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You’re reading Part 5 in our guest series contributed by Classcraft Ambassador Sam Schneider. Read Part 4 here, or start at Part 1 here.
As a teacher, one of my personal goals has always been getting students to engage with material that would otherwise bore them. Using Classcraft revolutionized my classroom management, and then I realized it could change the way I presented my lessons, too.
By incorporating simple elements you can find in standard video games and board games, you can easily add excitement and suspense to researching topics, completing assignments, and even taking assessments.
Tip #5: Cubing – What’s more “classic” in gaming than the random outcome of a dice roll? In cubing, you assign simple tasks/assignments from your lesson to different sides of the cube. The outcome of a student’s die roll equals the work they need to do. If the results start becoming repetitive, make tiers for each task so it gets progressively harder the more they roll the same result. You can set rewards for completing one whole set of activities (each tier for a certain roll), a tier from each result (diversity award), and so on.
An example from my music class — “Captain Ivory”: Learning an instrument like piano involves a lot of practice and repetition. To row away from the grasp of the octopus-pirate boss, students need to demonstrate a knowledge of the keys and scales. As they roll the die, it selects a scale or exercise for them to work on. If they accomplish it, they’re in the right direction and another step closer to shore and away from the fearsome Captain Ivory. The added benefit is the more they roll that same number, the more practice they have on those specific exercises.
These are only a few examples, but disguising strategies like these as game features will add intrigue for your students and impress your administration by showing off your skills for creating diverse and exciting lesson plans.
Sam Schneider is a middle school music teacher in Central New Jersey, where he instructs General Music, Guitar, Piano, and Music Technology. He attended Vanderbilt University, where he earned his Bachelor’s in Musical Arts (Blair School of Music) and Master’s in Secondary Education (Peabody College of Education).
Photo credit: Zurijeta / Shutterstock.com
