From life-size Monopoly to escape rooms, Sterling teacher’s social studies curriculum sparks student learning

A teacher at Sterling’s Challand Middle School uses her love of storytelling and theatrics to bring her class to life.

Megan Grady is an eighth grade social studies teacher at CMS and the head coach of Sterling High School’s girls cross country team. She started teaching at CMS four years ago, immediately after graduating from St. Ambrose University.

“Growing up, I saw Sterling at some track meets, and I knew that they had a good program and great facilities, though I didn’t realize how great of a facility until I came here on my second round of interviews, which was a tour of the building,” Grady said. “I had to keep my mouth from hanging open the entire time because this school is beautiful.”

Growing up, Grady idolized her mom and uncle, both teachers. She knew from a young age that she wanted to become a teacher like them, and maybe a little famous along the way.

“I feel like being a teacher is sometimes like being famous,” Grady said jokingly. “You see the hoard of kids waiting for me in my room, and I always joke with my colleagues that in a way, we’re famous, we just don’t get all the good stuff that comes with it, like the paparazzi following you everywhere.”

Grady originally thought she wanted to teach English, but soon had a revelation that changed her mind.

“I realized I liked the storytelling aspect of English, and I’ve always enjoyed being a bit theatrical and a history nerd,” Grady said. “There are so many different perspectives throughout history. When I teach about different people, I try and humanize them as much as possible. We often put historical figures on this pedestal where they’re untouchable, but we forget that they were real people who made decisions that were good and bad.”

Grady said her students love the “drama” that history brings, and she works hard to capture their interest. Her classroom is uniquely decorated with historical memorabilia and references, including custom Pokémon cards featuring historical figures, graphic novels, and full-size cardboard cutouts of Abraham Lincoln and the “men of the Gilded Age.”

“When I talk about each one of them, I bring them up to the room to hit home that they were real people, and this person actually lived and did these things,” Grady said. “These kids can relate to the fact that they’re all living different lives and having different experiences and perspectives.”

Keeping students engaged with history takes a bit of creativity, and Grady said that she and fellow social studies teacher Ben Snow try to keep the curriculum as interactive as possible with various activities such as escape rooms and a life-size game of Monopoly where the kids are the pieces.

“We also came up with a competition three years ago where they are given one word, and they have to guess the term or the person or the event based on just that word,” Grady said. “This happens at the end of every unit, and the kids battle against each other within each class period until we have six representatives from all six of my classes. Then, they come together and they compete until we have one representative from my group of kids, and he has one from his group of kids.”

Grady said the students go “insane” for the competition with plenty of “smack talking” in the hallway between classes and a World Wrestling Entertainment belt traveling trophy.

“Last year, the trophy was a scarecrow named Jerry, but that turned into a bit of a hostage situation,” Grady said jokingly. “The current score is three to five, and I’ll admit that I haven’t won in the last couple of years. We’re still in it, but I need to rally my troops.”

Grady said the annual competition truly gets her students excited to learn, with many of them asking her to study with them during their lunch periods. She said the best part of her job is watching the kids grow as they continue into high school.

“It makes my day when kids visit to talk about the classes they had with me,” Grady said. “When you’re teaching them, they don’t necessarily let on that they’re having a good time or that they enjoy it. But then those same kids will come up to me the next year when I’m over at the high school and go, ‘Gosh, I miss your class.’ That’s the best.”