ‘Natural Disaster Memorial Monument.’ Look up the symbol yourself!

Sea Names Quiz

[QUIZ] World Ocean Names Quiz [#699]

This is a quiz where you answer the names of seas based on the world’s geography.

Although you’re answering sea names, it also helps you learn about the world’s landforms and continents.

By the way, the total surface area of the world’s oceans is said to be 360 million square kilometers.

It’s a size that’s hard to imagine, but about 71 percent of the Earth is ocean.

All the oceans are connected, but they’re given different names by region.

The Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans are known as the major oceans, and in fact, these three alone account for most of the world’s ocean area.

Looking up ocean trivia might make you even more interested in social studies.

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Nakajima Junko

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World map puzzle

[New Event] World Map Puzzle RTA!

An educational toy that turns the world map directly into a puzzle—some elementary schools probably have them in their libraries or recreation rooms.

As of 2024, there are 196 countries in the world.

It would be fun to learn about those countries through a puzzle.

Creating even more detailed world map puzzles—like dividing them by continents such as Asia or Africa and having everyone work on each region—could make for enjoyable learning as well.

You could also study less familiar countries like Brunei, the Republic of Malta, and Timor-Leste.

Educational edition of Momotaro Dentetsu

Educational Edition 'Momotetsu' Classroom Use Case Introduction | Momotaro Dentetsu: Educational Edition – Japan is Interesting!

Many elementary school students have probably played the game Momotaro Dentetsu, commonly known as Momotetsu.

Did you know there’s a version tailored for educational settings called “Momotaro Dentetsu: Education Edition — Japan is Fascinating!”? If your school has a computer lab, it might be worth trying.

You can enjoy the nationwide version together, or split regions among groups to play.

Of course, after the game, you can set aside time to deepen learning—such as summarizing what you learned about each region or exploring historical topics.

If you’re interested, be sure to check it out!

Historical Figures Karuta

Historical Figures Karuta: Learn key historical figures in 5 minutes.

New Year’s card games like karuta don’t get people as excited as they used to, but it’s still a lot of fun when everyone gets together to play.

So let’s build up our history knowledge with a history-themed karuta focusing on historical figures! For example: “How huge! Nara’s Great Buddha—astonishing! Now, who was the one who had it built?” And make sure the reader recites the cards in that classic Hyakunin Isshu chant; it definitely makes the game livelier.

By the way, the answer card is Emperor Shōmu.

If you’re an elementary school student, many of you might already be making local karuta sets as part of integrated studies.

Creating a history karuta together sounds like a great learning activity.

Political Terminology Quiz

Something every adult should know!? Political terminology quiz taught in elementary school

Let’s learn political terms through quizzes.

We’ve gathered quizzes about politics that are taught in elementary school.

Most political topics are studied in the upper grades.

However, some lower- and middle-grade elementary school students may develop an interest in politics through TV news and newspapers.

When interest begins to grow, a single-question quiz format is an easy way to get started.

It can also lead to thinking more deeply based on the answers.

For example, suppose the answer is “Respect for fundamental human rights.” It’s one of the three pillars of the Constitution of Japan, and it can prompt students to consider or look up the other two.

Creating their own questions and more can make learning enjoyable.

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Nakajima Junko

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