Activities & Resources

The activities and resources provided here represent materials developed by the Possible Worlds and Analogy Mapping Study teams to help teacher-participants of the field studies integrate the digital games into their customary teaching of electricity.

Topic:
Electricity

Sample Instructional Sequence

This is a suggested sequence for integrating the Monster Music game into the topic of electricity. It was developed and refined during the classroom field-testing of the digital game and supporting materials.

Format: PDF
Duration: Three to five class periods
Timing: Optional, according to your approach to teaching electricity
Topic:
Electricity

Electricity Game Debrief Presentation

This slide deck is a presentation to use after students have played the Monster Music game. It presents animations from the game and asks students what they did in the game and what strategies they used to play. 

Format: PowerPoint
Duration: One class period
Timing: After gameplay
Topic:
Electricity

Electricity PowerPoint Presentation

This slide deck is a brief, general introduction to the topic of electricity, and addresses the misconception that it is a form of matter rather than a form of energy. The presentation also addresses the common analogy of electricity flowing through wires to water flowing through a pipe, and provides alternate analogies with illustrations and animations.

Format: PowerPoint
Duration: 10 minutes (more with discussion)
Timing: After game debrief presentation
Topic:
Electricity

Electricity analogy mapping presentation

This slide deck is used to help students map visualizations from the game to electricity concepts. It presents animations from various parts of the game alongside images related to electricity. The slides are designed to scaffold mapping across the source and target of the analogy.

Format: PowerPoint
Duration: 30-40 minutes (more with discussion)
Timing: After electricity instruction presentation
Topic:
Electricity

Human Circuit

This activity provides students with a kinesthetic opportunity to see the difference between flow by connection rather than by movement through space.

Format: Kinesthetic
Duration: One class period
Timing: After gameplay
Topic:
Electricity

Lightning in Your Hand

A simple hands-on activity to create static electricity. This activity works best on a cool, dry day. If it is too hot and humid, it will not work well.

Format: Hands-on or class demonstration
Duration: 15 minutes (longer with discussion)
Timing: After gameplay
Topic:
Electricity

Monster Music Alignment Puzzle

The Monster Music alignment puzzle is a stand-alone Flash app that allows for playing the alignment mini-game separately from the full digital game. The mini-game works well on a projector and is useful for for connecting the game to traditional electricity topics.

Open the Monster Music alignment puzzle

Format: Flash app
Timing: After gameplay
Topic:
Electricity

Exit ticket assessments

This PDF contains four 1 page simple assessments:PRE-reflection activity, gameplay exit ticket, POST-reflection Activity, and second gameplay exit ticket.

Format: PDF
Duration: 5-10 minutes each
Timing: Throughout instructional sequence