Gaming+Exemplars

[|SimCity4]


 * Content Standards:**
 * 3.4.12.C2:** Apply the concept that engineering design is influenced by personal characteristics, such as creativity, resourcefulness, and the ability to visualize and think abstractly.
 * 3.4.12.E5:** Explain how the design of intelligent and non-intelligent transportation **systems** depends on many processes and innovative techniques.
 * 7.2.12.B:** Analyze the significance of physical processes in shaping the character of **places** and **regions**.


 * 21st Century Skills:**
 * Visual Literacy- students will use the images and data collected from the game to make decisions regarding their community.
 * Adaptability/Managing Complexity- students will be require to use several sources of data to design a manage a community/city of their making and to organize change as they advance over time.
 * Curiosity, creativity, risk-taking- students will be able to hypothesize about possible results of making actions in the game and their results on the community at-large.
 * Managing for results- students will develop a plan that they carry out and evaluate the results. Students will be able to see their idea come to life on their screens.


 * Process and Outcome:**
 * Introduction: Students will identify the qualities of an organized community and the limitations to the community.
 * Instruction: Students will be instructed to create a city, students need to include governmental organizations such as fire departments, schools and parks. Students will monitor taxation policies, zoning areas, infrastructures demands and lastly transportation systems.
 * Student Practice: Students will 'play' the game, during the time, students will have the opportunity to ask questions and make changes to their communities.
 * Evaluation: Students will using google docs evaluate the successes and failures during their time as city manager. Students will assess what changes they would make to their communities as well as how the physical environment affected their abilities to make meaningful change in their community. Students will participate in a round-robin discussion with peers where they will discuss their findings. Class community will evaluate the development of the communities.
 * Enrichment: Students will continue playing and will use work with peers in developing neighborhood deals, students will also make changes based on their assessment and discussion with peers and the instructor.


 * My Opinion:**
 * SimCity4 is an engaging game the requires the player to constantly evaluate the effects of their decisions as they play manager of a city. Player must be mindful of geography, economics and civic development as they play. As their no such thing as 'winning' the player is able to experiment and make choices they find to be most successful. The only downfall is that the game is not compatible with Windows Vista or Windows 7 and requires significant computer resources to be played at a optimal level.

[|Do I Have a Right]


 * Content Standards:**


 * 5.1.12.A:** Analyze the sources, purposes, functions of law, and how the **rule of law** protects **individual rights** and promotes the **common good**.
 * 5.1.12.E:** Analyze and assess the rights of people as written in the PA Constitution and the US Constitution.


 * 21st Century Skills:**
 * Visual and Information Literacy- students will use contextual clues and their prior knowledge to address the Constitutional issues.
 * Teaming and Collaboration- students will work with a partner to analyze and discuss the cases.
 * Interactive Communication- students will publish the findings of three of their cases to the class wiki and develop a Constitutional Rights page.


 * Process and Outcome:**
 * Introduction**:** Students will review the parts of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and be able to enumerate their rights as citizens of the United States.
 * Instruction: Students will be shown the overall breakdown of the game and the goals in mind.
 * Student Practice: Students will work with a partner as they read and evaluate the cases found on the web-based game. Students will follow the directions of the game in completing 10 cases which will test their knowledge of Constitutional Rights. Students will also make decisions about lawyers who will join their firm and the types of cases to pursue.
 * Evaluation: Students will use three of the cases used in the game and expand upon their legal precedents and find cases that may support their findings.
 * Enrichment: Students will use internet sources to find two cases that are currently being litigated. Students will present these cases in a roundrobin and make arguments about their opinions on the cases citing Constitutional precedents.


 * My Opinion:**
 * This is a great game that is user friendly, engaging, and entertaining. The player must use their knowledge of the Constitution to manage a law firm that takes Constitutional cases, players earn points which can be used to upgrade the firm and/or hire new staff. Students will enjoy the collaborative aspects and gain an appreciation for the legal profession and the Constitution.

[|Immune Attack]


 * Content Standards:**

Describe the potential impact of stem cell research on the **biochemistry** and **physiology** of life.
 * 3.1.12.A6:** Analyze how cells in different tissues/organs are specialized to perform specific functions.
 * 3.1.12.A8:** Describe and interpret dynamic changes in stable **systems.**
 * 3.1.12.A7:** Evaluate metabolic activities using experimental knowledge of **enzymes.**


 * 21st Century Skills:**


 * Basic, scientific and technological literacy- students will use their computer literacy skills to assist their understanding of the biological and chemical processes of immunology. Students will also develop an understanding of nanotechnology as an emerging technology.
 * Adaptability/ Managing Complexity- students will be required to make decisions as self-directed learners. Students will analyze new conditions as they arise and be able to make decisions to resist viruses as they emerge.
 * Interactive communication- students will use interactive technology to communicate with their peers regarding prevention of viruses.
 * Personal and social responsibility- students will complete an enrichment activity in which create a public service.


 * Process and Outcome:**
 * Introduction: Students will review the concepts of nanotechnology, chemistry, biology and the immune system. Students will also be notified of the goals for the class.
 * Instruction: Students will view the[| introductory video] about the program. Students will be instructed to use their prior knowledge of the immune system as they are nanobots who must defeat disease and infections throughtout the human circulatory system.
 * Student Practice: Students will play the game, during that time they are to read the prompts of the game and follow the directions to stop the attack on the immune system. Students should take notes on the processes being used.
 * Evaluation: Students will develop a class wiki in which they will create a database of viruses and treatment options for such viruses. Students will be invited to share each others work and make comments and suggestions.
 * Enrichment: Students will develop a public health newscast in which they will inform members of their school about potential viruses, how they operate and prevention tips.


 * My Opinion:**
 * This is a well done game but is tailored towards higher end students such as AP and Honors students. Game does well in teaching during play but without a strong background many of the terms will be difficult. Game play is pretty straightforward and fun to play. Students will like the challenge and the application of concepts learned in the classroom.

[|Food Force]


 * Content Standards:**
 * 4.3.12.B:** Analyze factors that influence the local, regional, national, and global availability of **natural resources**.
 * 4.4.12.B:** Research and evaluate laws and policies that affect the **food and fiber system.**
 * 4.4.12.D:** Describe how policies, **regulations**, and laws affect the technologies adopted in **agriculture.**
 * 4.5.12.A:** Research how **technology** influences the sustainable use of **natural resources.**
 * 6.1.12.A:** Predict the long-term consequences of decisions made because of **scarcity.**
 * 6.4.12.D:** Analyze how changes in transportation, communication networks, and technology affect economic **interdependence** around the world in the 21st century.
 * 5.4.12.C:** Evaluate the effectiveness of international organizations, both **governmental** and **non-governmental.**


 * 21st Century Skills:**
 * Visual and Information Literacy- students will use the landscape images, the graphs presented and the text to assist in their decision making regarding the village.
 * Cultural Literacy and Global Awareness- students will gain an understanding for the challenges of the global hunger crisis. Students must put themselves within an African village while making decisions about the future of the community.
 * Higher Order Thinking/ Sound Reasoning- students will be require to take multiple data systems and organize their ideas into a cohesive unit to make decisions.
 * Personal and Social Responsibility- students will come to understand the real world challenges of global hunger and will develop a public health newscast informing others to take action.


 * Process and Outcome:**


 * Introduction: Students will view the [|TED video] regarding world hunger issues. Student will then be engaged in a discussion regarding the content of the video and the issue of world hunger.
 * Instruction: Students will be shown the first level of the food force game. As a class, students will make decisions in starting the game.
 * Student Practice: Students, working in pairs, will read the instructions and play the role of a UN Humanitarian Aid worker. Students will follow the tutorial and complete the game. Students will, with their partner, strategize on the best steps towards achieving the objectives stated in the game.
 * Evaluation: Students will develop a informational video which will be published. This video is to contain information about the global food crisis and action that can be taken within the community to alleviate the concerns.
 * Enrichment: Students will develop a public health newscast in which they will inform members of their school about potential viruses, how they operate and prevention tips.


 * My Opinion:**

This is an important game however it is not web-based, instead requires the installation of an application. The game seems very crude in its nature, and needs further development, however, students will gain an understanding and strong idea for the challenges of hunger at a large and small scale level.