Gaming the Past

In my part of the amazing Cincinnati Country Day School this past week.
– Students in Honors 10th Modern World History and 9th Grade Ancient World History submitted their playtest analysis essays where they assessed: 1) how effectively their researched game design fit the historical problem space they had researched and 2) The results of the second round of playtests they ran and 3) The next steps for the penultimate revision

– An amazing independent study student finished their research and began conceptualizing the final 15-20 minute video-essay they will craft comparing the Iliad, Ancient Historians on the Homeric Period and Warfare, Troy the Movie, and A Total War Saga: Troy (videogame) as different media histories of “The Trojan War”

– Two amazing independent study students for next year come closer to solidifying their proposals. One will craft a Twine complete with recorded sound effects illustrating how the soundscapes of Victorian lives differed by social positions. The other will develop their Shogunate historical boardgame into a full historical game with Print and Play.

All of these works are developed with strict attention (that’s my job, of course) to rigorous historical research and analysis.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of all the amazing things students did last week (I didn’t even mention the applications for senior peer mentors are in now!)

Oh and shameless self-aggrandizement moment — look who got into the curriculum guide!