Making Jamestown Come Alive! – 7163

Summary

Prior to this lesson, the students made 2D fraction games in which they made their own questions, for their peers to play their games. In the process of the activities and the discussions that ensued about game design and creation, the students expressed an interest in making 3D games such as MindCraft. After discussing this with my ITRT, she suggested that the students learn how to use Google Sketchup, and create their own 3D objects to be incorporated into a web-based virtual world with the assistance of a virtual world game designer who utilizes Unity 3D for his building. Thus, our lesson developed around the theme of Jamestown review, and incorporating our knowledge of fractions as they had to manipulate and create 3-dimensional objects for their “employer”, Kyle Gomboy, who will create a virtual world for them while utilizing their creations.

TIPC Ratings

Research and Information Fluency was not the focus of this lesson.

The students chose their own groups, established their own norms, and organized their own roles to solve the authentic task of helping a game maker create a 3D sol-based interactive game world for other students to visit and learn about Jamestown. They Skyped with the expert who is making the “blocking” build for the game/world using the 3D objects they created. They reflected on their roles as communicators and collaborators on the classroom blog.

The students selected the most appropriate digital tools to meet their objects of building the objects for the virtual Jamestown. Being limited in what could be used, our choice options were free, but downloadable, such as Blender. Mr. Gomboy had tutorials for its use, but we couldn’t install it on student machines, so the choice of Google Sketchup was made. Creating the 3D objects required a lot of critical thinking and problem solving within the groups. They reflected on this role and future growth on the classroom blog.

The students were allowed to go beyond the scope of the assignment if they desired by creating their own objects and/or expanding beyond the Jamestown foliage objects. The reflected on their creativity and innovation, as well as on future growth, on the classroom blog. They synthesized knowledge that they already knew from previous lessons relative to the fractions and Jamestown SOLs, their experiences with 3D gaming such as Mindcraft, and their newly acquired knowledge of Google Sketchup. They generated new knowledge through questions they asked Mr. Gomboy, and through experimenting with their own builds using their new knowledge of Google Sketchup.

Student Artifact

Download Files

7163-MakingJamestownComeAlive1.zip>
Contents:

  • Lesson Plan
  • Student Artifacts
  • Rubric
  • Screenshots of the Jamestown blocking build in progress sent by
    Mr. Gomboy

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