Touchdown+Turnaround-+Vocabulary+Review+Game

Stephani Howe Leigh Rothweiler CSE- Videogames and Learning 21 May 2012 Learning Environment Design Project Touchdown Turnaround- Vocabulary Review Game __Standard and Objective__ Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. Students must create 3 examples of the vocabulary terms that do not directly state the definition of that word.
 * CCSS 8.L.4 **
 * OBJECTIVE **

__Vocabulary Review Game__ This game is meant to be used as a review at the end of a lesson on vocabulary to prepare students for a test. This can be used throughout the unit to give students a chance to practice without penalty and actively engage in the vocabulary. There are many ways you could adapt this game to make it take less class time, like having the clues already made and the teacher giving them to the students. This would eliminate the step in which students make the clues themselves, but would still be a good review tool overall.


 * 1) Teacher writes a set of vocabulary terms on the whiteboard in no particular arrangement putting words far enough apart that students must move to touch different words. To be most beneficial, teacher would write the words on magnet strips and move the words before the start of each new round.
 * 2) Two students come up to the board and stand facing the class, facing away from the board.
 * 3) Audience will break into groups according to row or some other determination. Each group will come up with 3 examples to have prepared for the game. The teacher will assign vocabulary terms to groups. This clue must be an example and NOT a definition. Teacher will call on student groups to give one clue at a time to the players up front.
 * 4) On a mark, players up front turn and point to the vocabulary word that matches the clue from the audience.
 * 5) The player that correctly touches the word first is the winner. The winner stays at the front to battle a new player. A new player, chosen by order on the roll sheet, will replace the student that sat down.
 * 6) The teacher sets a certain amount of rounds or time to play and the winner at the last round wins the prize.

__Learning Principles Used__
 * Transfer Principle** – Learners are given ample opportunity to practice, and support for, transferring what they have learned earlier to later problems, including problems that require adapting and transforming that earlier learning.
 * Students would need to transfer their knowledge of the definition of the vocabulary term to fit the example given by the audience. Correctly identifying the vocabulary term would mean that students transferred this knowledge.
 * Practice Principle** – Learners get lots and lots of practice in a context where the practice is not boring (i.e. in a virtual world that is compelling to learners on their own terms and where the learners experience ongoing success.)
 * Students are practicing in an exciting and physical way. The competition factor heightens the intensity of the game as well.
 * “Psychosocial Moratorium” Principle** – Learners can take risks in a space where real-world consequences are lowered.
 * The only consequence for an incorrect answer is to sit down. There is no ridicule or insult allowed from the audience, and no room for it if the fast pace of the game is kept up.
 * Active, Critical Learning Principle** – All aspects of the learning environment (including the ways in which the semiotic domain is designed and presented) are set up to encourage active and critical, not passive, learning.
 * Students up front are forced to critically analyze the clues in a rapid paced environment. Audience members must interact with each other to create clues for the game.
 * Multimodal Principle** – Meaning and knowledge are built up through various modalities (images, texts, symbols, interactions, abstract design, sound, etc.) not just words.
 * Students at the front must process the auditory clues and interpret them to identify the physical word on the board.