My Science Class is a Role Playing Game

Last year I read an interesting article about one Ben Bertoli (http://classrealm.com/blog/), a 6th grade teacher.  He had an idea to run his classroom like an RPG.  His student could earn points and achievments in class that would "level them up."  I thought it was an astounding idea, and I immediately started to set my own in class RPG

Students In New York take a standardized Science test in eighth grade that covers four years of material.  I usually spend over a month of my school year covering a variety of Science topics.  I use old state tests and review texts to ensure that my students will get to see all of what could be on the test.  The process is typically arduous as my students can get overloaded with information and lose interest part of the way through it.  I decided that I should try my RPG during this review period.

It was a success on so many levels.  My students were excited to "play" every day and didn't even notice that we plowed through ten years of old state tests.  Homework assignments flowed in when they might normally trickle.  Even the "too cool for school" kids got into it.  The results of the state test even showed higher than normal progress.





This year, I've made many modifications to the game and am now running it through it's beta as we review for our midterm.  Here's what it looks like:

Students fill out a character sheet.  This includes experience points, their current level, a race, a class, and an ability based on their class.

On a day when we're playing, they'll be presented with some type of foe.  On day one, it was a training dummy.  The foe is given hit points based on its level, and how many students are in the class.

Next, the students take a short quiz.  Correct responses to the questions earn their starting hit points for the battle.

Next, they can attack the foe by using their abilities.  Each foe has its own abilities and the students trade blows in order to defeat the foe.

Students have to incorporate dice rolls, adding bonuses, and subtracting penalties to their abilities (MATH!)

Once an enemy is defeated, the students are awarded loot and experience points.  Students also have the opportunity to earn achievements.  For example, turning in their homework assignments could earn an acievement that gives them extra loot.