Running head: THIRD ACTIVITY

Using Technology to Teach the American Revolution: Third Activity

Maureen Deming
EDU 625
Dr. Kathy Milhauser

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Using Technology to Teach the American Revolution: Third Activity

Sub-Topic and Technology
This activity is meant to be a summative assessment. It addresses all the subtopic
outlined in the Project Plan: Englands role, the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere and the shot heard
around the world, and Important Figures of the Revolution. Students will create an interactive
quiz-style game that can be used in fifth grade classrooms as review tools during the social
studies unit on the American Revolution. Since these products will be used in an authentic
context, students have a meaningful purpose for creating the games, as well as for playing them
(Kiang, 2014). By focusing on important ideas from the readings, this activity also helps
students think about main idea, summarizing, and synthesizing, skills intervention students
struggle with.
Games were selected for this topic for several reasons. The topic is directly aligned with
classroom material, which aids students in making connections in their learning (Sanford et al.,
2006). Games are multimodal, allowing the creators to show their understanding through
images, audio, color, font, and shapes (Sorenson et al., 2011). Multimodality also benefits
players, since meaning is communicated in a variety of ways. This activity also taps into the
innate social characteristics of games and gaming. Students form their own Communities of
Practice by talking to each other to share problems, find answers, and discover what the other
students are doing that might make them more successful (Sorenson et al., 2011)
Objectives
1. Given readings, discussions, notes, and a partner, fifth grade students in Tier II
literacy intervention will identify five important events, people, or ideas about the
Causes of the American Revolution.
2. Given readings, discussions, notes, Inklewriter, and a partner, fifth grade students in

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Tier II literacy intervention will create an interactive game that incorporates five
important events, people, or ideas about the Causes of the American Revolution.
3. Given readings, discussions, notes, Inklewriter, and a partner, fifth grade students in
Tier II literacy intervention will create an interactive game that incorporates five
supporting images, one for each important event, person, or idea.
4. Given readings, discussions, notes, Inklewriter, and a partner, fifth grade students in
Tier II literacy intervention will create an interactive game that asks one question
about each important event, person, or idea, with two possible answers.
5. Given Inklewriter and a partner, fifth grade students in Tier II literacy intervention
will create an interactive game that provides feedback for each possible answer for
each question.
6. Given Inklewriter and Google Drive, fifth grade students in Tier II literacy
intervention will share the link to their game with the teacher in a Google Doc.
Instructions for Students
1. With your partner, use your readings and notes to decide on five important ideas to go
into your game. They can be people, events, laws, or ideas. Your game will be used
by future fifth graders, so think about what would be the most important things to
know about the causes of the Revolution.
2. In Inklewriter, give your project an appropriate title, and put both partners names in
the author section.
3. Write your game as an informational text. Find an appropriate supporting image for
each important idea.
4. Each idea should feature a review question with two possible answers. There should
be short feedback for each possible answer.
5. Dont forget to pilot test your game!
6. When finished, share your game and copy the link into a Google Doc. Share the Doc
with your teacher. We will have an opportunity to play each others games at the end.

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Instructions for Teacher

1. Students are already familiar with Inklewriter and Google Drive, and should not have
any technical difficulties. If any should arise, encourage them to try to figure it out
on their own or ask their peers. Emphasize that these will be used by fifth grade
students in the future.
2. Give an overview of the activity, including a written copy of the student directions
(above). Check for student questions or misunderstandings.
3. Have students gather materials and start working with their partner. Monitor students
during this time to discuss their work and ask questions. Since intervention groups
meet for short periods, this activity will require two or more meetings to complete.
4. When all pairs have submitted their links, collect them in one Google Doc and share
with students so they may play each others games.
Example: Completed Activity
Here is a link to a sample game created with Inklewriter:
http://writer.inklestudios.com/stories/xnzv

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References

Kiang, D. (2014). Using gaming principles to engage students. Retrieved from

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/using-gaming-principles-engage-students-douglas-kiang
Sanford, R., Ulicsak, M., Facer. K., & Rudd, T. (2006). Teaching with games: Using commercial
off-the-shelf computer games in formal education. Retrieved from
https://post.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-2595261-dt-content-rid23009041_1/courses/EDU625.901013080932/Documents/Unit
%205%20Resources/Teaching_With_Games_Report.pdf
Sorenseon, B. H., Meyer, B., & Egenfeldt-Nielsen, S. (2011). Serious games in education : A
global perspective. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press.