video game design lesson plans

View all Curriculum

Presentation (PPT, 9.8MB)
Lesson (PDF, 1.5MB)

Overview

Challenge your students to learn Video Game Design. From predicting viable industry career paths to taking the first steps in development and coding, students will learn how to make their video game come to life. Evidence shows that games are a great way to learn, and new data suggests that video games could have a powerful impact on mental and physical rehabilitation. As the video game design field continues to expand, it is essential that students learn marketable skills that will prepare them for roles in this thriving industry. Furthermore, it is urgent that educators work to provide students with a framework for understanding how video games impact their lives and our greater society. This 4-day lesson plan introduces students to the fundamental principles of game design through a series of fun and interactive sessions. Students will learn the history of video games and the value that these games bring to our society. They will then learn how logic and reason are used to create enriching and fun games through a host of exciting activities. The lesson culminates with a team-based project module, where students will have a hands-on opportunity to storyboard and practice building their own game.

Student Will Learn

21st Century Skills
- Collaboration
- Critical Thinking
- Creativity
Design Principles
- Defining the Problem
- Designing Solutions
- Creating or Prototyping
- Refine or Improve
- Communicating Results

Content Areas

Computer Science
Technology
Art & Design
Computational Thinking

Objectives

Identify the basic elements of video games and how games have evolved over time
Understand the value of video games – what they add to society and how gaming forms a vital part of our economy
Comprehend how algorithms use logical expressions, like if-then statements and loops, to build games
Map out a game by creating concepts and implement those concepts using code