Thematic+Unit

 **"Exploring" Board Games**

__**Introduction**__: This case investigates the explorers of the "New World". The senario is that the student is hired by the Parker Brothers game company to create a board game which would both be fun and educational for children age twelve and up. Students will pick a famous explorer they have learned about from reading their history book and from in-class lectures. The case finishes with a complete game set created by a team of two students. The students will then rotate through the games created by the class and as a whole pick the winning game.

Throughout this case, the learner will accomplish the following:
 * __Objectives:__**
 * Become more familiar with the history and person of a famous explorer.
 * Use critical thinking skills to create a historically accurate educational board game.
 * Use their creativity and teamwork to make the game both fun and educational.
 * Fairly evaluate their own work and the work of their classmates
 * Be able to market their game to the rest of the class, highlighting its strengths and working toward a quality product.

**__Learning Model:



Explaination of Learning Model:__** This model was chosen to supply the students with a visual representation of the reasoning behind the construction of the lesson. As a teacher, I want the students to be able to utilize concrete ideas as well as abstract ideas. By incorporating the creation of a board game into the history lesson on the explorers of the "New World", the learners are able to connect the more abstract concepts of the explorers personality and history and the concrete board game. The board game incorporates the direct/purposeful experiences of the creation and playing of the board game with the students' knowledge of the history of their chosen explorer. It also allows the students to have dramatized and contrived experiences in the physical making and playing of the game as well as using pictures and visual symbols in their construction of the game board. By combining the students' motor skills with their cognitive skills the learner is able to retain the information because they are able to connect the abstract data with the concreate experience of disigning a board game and presenting it to the class.

This curriculum map gives students direction in their board game project. It helps students navigate their learning environment because it allows them to look ahead in the creative process and encourages their progress by giving prompts as to what should be done in that section. **Analysis** || What do I know? What resources do I need? What questions do I have? Which explorer will I design the game around? || || Development** || Use book, packet, and lecture notes to make sure explorer facts are accurate. || || || ** This youtube video is a fun example of a board game that was created for an environmental awareness class. The students can watch the short video to perhaps gain some inspiration for their own board game about explorers. media type="youtube" key="1H-TVl1a-3U" height="344" width="425"
 * __Curriculum Map:__**
 * **Problem**
 * **Field Insights** || Gather information about the chosen explorer.
 * **Resource
 * **Test Points** || Make sure the rules to the board game are clear and that the game is “playable”.
 * **Proposals** || Market your game to the rest of the class.

__Lesson Outline and/or Graphic:__ I.** Welcome the students to class and take attendence while they answer the QOD (question of the day) written on the white board. **II.** Have the students share their answers to the QOD with the student next to them and then ask a few of the students to share with the rest of the class. **III.** Handout the rubric for the board game project so the students will be able to know what is expected of them before the project is due. **IV.** Let the students begin working on their game board assignment while I am walking around the room answering any questions they might have on the project.
 * QOD: Name one explorer of the "New World" we have discussed in class and list two important facts about their career as explorers.
 * Make sure to call on students who do not always share with the rest of the class.
 * Explain the project to the students, group them into teams of two and explain the board game.
 * The students will pick an explorer they have studied either in the packet, in the text, or during lecture to base their board game on.
 * Explain how the board game should be set up i.e. the essential elements of the game (game pieces, directions, a game board, clue cards that are educational).
 * Tell the students the game will be due in one school week and that they will be "marketing" the game to the rest of the class on the day that it is due.
 * The "marketing" will be a 3-5 minute presentation during which the students will try to convince the rest of the class that their game is the best.
 * V.** Remind the students again of the due date of the project and release them to their next class when the bell rings.

**__Essential Elements:__** **__ PowerPoint Presentation: __** I created a powerpoint slideshow to go along with this lesson as a visual aid for my 15-20 in-class presentation for EDUC 341.
 * Grade Level: 9th grade
 * Content Area: World History Honors
 * Goals: To help the students retain and solidify the information they have learned about the "New World" explorers by creating a fun and educational board game.
 * 21st Century Skills: The students will use their creativity and the materials available both in and outside of class to construct their explorer board game.
 * Evaluation: The students will evaluate each others explorer board game with a printed rubric sheet I will supply. In addition to the peer grades, I will also grade the assignments and average the class score against my score for the final points the student will be awarded.
 * Resources: The students will be able utilize any resources at their disposal, however, their text books, lecture notes, and explorer packet will probably prove to be the most helpful for them to study in this activity.