EDIT 2000 Spring 2006

Thursday, March 30, 2006

PowerPoint Games - Improving Your Questions

9:30 class - please email your WebQuest address to me by the beginning of class today.

11:00 class -
please email an electronic copy of your final WebQuest reflection if you have not already done so. All WebQuests should be saved to the dropbox.

As you continue work on your PowerPoint games -- it is important to focus on the instructional value of your game -- and value is added through good questions. Bloom's Taxonomy is an easy way to learn more about various levels of questioning. The class handout will show you the levels. Test your knowledge of Bloom's with this
online quiz.

Even young children can use Bloom's Taxonomy to improve their work. Here's a video of a class of children who use it to design literature units. Learn even more about this project here.

Using the handouts on Bloom's Taxonomy and question development, work with a partner to take your 3 sample questions "up a level" on Bloom's Taxonomy. Use these improved questions as a model for all 25 questions to be included in your game. Don't forget that you can checkout textbooks from the Curriculum Materials Center in rm 207 for more ideas for questions (just make sure you're not plagiarizing!)

Continue working on your game outside of class (it is due Thursday, April 7)-- you have a handout on scanning in gameboards if you choose to draw yours by hand. Many students will choose to use the drawing tools in PowerPoint to create their boards. As you work -- review student samples and the PowerPoint Games Project Rubric to ensure that you are meeting the expectations of the assignment. You can earn additional "wow" points by packaging your game. This would include a professional-looking game box with all of the materials necessary to play the game included in the box.

For Tuesday:
1. All text-based slides should be completed (i.e. story, game directions, etc.)
2. 3/4 of your question slides should be completed
3. If you are drawing a board by hand - it should be ready to be scanned.
4. Have someone "play" your game - to double-check your game directions.

Tuesday's class is an optional / attendance make-up day. If you need help with or time to work on your game you should attend class. If you have missed 2 days of class or more - you should attend class.