Running Head: GAME BASED LEARNING SOLUTION 1

Project 2: Game-Based Learning Solution

Karly Rosencrans & Erica Starr

ISTC 729

Towson University
 GAME BASED LEARNING SOLUTION 2

Almost all students today play video-games on a semi-regular, or regular schedule. Using

video games, particularly ones students are familiar with to teach new learning concepts will

increase engagement and motivation among our students. Our team decided to choose two

different games, Fortnite and Sims 4 to address two different instructional problems. Each

instructional problem will be described, as well as our game, why we choose it, and our

determined solutions for each instructional problem. Karly has chosen Fortnite as her main game

to teach the concept of Form to art students and Erica has chosen Sims 4 to address

communication for her special needs students.

Sims 4

As a kid, I remember playing Sims 4 with my friends. We enjoyed customizing our

characters, building our outrageous mansions, and then interacting with our sims. We would go

to the shops, go to work, build a family, and drive a car. After playing the game years later, I

have still enjoyed playing the game and going into another world. This game can be very helpful

to all students of all ages. My special education students would enjoy playing this game. They

like to play games that they get to complete a task or build a structure. In the past, I have had my

students play Minecraft. They created a structure that represented landmarks around the world.

My students do not like learning about history, but using Minecraft had them see history in a

whole new life. The Sims 4 has the same building activity but then gives the student the option to

play the person in their structure.

The instructional problem that has been chosen is communication. I am a communication

and learning support teacher. My students can use a computer, log onto google meets, search the

web, play online simulation games, and look up topics. All have great skills but they are not

working on communication. I would use the Sims 4 to help with their communication. In the
 GAME BASED LEARNING SOLUTION 3

game, the sims have to talk to other sims. They have to create relationships with others and boost

each one of their categories. This would help my students learn about how a real conversation

would look like. They would learn the main greetings, how to go back and forth with another

sim, and end the conversation.

I believe that a game-based learning approach will help students be comfortable with

talking to peers, adults, and other community personnel. This game would help with community-

based instruction as well. My students go out to Target, Safeway, McDonald’s, and the Dollar

Store. During these outings, the students are working on conversations, asking for help, and

exchanging money. The Sims 4 has multiple items that they can buy and decorate their houses.

They have to look to see if they have enough money to buy the items they want. This helps

during our outings because the students are buying items and making sure they have enough

money to buy the items. Also, the students would use the Sims 4 to help with creating

conversations like asking for help and creating relationships with friends or acquaintances. The

Sims 4 can be a game to help get my students out of their shells and to show their true colors.

The main learning objective and outcomes that will be discussed is communication with

community personnel and creating relationships using conversations. The audience of the

outcomes is special education students with learning difficulties in communication and learning

from 2nd grade to 5th grade. The standards used during this plan is 2nd grade to 5th-grade

common core standards. For each grade, the English language arts standard concentrates on

speaking and listening, Each grade includes participating in collaborative conversations with

diverse partners about each grade topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger

groups. The required materials that are needed for the lesson include a computer, a keyboard,

a mouse, Sims 4, and visuals.

Lesson Sequence

Lesson The students will be able to create collaborative discussions with virtual
Objectives
community personnel and create meaningful conversations with appropriate

comments.

Lesson Computer, Sims 4, keyboard, mouse, and visuals.

Warm-Up The teacher would state their objectives and that they will be using Sims 4 to
(5-10 min)
accomplish them.

The students will watch a video introducing Sims 4. They will get to create

their character and choose the way they would like their sims to look.

Main 1. The students will be able to buy furniture and design their homes. Give
Activity
the students about 15 minutes to do this. Make sure to show them all the

buttons and the amount of money that they can spend. The object is for

them to stay engaged.

2. Once the students have created their houses, show them how they can

interact with objects in their house. For example, sitting in a chair,

going to bed, making a snack, etc. Give the students about 5 minutes to

do this.

3. Next, encourage the students to interact with other sims around their

house. Sims walk up and down the streets. I will model for the students

a conversation between two sims. I will show them all the choices on

how to make an introduction between sims. I would choose to get to

know the sims.

4. The teacher would have visuals on the table that the students can choose

to create conversations with other sims. These include the types of

conversations that the sims can have. This contains friendly, mischief,

funny, and mean. The students then will choose their next visuals to

create their conversations. During this time, students can use their

communication boards or electronic devices.

5. The student will choose what topic they want to communicate with their

sims. After they choose the topic, they will turn to a partner and tell

them the topic they choose.

6. Each student will work on three different conversations using their sims

and their partner next to them. I will be walking around and

encouraging conversations in real life and virtually.

Assessment I will go to each of the students and choose the visuals to promote

communication. Each student has to choose the most appropriate response to

my question or comment. For example, the topic is discussing interests. I would

choose the visual and give 3 choices that the student can choose to respond to. I

will write down their responses.

Closing I will go over the objectives and the student will choose yes or no based on the
(5-8 min)
question. (Did you like playing the Sims 4?)

At the end of the lesson, I will use my notes and pick a few questions that each student
 GAME BASED LEARNING SOLUTION 6

has to answer back. I will give multiple choices with pictures and words that the students can

choose from. The objective is for the student to choose the correct response based on the

question. I will record their responses and create lessons that will help prompt different

communication.

This lesson will be taught over a few days. My students need repetition to be able to

retain skills. Each day, we will work on different tasks. I will have to review each of the different

topics of conversations. After the lesson is taught, I will review each of the skills of

communication and determine if the students can choose the most appropriate response.

Fortnite

Every school year middle school art students study the elements and principles of art over

the year. One of the first elements of art that are studied is Form, which refers to a three-

dimensional shape that has height, width, and depth. For many students who are not used to

drawing, the idea of taking something three-dimensional and representing it as such on a two-

dimensional paper can be a very hard concept to visualize or comprehend. I believe that using

Fortnite to teach the concept of the form will help students in grades 6, 7, and 8 visualize how to

draw forms themselves.

I have chosen to focus on the concept of form because almost all projects require students

to be able to represent forms in their work. For some students, the idea of looking at a three-

dimensional object, or a form, and drawing it on a two-dimensional paper, and making it look

proportionally accurate is easy. For many students, however, this is the most challenging part

about art, and no matter how many times we say “draw what you see” students do not understand

what they are seeing. Every single one of my students knows what the game Fortnite is and most

of them play the game already. They would be so excited if they were able to play Fortnite for
 GAME BASED LEARNING SOLUTION 7

class, and I think they would be able to quickly see forms, and how they work in the Fortnite

creative environment. To successfully complete this lesson students will need access to

computers, Fortnite, an internet connection, as well as any instructional materials in Schoology

related to the lesson.

Lesson Sequence

Warm-Up “What is a form?” Students see sample images, copy down the definition, and
(5-7 min)
participate in a brief class discussion around Forms.

Review objectives.

Game I will ask students the following questions to engage in a class discussion:
Introduction
(5 min) ● Who has played Fortnite before?

● How are you able to be creative when you play Fortnite?

● Where can you see Forms in Fortnite?

Objective 1 I can recognize and then create a form in Fortnite to demonstrate an

We will enter a Fortnite map that I have created for students which will be

filled with both shapes and forms. Each shape and form will have a button on it,

and when students press the button on a form, their team earns a point, and their

data is tracked.

Secondly, students will be asked to create a simple box using the floor object, 4

wall objects, and a roof object. After they have completed this, I will use a

button that I, as an admin, could press to award a point after I have checked and

reviewed that they made a form and not simply a wall/floor.

Objective 2 I can view a form surrounded by light panels, and turn each panel on and off
(10 min)
one at a time to see how the shadows change as the light source changes.

Students will enter a room with a form in the center and 4 different light

sources spaced out around it. Each light source will have an on/off switch. As a

class, we will turn them on one at a time. This will allow students to see how

the shadows move around a form as the light source moves. We will have a

class discussion started with these questions:

● Where is the lightest, or brightest part of the form? Why is it there?

● Where is the darkest part of the form? Why is it there?

● Why do the shadows move when the position of the light changes?

Objective 3 I can view a building, and create sketches, of both the front (2D) and a corner
(25 min)
(3D) to understand how to represent depth.

Now that students have viewed light sources and have a better idea of shading,

they need to understand proportion and angles to accurately represent forms in

their art. Students will view a small building and draw it from the front where

there are no angles, and we will discuss proportion, i.e. the door should be

bigger than the windows.

Next, students will draw the same building but viewed from the corner to

understand the depth. We will talk about what depth is, we will view the angles

of the sides of the building, discuss how to determine which way to draw these

lines, and how these angles/lines connect to one another.

Studio Time The first five minutes will be spent doing a review of how to shade by
(25 min)
 GAME BASED LEARNING SOLUTION 9

completing a value scale and a simple sphere together as a class. Then students

will have the remainder of this time to work independently to represent a form

in front of them, or from the Fortnite map, using accurate proportions and

shading.

Closing I will ask students to share their sketches from class in their table groups and
(5-8 min)
answer the following questions:

● What is the difference between a form and a shape?

● Where should the lightest part of your form be?

● How do you feel about the drawings you completed today?

This lesson would be completed throughout one class period. The class period before will

be used to download any software needed or create player accounts as needed. Students will

practice entering Fortnite maps, moving their players around, and learning to use the building

mechanic. The class after this detailed lesson will provide students with more time to practice

drawing forms using what they learned in Fortnite the previous class. During this following

class, a map will be provided in Fortnite for students to enter and draw what they see.

In Fortnite, you can create up to 15 teams. Students would be paired up, using the

balanced team setting in Fortnite which would automatically pair up students into random groups

as they join. Each team would have a color that I can use to track each team's completion of each

task. The game timer would end at the end of class and all points would be finalized. This data

would be how I assess student progress and comprehension. The tasks in Fornite will be a

practice grade, while the drawings that students create during their studio time will also be

collected for a minor grade and will be graded using the visual arts 4-point rubric.
 GAME BASED LEARNING SOLUTION 10

Conclusion

Video games have opened up a whole world for our students that allows them to take

risks in a safe environment, have skills modeled for them, and explore creative environments.

Sims 4 can be used to teach communication to special education students and Fortnite can be

used to teach Form to art students. Games that are relevant and interesting to our students can be

used to teach a wide variety of concepts and skills in an engaging and learner-centered

environment.