SIMCIVIC

PBL City & Nation Simulation

Where Leaders Are Made.

A structured, immersive simulation where student teams govern fictional nations — managing 7 interconnected resources, negotiating formal trade deals, forging alliances, and building real cities. Piloted April 2026: 97% of students felt more engaged.

🌍

Nations

👥

Team Roles

📊

Resources

♾️

∞

Strategies

🏆

Real-Time

Live Scoreboard & Dashboard

Simulate·Lead·Negotiate·Build·Govern·Defend·Trade·Strategize·Collaborate·Compete· Simulate·Lead·Negotiate·Build·Govern·Defend·Trade·Strategize·Collaborate·Compete·

What Is SimCivic?

A Living,
Breathing World

Created by Truc Nguyen during her work with Fayette County Public Schools, SimCivic puts student teams in charge of fictional nations — managing 7 resources, negotiating formal trades, forging alliances, and building real physical cities to compete for the highest score.

Pilot Results — Stonewall Elementary, April 2026

33 fifth-graders participated (31/33 completed the survey). 93% said they'd do it again. Average enjoyment: 4.2 out of 5. 74% wanted an after-school SimCivic club.

33 Students Piloted

■ Engaged ■ Neutral

💰

Capital

Cap.

🏭

Pollution

Poll.

🌾

Food

💧

Water

H₂O

⛏️

Raw Mats

Mats.

👥

Population

Pop.

😊

Happiness

Happ.

The Nations

Five Territories. One World.

Drag to spin · Click a territory to enter

Browse the five nations

💧

Azure

The Maritime Trade Hub

A peninsula nation commanding global sea trade. Fertile coasts, powerful fleets, and an economy built on the water.

Maritime HubWater RichHigh Capital

Explore Nation →

⚡

Synapse

The Tech Nation

Silicon Valley at scale. Dominant in research and capital — but critically dependent on others for food and water.

Tech HubLow ResourcesHigh Capital

Explore Nation →

⚙️

Ironvale

The Industrial Core

Mountains of raw industry. Generates massive capital and materials — at enormous environmental and social cost.

Raw MatsHigh CapitalHigh Pollution

Explore Nation →

🌿

Verdantia

The Green Republic

A living paradise built on ecological balance. Diplomacy and sustainability are its greatest — and only — weapons.

Forest RichHigh HappinessLow Pollution

Explore Nation →

☀️

Novan

The Land of Dreamers

Vast, untapped, and ungoverned. The wild card whose biggest challenge isn't resources — it's itself.

UntappedNo AlliancesWild Card

Explore Nation →

💧

Azure

The Maritime Trade Hub

The world's largest maritime trade hub. A peninsula nation with a strategic coastal position, highly fertile inland plains, and fishing fleets that anchor its economy. Azure's waters are the lifeblood of global trade — control the seas, control the game.

High

Capital

High

Water Supply

Strong

Food Output

Strategic Playbook

Leverage your water surplus — trade it to Synapse at a premium for their Capital and tech edge.

Forge early alliances with Verdantia to dominate diplomacy and lock in dual food security.

Use your Capital advantage to build ports and markets early for a high City Building score.

Your Negotiator is your greatest weapon — keep them at the table at all times.

⚡

Synapse

The Tech Nation

A large-scale Silicon Valley built on innovation and research. Technologically dominant but under constant strain from limited access to essential resources like food and water. Synapse lives and dies by its ability to trade Capital for survival.

Very High

Capital

Critical

Food Deficit

Critical

Water Deficit

Strategic Playbook

Your survival depends on trade — broker deals for Food and Water early before reserves run dry.

Use your Capital surplus to purchase political alliances and pass Global Policy Resolutions.

Target Verdantia and Azure as essential partners — they have what you lack.

Declare war only as a last resort; you cannot afford the resource cost with empty reserves.

⚙️

Ironvale

The Industrial Core

The gray nation — rugged mountain ranges and dense industrial corridors. Ironvale generates massive raw materials and capital, but at enormous environmental and social cost. Its mountains never sleep and its smokestacks never cool.

Massive

Raw Materials

High

Capital

Critical

Pollution Level

Strategic Playbook

Trade Raw Materials aggressively — every other nation needs them for city building.

Manage Pollution before it tanks your Happiness and Population scores.

Your City Planner can build industrial structures worth max points — invest in them early.

Avoid long wars; your industrial base is valuable but your social stats are your weakness.

🌿

Verdantia

The Green Republic

Often called a "Paradise." Founded on ecological balance and long-term citizen well-being. Verdantia's forests never burn, its rivers run clean, and its people vote. Diplomacy and sustainability are its greatest weapons — and its greatest vulnerabilities.

Very High

Happiness

Abundant

Food & Forests

Near Zero

Pollution

Strategic Playbook

Your Diplomat is your MVP — push Global Policy Resolutions early to gain political dominance.

Trade Food surplus to Synapse and Ironvale; they'll pay anything to feed their populations.

Use your Happiness advantage to withstand wars — your population won't fracture under pressure.

Build parks, schools, and hospitals for maximum city building points; it fits your identity.

☀️

Novan

The Land of Dreamers

Vast, resource-rich, and largely untapped. The wild card — an early-stage nation with no established alliances whose biggest challenge is internal governance. Novan can become anything, or it can collapse into nothing. Everything depends on your first moves.

Abundant

Raw Materials

None

Starting Alliances

Wild Card

Unpredictable

Strategic Playbook

Build alliances immediately — your isolation is your greatest vulnerability in Round 1.

Use your Raw Material surplus as a bargaining chip; every nation needs them to build.

Your President must be decisive and vocal — Novan's story is written by how boldly you lead.

Stay neutral long enough to pick the winning side, then commit fully to that alliance.

Team Roles

Every Role. Every Decision.

Six specialized roles run each city. A weak Financial Planner can sink a thriving empire. A skilled Diplomat can turn enemies into allies overnight.

Budget Rule Correct budget = +5 Capital · Incorrect budget = −5 Capital

👑

President

The strategic leader. Sets direction, holds the device during choice events, communicates with the host, and calls the Global Summit — once per game.

SUMMITEVENTSRECORDS

Click to flip →

Key Responsibilities

Sets national strategy each round
Holds device during live choice events
Calls the Global Summit — once per game
Communicates directly with the host

💰

Financial Planner

Tracks all 7 resources each round. Records trade and materials costs. Submits the budget — precision is everything.

BUDGETTRADE CALCSRESOURCES

Click to flip →

Key Responsibilities

Tracks all 7 resources every single round
Calculates trade and materials costs
Submits the budget form with precision
Maintains the nation's financial ledger

🤝

Negotiator

Conducts formal negotiations at the Negotiation Table — 5 minutes per session. Both parties must sign the deal. Submits signed copies to the host.

TRADEALLIANCESSIGN

Click to flip →

Key Responsibilities

5-minute formal negotiation sessions
Both parties must sign all deals
Submits signed copies to the host
Manages the active trade queue

🌍

Diplomat

Creates Global Policy Resolutions and collects 5 signatures to pass them. Tracks political rankings and advises on alliances, enemies, and war.

GLOBAL POLICYRELATIONSWAR

Click to flip →

Key Responsibilities

Drafts Global Policy Resolutions
Collects 5 signatures to pass policy
Tracks and reports political rankings
Advises on war, alliances & enemies

🏛️

City Planner

Decides what to build, destroy, buy, and sell. Scores structures based on materials, explanation, location, and contribution to the nation's story.

BUILDSBUY/SELLSCORE

Click to flip →

Key Responsibilities

Decides what to build, buy, or sell
Judges structures on 4 scoring criteria
Manages city space allocation
Maximizes points through smart planning

🔧

Engineer

Draws blueprints, buys from the materials store, records purchase orders, and calculates store and labor costs each round.

BLUEPRINTSMATERIALSLABOR COSTS

Click to flip →

Key Responsibilities

Draws all building blueprints
Buys from the materials store
Records and tracks purchase orders
Calculates store and labor costs

Game Mechanics

How SimCivic Works

Six interconnected systems determine your fate. Master all of them — or find allies who cover your weaknesses.

Resources & Budget

Every round applies passive changes to your 7 core resources. Financial Planners must track everything precisely.

+3 Capital, +2 Happiness, +3 Raw Mats every round

−3 Food and −3 Water consumed every round

Correct budget = +5 Capital / Incorrect = −5 Capital

Diplomacy & Trade

Political rankings rise and fall through trades, alliances, and aid. Every transaction has diplomatic consequences.

+1% political ranking per trade occurrence

Ongoing alliances grant +2% per round

Breaking alliance: −10% political + both nations become ENEMIES

War System

Nations can declare war — but the costs are real. Winners gain from losers; all allies are affected.

Declaring war costs −10 Capital and −10% political

Winner gains +6 Food, Water, Raw Mats & Capital

Losing nation protected from war for 2 rounds; allies of winner get +2 all stats

City Building

Building physical structures earns score points. Judged on materials, explanation, location, and real-world purpose.

Support (roads, bridges, ports): 1–3 pts

Amenities & Necessities (parks, hospitals, schools): 3–8 pts

Creative structures with a purpose: 0–15 pts

Global Policy

Pass resolutions that reshape the rules of the game. Get 5 signatures from other nations' key roles.

5 signatures from other nations required to pass

Each passed policy = +3% political score

Coordinator can veto unbalanced policies

Aid System

Nations can request and receive aid at any time. Post-war nations get a special Aid Request system.

Any nation can request aid at any time

Declining ally aid causes greater relation damage

Relationship strength shapes aid impact

Resource Guide

Thresholds That Change Everything

These automatic triggers fire at the end of every round. Financial Planners must watch these numbers constantly — one wrong move can spiral into crisis.

✅ Positive Triggers

HAPP > 70+2 Population gained this round

HAPP > 60+3 Raw Materials bonus this round

POP > 70 +2 Capital bonus from productivity

MATS > 55+2 Capital from material surplus

⚠️ Negative Triggers

HAPP < 40−5 Population due to civil unrest

POP > 100−6 Food AND −6 Water consumed

POP < 30 −5 Raw Materials from labor shortage

FOOD < 30−8 Population from food crisis

WATER < 30−8 Population from water crisis

Every Round
Automatically

+3 Capital+2 Happiness+3 Raw Materials−3 Food−3 Water

How It Works

A 5-Phase Journey

Prep

📋

Preparation

Optional skill-building — civic governance, negotiation tactics, and presentation basics to hit the ground running.

Phase 01

🗺️

Nation Planning

Teams receive their nations, assign roles, and draft an opening strategy before the first round begins.

Phase 02

🤝

Rounds & Diplomacy

Enact policies, negotiate trades, form alliances, and navigate real-time crises — all tracked live on the scoreboard.

Phase 03

🏗️

City Building

Sketch city layouts on territory maps, then physically build 3D models using craft materials — scored by judges.

Phase 04

🎯

Presentation Prep

Compile your nation's case — decisions made, strategies used, and real-world solutions to your territory's challenges.

Phase 05

🏆

Final Presentations

Present to industry experts and community judges. Innovation Points can flip the leaderboard. One nation wins.

By the Numbers

Proven Results

97%

Increased Engagement

93%

Would Do It Again

4.2/5

Avg. Enjoyment Rating

70%

Wanted After-School Club

🎓

Adaptable by Design

Adjustable for any grade, age group, and instructional goal — from elementary through high school.

📈

Scalable Impact

Runs in gyms, cafeterias, and community centers. Integrates with after-school programs and school clubs.

🌐

Real-World Skills

Builds communication, civic responsibility, and decision-making under real pressure — skills that last.

Pilot — Stonewall Elementary · April 22, 2026 · 33 fifth-grade students

What You'll Need

Technology & Setup

🖥️

2 Large Monitors

One for the host dashboard, one for the live shared negotiation sheet where nations schedule trade meetings.

★ Touch screens usually available at schools

📱

5 iPads

One per nation — live dashboard for resources, trade alerts, global summits, and policy cards in real time.

★ Pilot ran successfully with just 2 monitors

💻

2–3 Chromebooks

Research station (nations pay Capital to research solutions) + communication access to the negotiation doc.

e.g. "How have cities fixed flooding?"

🧱

Building Materials

Popsicle sticks, tape, pipe cleaners — used in Phase 3 to build 3D city models on territory maps.

★ Grid paper or blank canvas serves as the map

👥

Facilitation Team

1 game host + 5 nation facilitators. Each keeps their team on task, encourages critical thinking, and bridges communication.

★ Host can double as facilitator — 4+1 minimum

🌐

Live Scoreboard

Web-based dashboard tracking all 7 resources, rankings, alliances, and global events — accessible from any device.

★ Firebase real-time sync · GitHub Pages hosted

LEAD

Ready to Compete?

Build. Lead.
Dominate.

Every round is a new challenge. Every decision has consequences. Will your nation rise to the top — or fall to war, poverty, and poor planning?

Start Game →

Where Leaders Are Made.

A Living,Breathing World

Five Territories. One World.

Every Role. Every Decision.

How SimCivic Works

Thresholds That Change Everything

A 5-Phase Journey

Proven Results

Technology & Setup

Build. Lead.Dominate.

A Living,
Breathing World

Build. Lead.
Dominate.