A lethal zombie outbreak first reported in South America is overtaking the world — fast. Governments are desperate for answers. Anarchy is imminent. Who can save humanity from this horrendous catastrophe?
A group of middle school students in Moscow, Idaho, that’s who.
In just two-and-a-half weeks, these courageous students will trace the outbreak back to ground zero and race to rescue their fellow humans from flesh-eating creatures normally seen in horror movies.
Their first mission, according to the news reporters who appear on screens in the students’ classrooms, is to learn the basics of mapping.
Harper Wallen and Stacy Albrecht (a.k.a. “that one reporter lady and that other reporter lady”), both Moscow Education Association members and social studies educators at Moscow Middle School, say the urgency of the outbreak immediately intrigues students. The outbreak is a novel take on a required mapping unit all Idaho students must master.
“This one, I think, is really engaging for the kids because they get to pretend there’s a real-world problem that is high engagement,” Wallen said.
Watch the zombie apocalypse
Wallen was inspired to introduce the zombies after coming across another educator’s mapping unit while doing some research. Over the past six years, she and Albrecht have drastically changed and customized the original idea to better engage students as they learn geographic data like scale and map keys.
Unfortunately — or fortunately, for Wallen and Albrecht’s students — the disease quickly escapes the bounds of South America. But by then, intrepid students have learned their north from south and east from west by tracking disease-carrying zombie bats.
Next, they’ll have to trace the infected humans traveling in cars and airplanes by calculating distance. At this stage in the outbreak, things are really starting to get scary. As the zombies enter the United States and finally Idaho, panic begins ratcheting up and public service announcements start lining the walls of Moscow Middle School.
“In Boise there are 20-50 attacks (and counting by the minute!) DON’T TRUST ANYONE! EVEN YOUR CAT!!!”
Other educators get in on the action, too, Albrecht says. “Harper asked all of our teaching staff to create videos, and several of them have created PSA videos and we play them throughout the week for the kids,” she says. “(IEA Board Member Cyndi Faircloth) did one on defensive reading, and our math teacher did one on exponential growth, and our librarian sets up a whole section of survival books.”
This year, Principal Teri Summers took part in the fun by creating a PSA showing students how their Moscow Middle School Cub Pride values could help them survive.
Students can create their own extensions to keep the zombie lessons flowing. Last year, Wallen says, one made a Lego animation about the virus. Another recorded himself as a reporter and told other students which regions in his area should be avoided for fear of zombies.
The unit definitely makes a lasting impression, just not in a necrotic sort of way. “The kids from years before always come back to see the makeup and the dress for the year and remember the whole project,” Albrecht says.
By the time the zombie outbreak wanes, humans the world over have perished. But Wallen and Albrecht’s students have learned grids, distances, directions, coordinates, keys — and how to have fun learning.
Sure, it’s less exciting to pack away the zombie costumes and makeup and make-believe. But don’t worry. Halloween is just around the corner.
