Designing a Game for the FutureActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning works for this topic because students need to experience the physical and social dynamics they are designing. By moving, testing, and revising, they move beyond abstract ideas to build empathy for players and understand how rules shape behavior. This kinesthetic approach also helps them see continuities between past and present games in a way that static analysis cannot.
Learning Objectives
- 1Design a novel game incorporating rules that promote physical activity and teamwork, drawing inspiration from historical games.
- 2Analyze the evolution of games from Stone Age Ireland to ancient civilizations, identifying continuities and changes over time.
- 3Explain the connection between specific elements of their designed game and historical games studied.
- 4Justify the rules and objectives of their new game, relating them to modern values such as inclusivity or sustainability.
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Brainstorm Huddle: Historical-Modern Mashups
In small groups, students list three historical games studied and brainstorm one modern twist for each, such as adding tech sensors to an ancient Irish stick game. Groups sketch initial rules and objectives on chart paper. Share one idea with the class for inspiration.
Prepare & details
Design a game that encourages both physical activity and teamwork.
Facilitation Tip: During Brainstorm Huddle, provide a visual timeline of historical games to anchor mashups in concrete examples.
Setup: Flexible workspace with access to materials and technology
Materials: Project brief with driving question, Planning template and timeline, Rubric with milestones, Presentation materials
Prototyping Stations: Build and Test
Set up stations with materials like cardboard, markers, balls, and cones. Groups prototype their game at one station for 10 minutes, then rotate to test another's. Record what works and suggest one improvement.
Prepare & details
Explain how your game incorporates elements from historical games.
Facilitation Tip: At Prototyping Stations, limit materials to simple items like paper, string, or small balls to keep the focus on rule design rather than craft.
Setup: Flexible workspace with access to materials and technology
Materials: Project brief with driving question, Planning template and timeline, Rubric with milestones, Presentation materials
Playtesting Circuit: Iterate Rules
Groups playtest their full game prototypes in a circuit, rotating every 7 minutes to try peers' games. Provide feedback on teamwork and activity levels using simple rubrics. Revise rules based on notes before a final demo.
Prepare & details
Justify the rules and objectives of your game based on its intended impact.
Facilitation Tip: During Playtesting Circuit, assign specific roles like 'rule keeper' or 'observer' to structure feedback and reduce chaos.
Setup: Flexible workspace with access to materials and technology
Materials: Project brief with driving question, Planning template and timeline, Rubric with milestones, Presentation materials
Gallery Walk: Peer Review
Display prototypes around the room. Students walk the gallery, noting historical links and impacts on sticky notes. Groups read feedback and prepare a 1-minute pitch justifying their design.
Prepare & details
Design a game that encourages both physical activity and teamwork.
Facilitation Tip: For Justification Gallery Walk, post a clear rubric at each station so peers know exactly what to evaluate.
Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter
Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback
Teaching This Topic
Approach this topic by treating game design as a living inquiry where students become both historians and innovators. Research suggests that students grasp continuity and change better when they manipulate primary sources and artifacts, so having them compare artifacts or rules from different time periods is essential. Avoid letting the activity become purely artistic or technical. Instead, keep the focus on the social purpose of games—how they foster connection, challenge, and community. Use frequent check-ins to redirect students who drift toward overcomplicating mechanics rather than refining the human experience.
What to Expect
Successful learning looks like students creating a game that intentionally blends historical elements with modern values, explaining its rules clearly and justifying how they promote physical activity and teamwork. They should demonstrate an understanding of continuity and change by articulating links to past games and how their design addresses real-world needs like sustainability or inclusivity.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Brainstorm Huddle, watch for students assuming modern games have nothing in common with historical ones.
What to Teach Instead
Prompt groups to list at least one shared element between their chosen historical game and their modern idea, such as the use of strategy or physical challenge, and have them sketch a quick rule that bridges the two.
Common MisconceptionDuring Prototyping Stations, watch for students treating game design as purely fun without structured rules.
What to Teach Instead
Remind students that each rule should have a clear purpose tied to physical activity or teamwork, and circulate with the template asking them to justify each rule before moving on.
Common MisconceptionDuring Playtesting Circuit, watch for students assuming teamwork happens automatically in group play.
What to Teach Instead
After each test round, ask players to reflect on whether cooperation felt natural or forced, then revise rules to explicitly require shared goals or shared resources.
Assessment Ideas
After Justification Gallery Walk, have students present their game designs to a small group using their prototype and rule sheet. Peers use a checklist to evaluate whether the game encourages physical activity, requires teamwork, and includes at least two historical game elements. Peers provide one written suggestion for improvement on an exit ticket.
During Prototyping Stations, provide students with a rule template asking them to list three rules for their new game. For each rule, they must write one sentence explaining how it promotes physical activity or teamwork, and one sentence connecting it to a historical game element they studied. Collect these to assess clarity and intentionality.
After Justification Gallery Walk, facilitate a class discussion using the prompt: 'How can designing a new game help us understand the changes and continuities in how people have played and socialized throughout history?' Encourage students to share examples from their game designs and the artifacts they studied in Brainstorm Huddle.
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge students to add a sustainability element to their game, such as requiring players to collect recyclables or conserve energy during play.
- Scaffolding: Provide a partially completed rule template with blanks for adding physical activity or teamwork prompts.
- Deeper exploration: Invite students to research how modern digital games incorporate teamwork or physical activity, then compare these to their own designs.
Key Vocabulary
| Continuity and Change | Continuity refers to elements that remain the same over time, while change refers to how things transform or evolve. |
| Historical Emulation | The act of designing something new by imitating or drawing inspiration from historical examples or practices. |
| Game Mechanics | The rules, systems, and processes that govern how a game is played and how players interact with it. |
| Modern Values | Ethical principles and beliefs that are considered important in contemporary society, such as fairness, equality, and environmental responsibility. |
Suggested Methodologies
Planning templates for Exploring Our Past: From Stone Age Ireland to Ancient Civilizations
5E Model
The 5E Model structures lessons through five phases (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), guiding students from curiosity to deep understanding through inquiry-based learning.
Unit PlannerThematic Unit
Organize a multi-week unit around a central theme or essential question that cuts across topics, texts, and disciplines, helping students see connections and build deeper understanding.
RubricSingle-Point Rubric
Build a single-point rubric that defines only the "meets standard" level, leaving space for teachers to document what exceeded and what fell short. Simple to create, easy for students to understand.
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