Let the Games Begin!

This week the ASPIRE 5 students created games in math and science.  In math class, students created three large cubes to help practice writing and solving equations.  On the first cube, they were required to write 6 word problems to represent equations.  On the other two cubes, they wrote the corresponding equations and solutions.  When the cubes were complete, students played the game by rolling them and looking for matches.  Two matches earned 5 points, and three matches earned 10 points.  The first player to 30 points won the game.

The design of the science game was left to the students.  The primary requirement was to create a game that reflected our Changes to Land unit.  Landforms such as sand dunes and processes such as erosion had to be included.  The students designed a wide variety of games.  There were card games, board games, computer games, and games that don't even have a category.  After a day of creating the games, students were able to spend the next day sharing and playing them.  A rubric was used by the students to self-evaluate their own game.

Creating games can be a very effective strategy for gifted students.  It allows them to use their creativity as they design the rules and procedures.  Next, the activity is differentiated, as students can adjust the complexity of the content to meet their needs.  In addition, this activity required them to practice presenting the game with clarity so that other students could play it.  Overall, the ASPIRE 5 class designed a set of very impressive games.  The content showed evidence of higher level thinking, and the rules and procedures were very creative.  On top of it all, they were fun to play, and were part of a positive learning experience.  Make sure you ask your child to tell them about their game this weekend, or even ask them to bring it home.  You will not be disappointed.