I'm a Video Game Designer!

Grade Level: 6/7/8 Subject: Technology Education Prepared by: Tara Miller Overview and Purpose Students will work in pairs (or go solo) to plan, design and create a basic educational video game using the software Gamestar Mechanic. After all students engage in a game design tutorial "quest" using the Gamestar Mechanic software, they will pair up/go solo and design their own basic video game for their peers to play. The game must have an educational aspect to it, embedded in some part of the design or story. The project will have 5 phases: Brainstorming, Planning and visual mapping, Game Designing, Revising using peer and instructor feedback, and a final written Reflection. Educational Standards: ISTE NETS 1. Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes. b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression 2. Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems. 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making: Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students: b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project. 6. Technology Operations and Concepts: Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students: a. understand and use technology systems. b. select and use applications effectively and productively. c. troubleshoot systems and applications. d. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies. Objectives Students will learn how to: Design an original digital video game using specific parameters. Work effectively and efficiently in a team. Plan for and complete a long term project on time. Troubleshoot technical issues.

 Give and use collaborative feedback to make revisions. Materials Needed Computers for each student or pairs of students, with Internet access. Flash 10 Player installed on student computers (a free download from adobe.com). Paper and pencil for Visual Mapping, or students may use a digital tool. Other Resources http://gamestarmechanic.com/ PDF of Gamestar Mechanic Manual downloaded to student computers (available on http://gamestarmechanic.com/). YouTube for more examples and tutorials. *For teacher training in Gamestar Mechanic, complete the Teacher tutorial quest prior to teaching this lesson (see more information in Notes blow). Information Give and/or demonstration necessary information 1. Before the project begins, all students must complete the Gamestar Mechanic tutorial quest in order to become familiar with the software. 2. Students will examine and play some sample games before planning their own. 3. (Optional: see Notes below) The teacher will show video examples from YouTube or their own game design examples. Verification Steps to check for student understanding 1. All students will complete the Gamestar Mechanic tutorial quest (this would be a part of a previous lesson). 2. Students will share and finalize a written or graphic game design plan with peers for feedback. The final version must be approved by the teacher before the game design can begin. 3. Once the "first draft" of the game has been completed, the teacher and/or peers will give written feedback on the design and playability of the game. 4. The final version of the game will be played by peers and the teacher, with feedback via a rubric. 5. A final written reflection activity will be completed by all students (see below for details). Activity 1. All students will complete the Gamestar Mechanic tutorial quest and play sample games, in a previous lesson. 2. Students will be paired up (or go solo) and begin to brainstorm their original educational video game. 3. Students will map out their game plan and share it with peers and the teacher for final approval. 4. Students will design their game using Gamestar Mechanic. 5. Students will engage in peer evaluations by playing each other's games and filling out a feedback form. The teacher will check the progress of each group. 6. Students will make revisions to their games. 7. Students will play each other's games and rate the work based on a rubric.

8. Students will write a final reflection (see below). Reflection Activity After the final version of the game has been completed, students will engage in an individual written reflection. The reflection will include: - A detailed description of the game. - The specific educational connection to the game and how it is embedded in to the overall design. - Issues and questions that had to be addressed during the various phases of the project. - Comments on the partnership aspect of the project, if applicable. Did it work well? What were the challenges? - Thoughts on how effectively the overall process worked. What went well? What could have been changed to improve the project's overall success? Notes * Depending on the number of computer available, this lesson could be adapted to either a partner or solo project. If working in a partnership, expectations must be communicated. * There is a section in Gamestar Mechanic for teachers to access. This has a tutorial quest that trains teachers on how to use the software (it is very simple for even the novice gamer). They also provide a free downloadable teacher's manual and teacher learning guide. The teacher manual, titled "Getting Started Teacher Pack", contains a set of lesson plans, curriculum resources, and other supplementary materials. * If the classroom has access to YouTube, there are a number of instructional videos and examples for students and teachers to utilize. Here is a link to a video demonstrating how this software can be used to an create educational game. In this example, the game is based on literary elements from Withering Heights.