25 Cent Man Game

Adapted by Sarah Lemley

Goal: Students will gain an appreciation for the diverse roles John Muir played and gain insight into a few of the events that shaped his life.

Objectives: Students will…

1. Share information they already know about John Muir.
2. Identify and review a few of the roles John Muir played.
3. Work in small groups to act out key events in John Muir’s life.

Materials: California State Quarter

Signs (Farmer, Inventor, Naturalist, Environmentalist, President of the Sierra Club, and Author)

White board and dry erase marker.

Procedure:

The game is modeled after WinterShips, a game commonly played at YI. Before beginning, set the six signs out around the circumference of the playing area.

Start by collecting or reviewing the information students already know about John Muir: “Who has heard of John Muir? What do you know about John Muir?” Show students the California State Quarter with John Muir, Yosemite Valley, and the California Condor. Ask students why John Muir is so important that he made it onto our quarter.

Use the acronym “FINE PA” to discuss a few of the many roles he filled. Not only was he a “fine pa” to Wanda and Helen Muir, but he filled many other roles that included:

Farmer – Born in Scotland (April 21, 1838), his family moved to a Wisconsin farm when he was ten years old. There he worked about sixteen hours a day for his father who was very strict and religious. He was not allowed to read books other than the bible, and was rarely allowed to attend school.

Then again later in life, after years of traveling and exploring, he married at the age of 42, and settled down to “farm” on a fruit ranch in Martinez, CA.

Inventor – As a youth, he invented all kinds of things to make farm work easier, including clocks, a sawmill, tools, a lamplighter, and an automatic horse feeder. He also invented an “early rising machine” that stood the sleeper right on his feet when it was time to get up. When he was 22, he took some of his inventions to the Wisconsin State Fair in Madison, got lots of attention, and decided to stay in Madison to apply for college. He was soon admitted after taking some courses to catch up. He continued to invent things, including a mechanical desk that opened a new book for study every fifteen minutes.

Naturalist – As long as he could remember, John was fascinated with nature. In Scotland he had read about the wilderness in America and longed to explore it some day, so moving to Wisconsin was a dream come true. On the farm, he would spend as much time as possible exploring the nearby lands. This love for the outdoors continued into his adult life where he was always looking to learn about the natural world.

Environmentalist – As he became older and saw the effects that people had on Yosemite, he campaigned on behalf of the environment to save it from further destruction. Examples include his efforts to protect the Sierra Nevada, pushing for the establishment of Yosemite National Park and later the preservation of Hetch Hetchy Valley.

President of Sierra Club – After Yosemite became a National Park, Muir created the Sierra Club to further protect the Sierra Nevada. Muir was president for 22 years until his death. Today the organization is well known for fighting for laws that protect wilderness areas and natural resources everywhere.

Author – He published over 300 articles and 10 books covering the topics of natural history, adventure, scientific theory, and environmental advocacy.

After the discussion, students run to the cards as you call them out. After they’ve been to each of the cards, (or before they question why they are running around pointlessly), start introducing some of the key events in his life and how to act them out. Some events require teaming up with other students, and if they don’t find a group of the correct number to work with, they become obstacles that can’t move, but can tag other students running by them, turning them into obstacles as well. At any time, call all the obstacles back into the group. The game continues until all of the life events have been introduced and practiced.

1. Blinded – When John Muir was 28 and working in a factory, he accidentally gouged his right eye with the sharp point of a file. Within hours he was completely blinded, and the doctor told him he would never see again. After one month, though, he regained sight and vowed to be true to himself and spend his time doing what he really wanted to do…studying nature. When I call out “blinded,” cover your eyes with your hands.

2. One Thousand Mile Hiker – Soon after, he decided to walk one thousand miles to the Gulf of Mexico to study the land and plants of the southern United States. He sailed to Cuba and spent a month walking the shores there, sailed to New York, and then boarded a ship to California. When I call out “thousand mile hiker,” find a partner. One student remains standing to represent John Muir, and one student piggybacks to represent his knapsack.

3. Sheepherder – When he arrived in San Francisco via boat, he found someone walking on the streets and asked about the fastest way out of the city to “anywhere that is wild.” From there he headed off to explore the Sierra Nevada mountains for a month. After working in the Central Valley to make money, he was offered a job as a sheepherder in the mountains, and he was guaranteed plenty of time to wander and investigate. Muir’s book, “My First Summer in the Sierra” was written about this experience. When I call out “Sheepherder,” get into a group of three. Two sheep on hands and knees saying “baaaaaa,” and one sheepherder.

4. Glacier Theories – While investigating Yosemite Valley and the Sierra Nevada, Muir found evidence of glacial activity and proposed that over time, glaciers slowly carved out Yosemite Valley. The state geologist of the time, Josiah Whitney, proposed that the bottom of the Valley sunk down to create Yosemite Valley, and he dismissed John Muir’s ideas without “wasting time” on them. Today, the role of glaciers in Yosemite is widely accepted and taught. When I say “Glaciers,” get into a group of four. With elbows linked facing outward in a circle, the group moves around in s-l-o-w-m-o-t-i-o-n.

5. Yosemite National Park – In 1890, John Muir aided in creating Yosemite National Park to protect the high country and “all the surrounding mountains” of Yosemite Valley. The Mariposa Grove of Big Trees and Yosemite Valley were already set aside and protected by a State Grant. When I say “Yosemite National Park,” get into a group of five. With one person in the center standing tall and proud as a Big Tree, the other four hold hands to form a circle around the big tree, leaning outward to symbolize the expansion of protection.

6. Hetch Hetchy – As Yosemite National Park was created, fast-growing San Francisco was looking for potential water sources in the Sierra Nevada. Muir supported the use of Sierra waters, but insisted that they be obtained from sources outside the Park. After years of public speaking, article writing, and fighting, Muir lost this battle in 1913 when Congress approved the damming of the Tuolumne River and the creation of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Soon after, John Muir died at the age of 76. Some believe that the loss of Hetch Hetchy caused him to lose his will to live. When I say “Hetch Hetchy,” find a group of six. With five people holding hands in a line representing the dam, one person (representing the river) tries to break through the line.

Assessment:

Use choral response to check for knowledge, and observe students’ participation in the game. After playing the game, re-gather the entire group and have students pair and share everything they learned about John Muir’s life. Ask questions: Do you think John Muir deserves to be on the California State Quarter, why or why not? What do you think was John Muir’s most important contribution to the world? How has John Muir affected you?