Past To The Future: The Futurist

Gamification of the classroom is a great tool to really engage students in to everyday activities. It adds an element of excitement but also builds community. The teamwork that is instantly created is amazing. Leave NO ONE behind is the motto: teams work together to make sure everyone is learning!

Here is a basic outline that I used to create the teams in my room. The idea of the game builds slowly to get the students invested, but the teamwork developed quickly and organically. There was no magic lesson that created team spirit. I think students like to work as teams. There is a lot more strength in the team as opposed to partners or small groups!

I created 3 teams: The Actionist, The Explorationist and The Innovationist. 

• The Actionists make change in the world through actions and words.
• The Explorationists make change in the world through new discoveries.
• The Innovationists make change by inventing new ways to get things done.

Students are given a list with these three teams. I asked them to consider which one describes the way they think, and to rank the choices 1 - 3.

I didn’t tell students I was going to make teams based on their choices, because I wanted honest answers. Surprisingly, in all of my 3 classes, each group divided evenly into three teams. So there is one of each of these teams in each of my three classes. Below I list the implementation elements of this project.

• The next day I announced that we were going to start working as teams. Everything was about teamwork. And I stressed that no team's work was complete until everyone is done. Everything we do in class has points connected to it.
• When doing math or science everyone needs to know what we are doing and to be able to explain, successfully, his or her thinking. What I have found in teams is that those students that “get it” quicker become teachers, and really work with the struggling students. They can’t just give out answers because I ask students to explain how they got this answer or that answer and if they can’t tell me the team loses points! (I only teach math and science this year but our writing teacher and literacy teacher are also using this model with great success!)
• Once the teams are established, they create a flag, a banner with their motto, a mascot, and a banner with their team name on it. These are hung on the walls outside my classroom to promote team pride. This is another tool to engage the students into this game.
• Points and Challenges:
• Points: I use a free online program, Class Dojo, to track team points because it makes it quite easy to track points. Class Dojo only allows you to add one point at a time, so I track one point as equal to 100. This is important for the Team Control part of the game (see below).
• Badges: students are also working to earn badges that are STEM related, through a program set up within our district. Although this is more of an individual project, students can still earn points that will go to their team!
• Edmodo Challenges: I set up four accounts using Edmodo, which is similar to Facebook but intended for the classroom. There is a whole group and then each team has their own group. I post random challenges and pictures so that teams can earn points. Sometimes I post questions and collect responses. I even use it to post lesson directions and have teams log on at the start of a lesson so that they can’t say they didn’t know what they were supposed to be doing! Students also use it to communicate with other team members that are not in their class. Students also use it to communicate with adult mentors of their projects.

The Game: Team Control     

Each team works to earn points for CONTROL over our community!

This game builds teamwork organically. Students have to support each other and work collaboratively in order to be successful.

1. Make a map of your school with all the rooms included, distinctive areas (e.g., mural, garden, trophy cases), playground areas, etc. Give each area a POINT value. For example, my classroom would be worth 1000 points. When a team uses points to buy an area/room it will double its value. If another team wants to buy it from the team who owns it, the price is now 2000 points. Each time, the value doubles when another buy is made. If a team acquires three rooms that are connected, that BLOCK now has to remain a block unless the teams sells the room back to the game or trades it with another team.
2. The game goes beyond the classroom. Anything can come under the control of a team. Team members just need to post a picture of the team members at a particular location. They will post these pictures to the class group on Edmodo. They must name their team, and explain why this particular place is valuable to them, and worthy of purchase. Important community locations can be subject to some personal interpretation, with examples such as public art, historical locations, favorite eateries…anything that they feel is important to their community. Photos MUST include team members, and they cannot use photos grabbed from the Internet.
3. On launching day (the first day), I allow the teams to meet and discuss what TWO rooms they want to control. From then on, their meets can be arranged at recess. The game unfolds organically from here.