Why Play Games?
Overview
In this learning sequence students will explore the structure and
features of a range of games and consider reasons why people play these
types of games. Students will work collaboratively to create their own
computer game and present it to their peers.
Year group: Years 4 - 10
Duration: 20 - 60 hours, depending on age of students and the depth
to which the unit is
taken.
Standard: 2 - 5
Focus Essential Learnings
Essential Learnings Framework - World Futures - Designing and Evaluating Technological Solutions
Understands how to design, make and critically evaluate products and processes in response to human needs and challenges.
Supporting Essential Learnings
Essential Learnings Framework - Thinking - Inquiry
Understands the process of inquiry and uses appropriate techniques for posing questions, defining problems, processing and evaluating data, drawing conclusions and flexibly applying findings to further learning and to creating new solutions.
Essential Learnings Framework - Personal Futures - Maintaining Wellbeing
Understands the interdependence of the physical, mental, emotional,
social and spiritual dimensions of wellbeing and know how to make wise
choices and contribute positively to the overall wellbeing of self and
others.
Understanding goals
1. In what ways do games shape who we are?
Students will understand that games have a range of both positive and negative effects on people and their lives and relationships.
2. How can technology be used to make our lives better?
Students will understand that technology can provide solutions to human needs.
3. How do we go about solving problems?
Students will understand that there are a number of approaches and strategies available to help them solve problems.
Throughline/s
Humanity always seeks a better world. Are we there yet?
Students will understand that humanity is constantly striving towards a better world. Games play a pivotal role in this, though their impact is not always positive.
Skills
-
Collaborative Concept Mapping using CMap software
- Scratch or GameMaker programming
Tuning In/Introductory Performances
|
UGs |
Learning experiences |
Ongoing assessment |
| 1, 2 |
What do you Know? Build a CMap on 'Games' (See teacher notes on concept mapping) |
Breadth and depth of knowledge can be seen from the first CMap. It will be used for comparison with the final CMap at the end of the unit. |
|
1, 2 |
Good Games Play a range of ‘classic’ games. Discuss why they have remained popular. Discuss different types of games - which games do they like playing, which are good, which are bad and why? Look at different types of games and genres within each: computer games, board games, card games, sport games (team + individual). Consider games involving mental activity - why do people play them? Use Think, Ink, Pair, Share and produce a definition for a game. Discuss what makes games good or bad. Discuss the place of games in society. |
Teacher observation of group discussion and brainstorming activity.
|
Guided Inquiry
|
UGs |
Learning experiences |
Ongoing assessment |
| 2, 3 |
Follow basic tutorials in using game making software.
This activity should be ongoing throughout the other guided
inquiry activities, perhaps as one lesson per week.
Peer mentors should be engaged to support students in this
process. Support students in using thinking and problem solving strategies. These need to be explicitly taught to students as they progress. |
Teacher observation Quality of games produced |
| 1, 3 |
Survey - find out about other people's game playing habits Once responses have been collected, in small groups students should decide how to collate and present results (a graph, as raw data etc). Lead a whole group discussion about interpreting results, making generalisations, looking for patterns in the results, and considering age and gender as variables. Brainstorm possible questions, and discuss how good
survey questions are structured and how a survey is carried
out. Discuss what makes a good questionnaire, and identify
the characteristics of useful questions (Do you want yes/no
answers or answers that expand on the topic?). Draft the
final set to include in a questionnaire. |
Presentation of survey results to class |
| 1 | Other Games - find out about games from other cultures and games from before computers. (Research could be undertaken as a homework activity.) | Teacher observation of game teaching and playing. |
| 2 |
Genres Look at different computer game genres. |
Online matching activity |
| 1, 2 |
Magazine Article Write a Game Review |
|
| 1 |
How do games affect us? Style and format of the debate would be dependent on the age of the students. For younger students Jeffrey Stark article may need to be paraphrased. |
Teacher observation, participation level |
| 1 |
Game Ratings Students should be encouraged to think about why ratings are needed and to review the ratings of games that they play themselves at home. |
Rating designs |
| 1, 2, 3 |
Change that Game! This activity is an opportunity for students to show higher levels of critical analysis and thinking. |
Level of analysis |
| 1, 2, 3 |
Design your own Game Build an assessment rubric as a class Write your game story |
Teacher observation, participation in rubric construction Game story |
Culminating Performances
|
UGs |
Culminating Performances |
Ongoing assessment |
| 1, 2, 3 |
Production of a computer game As students begin to use the software for creating their games they will face many difficulties, challenges and problems. Students should be strongly encouraged to tackle simple games first, otherwise there is a danger that their problems may become insurmountable and they will give up. It is vital to discuss with students a range of strategies for going about solving their problems.
Students should be encouraged to write about their problems and how they solved them in their journal. |
Rubric
Peer feedback Journal |
| 1, 2, 3 | CMap | Comparison with first CMap created at the start of the unit. |
