Weekly Recaps

Political Spectrum, Social Contract, and Flash Debates (October 20, 2026)
Small-group discussions reviewing last week, flash debates on freedom vs. government, and donuts.
The Political Spectrum and the Social Contract (October 13, 2026)
Describing political beliefs on two axes, and how Hobbes, Locke, and Marx were shaped by what they lived through.
Incentives: Rhinos, Cobras, and What Drives People (September 29, 2026)
Rhinos in Namibia and Kenya, cobras in colonial India, and why every good solution needs the right incentives.
First Meeting of 2026 (September 22, 2026)
Icebreakers, an intro to Model UN, and a question chain that will shape what we study this year.
Last Meeting of 2025–26 (June 4, 2026)
A presentation from a high schooler, the end-of-year survey, a group picture, and trivia with cookies.
Geography Jeopardy (May 19, 2026)
A relaxing day with a review, geography Jeopardy, and bonus questions on Mansa Musa and the Ottoman Empire.
Why Optimism Matters (May 14, 2026)
Humanism, post-scarcity and AI, a universal basic income, and whether this is the best time in history to be alive.
Rules Refresher and the Social Contract (April 23, 2026)
A quick review of our class rules, then Hobbes, Locke, and Marx, the U.S.'s social contract, and a class-wide social contract quiz.
Economic Systems and the Political Spectrum (April 16, 2026)
Command vs. market economies, Keynesian and neoclassical ideas, where countries fall on the spectrum, and Jeopardy.
Conference Prep and Perspectives on Iran (April 9, 2026)
McKenna MUN delegates worked on papers and speeches, while everyone else looked at the U.S. and Iran from four different points of view.
Speeches for LBIMUN (March 27, 2026)
Our last class before LBIMUN was all about speeches.
Position Papers for LBIMUN (March 12, 2026)
Getting ready for LBIMUN on March 28th by starting position papers.
LBIMUN Assignments (March 3, 2026)
Committee and country assignments for LBIMUN, plus the plan for the next few weeks.
The Year Is 1900 (February 26, 2026)
A mystery country that sounds a lot like China, and why it's really about perspective.
Firebird Reflections and Jeopardy (February 12, 2026)
Looking back on Firebird MUN, then a close game of geography Jeopardy.
Crisis Committees and Flash Debates (February 5, 2026)
Firebird delegates learned how crisis committees work, while everyone else debated regulating AI.
Getting Ready for Firebird (January 29, 2026)
Starting prep for Firebird MUN with an introduction to crisis committees.
Firebird Spots and Student Mini Lessons (January 22, 2026)
Figuring out who's going to Firebird MUN, then groups researched a topic and taught it to the class.
Venezuela and Its Oil (January 15, 2026)
What the U.S. operation in Venezuela could mean for oil, why it won't change things overnight, and a quick speech activity.
Celebrating Tustin MUN (December 4, 2025)
Reflecting on Tustin MUN, four awards, pizza and cookies, and Jeopardy before winter break.
Getting Ready for Tustin MUN (November 13, 2025)
A checklist for Tustin MUN, how awards are decided, and how to write a resolution.
Positions and Position Papers (November 6, 2025)
Country and committee assignments for Tustin MUN, what to wear, and how to write a position paper.
Caucuses, Speeches, and Flash Debate (October 30, 2025)
How a committee actually runs, what to wear, and a Flash Debate to finish.
What a Conference Is Like (October 23, 2025)
Introducing Tustin MUN, how conferences and position papers work, and a research activity with random countries.
Does the UN Work? (October 16, 2025)
The UN's goals, the Security Council veto, its successes and failures, and a discussion on how it could be better.
Incentives Gone Wrong (October 2, 2025)
Xerox's fax machines, a daycare in Israel, and group presentations on incentives that backfired.