tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40154905426554201722024-03-13T18:34:04.379-07:00Games Based Learning BlogJulie Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796427254856173894noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015490542655420172.post-59886927172302703502011-05-14T04:58:00.000-07:002011-07-31T06:59:05.343-07:00MARIO KART WII LITERACY & MATH RESEARCH PROJECT RESULTS...Originally, as per my last post, I was supposed to bring the Wii project to another Gr. 2 class--instead I got an email from my school board indicating that my project needed to be finalized so it could be presented during Education Week.<br />
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Here it is in poster board format at the SCDSB Education Center...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GJ2Bgr5UzrVVcPF7MKbVk6EbpvEuz-txwPe9bo5ZoauJwlVgCito6LpovBojbme_voFJO0_O0UUr0SR_U69yqwJhfF6wVJV5L5k8CiJxRbmMIm62nGjfhre_rkenF_13VPs9ZXZd40w/s1600/IMG_1450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GJ2Bgr5UzrVVcPF7MKbVk6EbpvEuz-txwPe9bo5ZoauJwlVgCito6LpovBojbme_voFJO0_O0UUr0SR_U69yqwJhfF6wVJV5L5k8CiJxRbmMIm62nGjfhre_rkenF_13VPs9ZXZd40w/s320/IMG_1450.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
So I had to postpone the Gr. 2 class (they were quite disappointed! But I will still be bringing it to their classroom next week, 'for fun'). Instead, I had to sit down and enter all my data. I was in 6 classrooms, with 20 students each approx. and each student filled out at least 4 surveys and each survey had 2 questions each....you can see I had a lot of data points to enter in MS Excel.<br />
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But I did it. And the results are very interesting...but before I get to the results, I would like to take a moment to clarify what my Action Research project was all about... (if you are really keen to see the key data results, skip down to the highlighted section!)<br />
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<b>THE RESEARCH QUESTION</b>: What is the effect of using Nintendo Wii/Mario Kart Wii game in connection with literacy work stations and small group math activities on the engagement levels and work outcomes of Gr. 2-5 students who are working below expected levels (Level 2 and below) in particular boys?<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">BACKGROUND:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This question was inspired by many things:</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the fact that provincially, board-wide and at our school, boys tend to lag behind girls academically, sometimes in math but most significantly in literacy (this statement is supported by last years EQAO data, as well as report card and CASI data)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">as a spec ed teacher, I work a lot with boys who are not meeting expected levels. They tend to dislike school and/or tune out.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">however, many of these boys often enjoy video games!</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">over the summer I read the Ministry of Education booklet <a href="http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/brochure/meread/index.html">"Me Read? No Way! A Practical Guide to Improving Boys Literacy Skills</a>", which suggested using 'popular culture' and a 'wide range of narratives' such as music videos and tv shows to engage them (I explored this idea also with the creation of <a href="http://poplit.net/">poplit.net</a>).</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">over the summer, I discovered Game Based Learning. The first blog I came across was <a href="http://www.cunniman.net/?p=601">http://www.cunniman.net/?p=601</a>and I was amazed. From Mark, I discovered The Consolarium at Learning & Teaching Scotland & their ground breaking work with the use of gaming consoles in the classroom. (These links, and others, can be found at <a href="http://gbl.betterthanworksheets.com/">my game based learning resource site</a>).</span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Put them all together and you get one big AH-HA moment for me. I then approached my principal in September with this 'wild' idea to bring video games into the classroom. That lead to this research project, with which I hoped to establish the legitimacy, feasibility and benefit of using video games in the classroom--and also prove its adaptability as a teaching tool.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>THE PROCEDURE</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As a (part time) SERT, I provide support to 7 classes in Gr. 2-5. Ergo, I approached each class, wondering if they'd be willing to have me bring this project to their classroom. Each teacher graciously said yes! Thus, every week, for 6 weeks (I will be getting to class 7 next week), I went into each class and did the following:</span><br />
<ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Had all students, at the end of a 'typical' literacy and math activity, fill out a survey that ranked from 1 (low) to 4 (high) their level of engagement in the task and also how well they accomplished that task (work outcomes). </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Teachers also filled out similar surveys with regards to their Level 2 & under students (those not meeting expected levels, male and/or female). How did they think those student did at that 'usual' task, ranked 1 to 4, in terms of engagement and then work outcomes?</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">On another day (or days), I came into the class and ran Mario Kart themed literacy centers and a Mario Kart themed math task (which was based on whatever math the class was focused on that week...for most of the classes over the 6 weeks, this was a numeracy focus of some kind). </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">After these tasks, all students filled out the exact same survey, ranking their engagement levels and work outcomes with regards to the Mario Kart version of the task.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Teachers did the same, observing and ranking their Level 2 & under students .</span></li>
</ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjiFfHx5wMdjarnqomQ2CJaTgY9si8KyaMIbTD5e3uO6G3o4KB41O22LJRdckc-mrn0eb0tRTX61_jNQB3-HTgFqANQqYQM89t1ry4L-yQBMA68brwNRIcrCM33yXl26G7qSwYCmjedfk/s1600/IMG_1176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjiFfHx5wMdjarnqomQ2CJaTgY9si8KyaMIbTD5e3uO6G3o4KB41O22LJRdckc-mrn0eb0tRTX61_jNQB3-HTgFqANQqYQM89t1ry4L-yQBMA68brwNRIcrCM33yXl26G7qSwYCmjedfk/s320/IMG_1176.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The game play took place during the literacy centers, when we would call students up one by one to play the game on a TV tucked away in the corner (I had a sign: THE GAME ZONE). We ran the literacy centers until the game play was finished (students played one at a time in order to get a timed result). Sometimes this took one long literacy block (a full morning) and in other classes we spread it out with shorter time blocks over a few days. Once all the game data had been compiled, we ran the math task. In every math class, we started the task by sorting and charting the timed race results, determining and crowning the 'winners' of each race--for which I would give them a certificate. (For more details on facilitating the racing, see my first post on this blog). Then we would move onto the particular math focus for that class.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqa2TU227snPAwnNNpN-VzR6seP6W2QkH6qOVd6Kyv4zbSrWuVf847dGo-gmPgXI2ytaCwb1o1nhSlxKe0C_Pm3sqAWuMdZ59uuDkZs4YutTTxPcPoCBSDf6p2OdYASc8dTbGie85MAg/s1600/IMG_1136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqa2TU227snPAwnNNpN-VzR6seP6W2QkH6qOVd6Kyv4zbSrWuVf847dGo-gmPgXI2ytaCwb1o1nhSlxKe0C_Pm3sqAWuMdZ59uuDkZs4YutTTxPcPoCBSDf6p2OdYASc8dTbGie85MAg/s320/IMG_1136.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">For more details on the literacy centers and math tasks for each class, please see my previous posts. Every class was slightly different in the Mario Kart version of their centers and/or their math.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b style="background-color: yellow;">RESULTS: ANECDOTAL</b></span><br />
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As I've mentioned in previous posts, both the regular classroom teacher and I made observations during the Mario Kart activities that indicated improved student engagement and work production. Such as:<br />
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<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When literacy centers are revealed, students express excitement, especially if they realize their group is going to a center they are very interested in (like Yoshi script reading). </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Yoshi script reading activity gets carried onto the school yard, with Gr. 2 students continuing to dramatize during their playtime.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Two male students in Gr. 4 exclaim ‘awesome’ and give fist pumps when they realize the Mario Kart version of the literacy centers will continue in the next period.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Male students in various grades who usually demonstrate disinterest in writing are eager to write at the Luigi writing center, so much so that some of them complain when ‘time is up’ because they want to keep working on it</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Male students in various grades who are going to participate in the project approach me spontaneously in the hall to express their eagerness for the project.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After they’ve participated, male students spontaneously stop me in the hall to thank me…and they do this more than once!</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the Grade 2 class Mario math task, the classroom teacher & SERT notice 100% attention to task. No need to redirect.</span></li>
</ul></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I've written these observations in the previous blog posts. There may be some that I missed but the point is to show how this project excited students and engaged them in their learning tasks. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I'd also like to include a letter one of the participating teachers wrote explaining her opinion of the project:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Dear Julie,</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The games based learning opportunity was extremely powerful in this class. Looking at student engagement and accountability during regular class activities, and then comparing to the MK days, there was a distinct improvement in excitement and </span><u style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">willingness to participate</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">. This is huge! </span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Captivating students interest to expose them to a new concept by embedding curriculum into a form they like and are comfortable with is very important. Getting students 'hooked' is part of teaching today's students. This class, in particular, is highly energetic with the need for hands-on tasks. This opportunity allowed for students to learn and practice their literacy and math skills while moving and engaging in an activity with massive 'kid appeal'. </span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Thank you so much for orchestrating and spear-heading this project. In my opinion it not only helped teach the specific concepts practiced during these lessons, but gave the students yet another reason to 'buy in' to school--they can learn and have a little fun doing it! Congratulations and thank you!</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">RESULTS: DATA</b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As I noted earlier, the student survey was given to ALL students participating and they ranked their engagement and their work outcomes from 1 (low) to 4 (high) in math and literacy for both a 'typical' version of those tasks and a Mario Kart themed version. Teachers did the same, but only for their Level 2 & under students.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uMcS6byY5ESA_kgOGRIT0BFRI_fWCsyXllfhMVO6VcvxdWHIJQZPCSxv_lGNu8mtp-yj4C2I2z0Q0iRYQjexX5avBByZnSuzoJw9POm90MEhWmYnm8dakwwExr70U8L2eiTsZg5ky2g/s1600/IMG_1459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uMcS6byY5ESA_kgOGRIT0BFRI_fWCsyXllfhMVO6VcvxdWHIJQZPCSxv_lGNu8mtp-yj4C2I2z0Q0iRYQjexX5avBByZnSuzoJw9POm90MEhWmYnm8dakwwExr70U8L2eiTsZg5ky2g/s320/IMG_1459.JPG" width="240px" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I thus entered in my Excel data sheet a number 1 to 4 which indicated their ranking for literacy and math for before (typical) and after (Mario Kart version), the idea being that I could compare the two and see if they thought their engagement or outcomes increased with the Mario Kart version. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Here are the results (the teacher survey results for individual students are especially grand--as are the average comparisons--see below).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b style="background-color: yellow;">INDIVIDUAL RESULTS-STUDENT SURVEYS</b></span><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="font-family: Times; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><u>All Students, Literacy & Math</u><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Individually, for the l</span><b style="font-weight: normal;">iteracy centers, for all the students surveyed (a total of 118):</b></span></span></div><ul style="font-family: Times;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>46%</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"> reported an increase in engagement with the MK version</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>39% </b></span>indicated an increase in work outcomes.</span></span></li>
</ul></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span></div><div style="display: inline! important; font-family: Times; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span></div><div style="display: inline! important; margin: 0px;"><div><div style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Here it is in chart format. It shows whether or not there was an increase in engagement with the MK versions, or if their engagement stayed the same, or decreased, or was n/a (meaning there was no comparison to be made, because they did not attend both sessions). </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4hfX7_oucUVyhOUy46_mYPsx9E-vi1jEzrsgboud706UhLj4WzkGSj4vlAosf8A1DszG7_zrooZFCRVyIGO2owUa3g4Yzys15TxODRrxBWQ_6n4kH-R8WMmRtb7LIHz6A3OlfVvfR6U/s1600/litengchartjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4hfX7_oucUVyhOUy46_mYPsx9E-vi1jEzrsgboud706UhLj4WzkGSj4vlAosf8A1DszG7_zrooZFCRVyIGO2owUa3g4Yzys15TxODRrxBWQ_6n4kH-R8WMmRtb7LIHz6A3OlfVvfR6U/s320/litengchartjpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMNGLOpEm6FCxfSXCzLyuBRcMGkvk5VHIcJ-S_ZDfJn-iJzQ2XkJ5XeazdwcmANRSfenoKIrmlRmV0k0ElklBQqbyhQWXt-vRDZC7R1miKP5DaOJo6Q0sfssw_BI7ikisBPJaSv_a3yA/s1600/litwochartjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMNGLOpEm6FCxfSXCzLyuBRcMGkvk5VHIcJ-S_ZDfJn-iJzQ2XkJ5XeazdwcmANRSfenoKIrmlRmV0k0ElklBQqbyhQWXt-vRDZC7R1miKP5DaOJo6Q0sfssw_BI7ikisBPJaSv_a3yA/s320/litwochartjpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Individually, for the math task, for all the students surveyed:</span></div></div><ul style="font-family: Times;"><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>31%</b></span> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">reported an increase in engagement with the MK version</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">33%</span></b> indicated an increase in work outcomes.</span></span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Again, here it is in chart format: </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiln_PYasaIFWicaVRPSo5dK203O5SwO2wSSobjGDiaE46f9bA26evwvLfLX3HvyDcHLOX0dXSFj7fo9te5nje7sJuMtGETo0KzX4GA8bKJhOH7Poz8E68wUpT6dz88bjmaKOGpjoMfT3M/s1600/mathengchartjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiln_PYasaIFWicaVRPSo5dK203O5SwO2wSSobjGDiaE46f9bA26evwvLfLX3HvyDcHLOX0dXSFj7fo9te5nje7sJuMtGETo0KzX4GA8bKJhOH7Poz8E68wUpT6dz88bjmaKOGpjoMfT3M/s320/mathengchartjpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7eH0S-5_Wz2yu06-C75jZMvhyXmPSEG7U-uYMm_4LbXIImkEbNr19k0MBxtTYC87WjGBVJoxBGntxpqMkM6wDMwjSE_3fiLIay-IE3Erh7d4SuZU8R4Vta-m1-PpfmUXp0Wvf4UeoeI/s1600/mathwochartjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7eH0S-5_Wz2yu06-C75jZMvhyXmPSEG7U-uYMm_4LbXIImkEbNr19k0MBxtTYC87WjGBVJoxBGntxpqMkM6wDMwjSE_3fiLIay-IE3Erh7d4SuZU8R4Vta-m1-PpfmUXp0Wvf4UeoeI/s320/mathwochartjpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><u>Level 2 & Under Students, Boys/Girls, Literacy</u></b></span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Looking at the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Level 2 & under boys</b></span> specifically, the student surveys indicate that, for the<b> literacy centers:</b></span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>34%</b></span> indicated an increase in engagement with the MK version</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>51%</b></span> indicated an increase in work outcomes. </span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Here it is in chart format:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEsDILSY-qsXBQiC9ZC_frjkcwIQCYqfvt00-yWwoZyyr4n-20GFRrHhzGwf0xZIcy8a8swHSw4EkUvvTXG2XuHbNyqrYjyBnP6MAIt1S_OsnucJzst0TDXqtU6zDpaVP7dTBNm6ZgI8/s1600/litengl2bchartjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEsDILSY-qsXBQiC9ZC_frjkcwIQCYqfvt00-yWwoZyyr4n-20GFRrHhzGwf0xZIcy8a8swHSw4EkUvvTXG2XuHbNyqrYjyBnP6MAIt1S_OsnucJzst0TDXqtU6zDpaVP7dTBNm6ZgI8/s320/litengl2bchartjpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOit1dKXccSlgKx75rkxjCdR7krW9C1X_jRRdAMAKzLOn3_GH2uIyiSVDoFmiWNAc-FdRNynsEahb6Fzuj3FH1q1N78d_vlz-hQEYHkOtVR0OzNmAUdXtvo5bJTCtgoGEPYWjs5rNXvg/s1600/litwol2boysjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOit1dKXccSlgKx75rkxjCdR7krW9C1X_jRRdAMAKzLOn3_GH2uIyiSVDoFmiWNAc-FdRNynsEahb6Fzuj3FH1q1N78d_vlz-hQEYHkOtVR0OzNmAUdXtvo5bJTCtgoGEPYWjs5rNXvg/s320/litwol2boysjpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">With the <b style="color: red;">Level 2 and under girls </b>and the literacy centers:</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>48%</b></span> indicated an increase in engagement with the MK version</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>24%</b></span> indicated an increase in work outcomes. </span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Here it is in chart format:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuecccfBiMhRNyZaK5KXWPIks0ZOJ18wP6enAcAIeWAyfWhNnMF1tI7Wl_MyRp8PL806EPGpZV073CZuG8ksyx4ZIXV8Z-T2EMnDRfVvV3zLWsfD7XA2f2HdA1qYlR0diaU-7b79YZm6k/s1600/litengl2girlsjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuecccfBiMhRNyZaK5KXWPIks0ZOJ18wP6enAcAIeWAyfWhNnMF1tI7Wl_MyRp8PL806EPGpZV073CZuG8ksyx4ZIXV8Z-T2EMnDRfVvV3zLWsfD7XA2f2HdA1qYlR0diaU-7b79YZm6k/s320/litengl2girlsjpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_AHA6bLzFfHX2aU-rEmmFjvnDyi_WYAbCe9rDNFTAZ69A_Brfm_Vb3N3vcfifPW043IkInLb2grme12fOaE5jKCkPC9n-wxZuGKnyKHzO7fp_vtmYt2ZP6VPC37kYUoWZ7rxBgMNZVo/s1600/litwol2girlsjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_AHA6bLzFfHX2aU-rEmmFjvnDyi_WYAbCe9rDNFTAZ69A_Brfm_Vb3N3vcfifPW043IkInLb2grme12fOaE5jKCkPC9n-wxZuGKnyKHzO7fp_vtmYt2ZP6VPC37kYUoWZ7rxBgMNZVo/s320/litwol2girlsjpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><u>Level 2 & Under Students, Boys/Girls, Math</u></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">For the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">math, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">the student surveys indicate that, for the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>level 2 and under boys:</b></span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>38%</b></span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">indicated an increase in engagement with the MK version</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>21%</b></span> indicated an increase in work outcomes. </span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Here it is in chart format:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_rz3GBGObGljaoj_lDQDYy2yXxiyB8FlcLqvBqMZ-M1sSsAydkdkAhEjR_rGbI-dmJd-Jtwoz9kjLhdyZyIuDYuNCcYeHOelXI_PS7dcyyRpuD_ICUW4w3hwXwW8BNPCD8jzjkCvvP4/s1600/mathl2bengjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_rz3GBGObGljaoj_lDQDYy2yXxiyB8FlcLqvBqMZ-M1sSsAydkdkAhEjR_rGbI-dmJd-Jtwoz9kjLhdyZyIuDYuNCcYeHOelXI_PS7dcyyRpuD_ICUW4w3hwXwW8BNPCD8jzjkCvvP4/s320/mathl2bengjpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicLKJRUPwJ5ZouCloNCw3sgxWsDbHrvftntuII6ehGEKeWI_6yzAl-eXeTd2EH6dvp5272ym0Gv-CRsS-mmL_CwKG657aNpDfsWEb1kVOgzEsFOY3oBylKTGSj6KdQeUUaBH4icuMzKk/s1600/mathl2bwojpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicLKJRUPwJ5ZouCloNCw3sgxWsDbHrvftntuII6ehGEKeWI_6yzAl-eXeTd2EH6dvp5272ym0Gv-CRsS-mmL_CwKG657aNpDfsWEb1kVOgzEsFOY3oBylKTGSj6KdQeUUaBH4icuMzKk/s320/mathl2bwojpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">With the<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">level 2 and under girls</span>,</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> meanwhile:</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>31%</b></span> indicated an increase in engagement with the MK version</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>31%</b></span> indicated an increase in work outcomes.</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Here it is in chart format:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAloz0N-xIferxW0PhEJGAR_8lnQtRswaQFsw-uBPBReDNUVAyQsLkZ9cd2cz1HhPtr9yJH5H8RxB6vvV28s1JTkz8_uQoyO-8k2ESm4C30k9AVmf7xpTV7afHMDCCI2THjuFHU-Yb40/s1600/mathl2gengjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAloz0N-xIferxW0PhEJGAR_8lnQtRswaQFsw-uBPBReDNUVAyQsLkZ9cd2cz1HhPtr9yJH5H8RxB6vvV28s1JTkz8_uQoyO-8k2ESm4C30k9AVmf7xpTV7afHMDCCI2THjuFHU-Yb40/s320/mathl2gengjpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5-f6CRhjII9dv8WnnMg6d2A9W1sWwAI67WB2ySYBjbIpbJO6EbQs-j13OUYabyf2HMbUD_qEuKGg5lztrC9HTC-f-92pvdbfMfNXNY-mRlWYA3_IndoUBxFX-RsPhsCr2z7aSAyOY5c/s1600/mathl2gwojpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5-f6CRhjII9dv8WnnMg6d2A9W1sWwAI67WB2ySYBjbIpbJO6EbQs-j13OUYabyf2HMbUD_qEuKGg5lztrC9HTC-f-92pvdbfMfNXNY-mRlWYA3_IndoUBxFX-RsPhsCr2z7aSAyOY5c/s320/mathl2gwojpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="background-color: yellow;">So, to summarzie, both boys and girls, level 2 and under or not, yeilded increases in engagement and work outcomes using Mario Kart in math and literacy centers, according to student and teacher surveys. Certainly, there were very minimal decreases noted, indicating that the use of the Wii game in a curricular context has great potential as a learning-teaching tool.</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>INDIVIDUAL RESULTS-<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">TEACHER SURVEYS</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As mentioned, the teachers observed their <b>level 2 & under students</b> during 'typical' literacy & math times, and again during the Mario Kart versions, ranking on their surveys their engagement levels and work outcomes.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtDj5KCaWPm2clf1Cl0vXI-_LB7bdlPqR_NUi7ir-CSaYwfm4jE4tMEW5c9awQyVyjTsn4HDjgQzlTTjzsujb9Lb3WV2D6wgKqEIt5X0swpRT-eIoyNHzUUTggjcCCfHGJk-_WTa05VY/s1600/IMG_1458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtDj5KCaWPm2clf1Cl0vXI-_LB7bdlPqR_NUi7ir-CSaYwfm4jE4tMEW5c9awQyVyjTsn4HDjgQzlTTjzsujb9Lb3WV2D6wgKqEIt5X0swpRT-eIoyNHzUUTggjcCCfHGJk-_WTa05VY/s320/IMG_1458.JPG" width="320px" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Level 2 & Under Boys/Girls--Literacy Centers</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Teachers reported that, for the literacy centres:</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>60%</b></span> of their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">level 2 & under boys</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> increased in engagement with the MK version</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>40%</b></span> increased in work outcomes.</span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This compares to:</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>53% </b></span>of their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">level 2 & under girls</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> increasing in engagement with the MK version, and </span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>41%</b></span> of their <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>level 2 & under girls</b></span> increasing in work outcomes as reported by their teachers.</span></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGXiLD9hwYg8jjAkRxL21Xy0QHHCvyq2BANn32olbmBV-7arvMEaiIicF-DL2pp60qLNbAueSdVcs4BvPgti3yNVxt3rFAT1mFlm35JH-2teiD9mv7Zk5jVh8-jOf4p-WGUIsoksf0og/s1600/teacherl2blit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGXiLD9hwYg8jjAkRxL21Xy0QHHCvyq2BANn32olbmBV-7arvMEaiIicF-DL2pp60qLNbAueSdVcs4BvPgti3yNVxt3rFAT1mFlm35JH-2teiD9mv7Zk5jVh8-jOf4p-WGUIsoksf0og/s320/teacherl2blit.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Teachers reported, for the math task:</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>71% </b></span>of their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>level 2 & under boys</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> </span>increased in engagement with the MK version</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>62%</b></span> increased in work outcomes.</span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This compares to:</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>57%</b></span> of l<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>evel 2 & under girls</b></span> increasing in <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">both</span></b> engagement and work outcomes with the MK version, as reported by their teachers.</span></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSib2RGNrj3E-xjgEP_GP9VtZBcntpHW77joIoKua5ycPcOaCA3MXU9RBeDrRCau_xDg_Rk7IrUfBwYTvCoXhbKw9S_2t6dB2k-3tiOhRFpO1RTvMuboukCzU4nXhsrZ2bDYzX0Ap2mM/s1600/teacherl2bmathjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSib2RGNrj3E-xjgEP_GP9VtZBcntpHW77joIoKua5ycPcOaCA3MXU9RBeDrRCau_xDg_Rk7IrUfBwYTvCoXhbKw9S_2t6dB2k-3tiOhRFpO1RTvMuboukCzU4nXhsrZ2bDYzX0Ap2mM/s320/teacherl2bmathjpg.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">Personally, I think these percentages from the teacher observations are phenomenal! </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">It shows the perceived gains individual students working below expected levels made with the inclusion of game based learning</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">. <b>The boys showed the greatest gaines (71% increased in math engagement!) but the girls did as well. It seems, according to the teachers, there were gains for both boys and girls who are working below expected levels.</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>*It is interesting to note the discrepancy between the teachers perceptions of the Level 2 boys & girls and the students perceptions of themselves. The teachers noted more increases in engagement and work outcomes than the students did of themselves (which may say something about student self perceptions? There's another research project in this, I'm sure!)</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>**Also interesting is that the engagement levels and work outcomes do not always match. Do engaged students naturally = strong work outcomes? One would presume so, but I also think with the struggling students, output varies according to type (verbal output is often greater than written output, for example). Many of these activities were writing based. However, the relationship between engagement, outcomes and type of outcomes looks like another area for further study! </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>Teacher Comments</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Teachers had a space on their surveys for comments and these were some of the observations they made about their <b>level 2 & under</b> students (male/female) during Mario Kart literacy centers: </span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>loved getting to spend the morning talking about mario</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>great at the reading centre</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>very enthusiastic</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>really enjoyed reading script at group</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>excited to share ideas</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>enjoyed tasks especially script writing and acting out</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>did well in drama based activities</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>good effort, generally on topic</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>worked diligently, </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">and my personal favourite: </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><b style="background-color: yellow;">often very resistant to literacy tasks, he participated well today.</b></i></span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In math, here are some of the teacher comments about their <b>level 2 & under</b> students (male/female) during Mario Kart math:</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>loved it!</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>interested</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>very enthusiastic to complete 'show me' game</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>didn't want to stop working</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>enjoyed this tremendously, was proud to present with partner</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>he loved this! He was engaged and had fun creating problems</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>loved the Mario kart concept</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>very interested and engaged</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>very excited to play</i></span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">After looking at the individual results, I then looked at the <b>averages</b> for each class.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>AVERAGE RESULTS</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">While not every student indicated increases in both areas <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">individually</i>, the averages <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">per class</i> indicate increases in many areas, and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">when the averages for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all participants</i> are calculated, there are increases in all areas save one </span>(the Level 2 & Under Girls, while reporting an increase in Engagement, did not report an increase in Work Outcomes, rather, it stayed the same). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Here is a quick chart summary of the key points:</span></div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 191;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Teacher Surveys, averages</b></div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Math</b></div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Literacy</b></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">All level 2 & under students</div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes</div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in Both Engagement & Work Outcomes</div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">All level 2 & under BOYS</div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes</div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes</div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">All level 2 & under GIRLS</div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes</div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 191;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Student Surveys (gr. 2-5)</b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">averages</b></div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Math</b></div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Literacy</b></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">All BOYS</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><br />
</div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes</div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes</div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">All GIRLS</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><br />
</div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes</div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes</div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">All level 2 & under BOYS<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">All level 2 & under GIRLS<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in both Engagement & Work Outcomes<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 228.05pt;" valign="top" width="228"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">Increases in Engagement while Work Outcomes <i>stayed the same</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>Well. I think that sums it up quite nicely! </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Looking at the average survey response of the participants, all the students (save for the Level 2 & under girls) indicated an increase both in engagement levels and work outcomes with the Mario Kart version. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b style="background-color: yellow;"><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b style="background-color: yellow;">And according to the average rating of the teachers, all Level 2 & Under students, whether boy OR girl, showed an increase in both engagement and work outcomes with the Mario Kart version.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b style="background-color: yellow;"> Initially, we thought this would impact boys primarily but really, when you look at the averages, there was not that much difference for the boys as for the girls. There was wide spread benefit.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>LITERACY-AVERAGES OF STUDENT SURVEY RESULTS-LEVEL 2 & UNDER BOYS</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiu2-IRrj_u4vnzHAlJyaqB8gI5X5el71y49kkBlp5vvLsk0zWhxkPzjHq0gXK9DVzMA6endtoGtD-0_kkifasD4FOQcg8gW8EyLEBCUW2RwG4QcQopc71d1bsv_BHTBhrD19IYIr-KYs/s1600/wiiblogpic5jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiu2-IRrj_u4vnzHAlJyaqB8gI5X5el71y49kkBlp5vvLsk0zWhxkPzjHq0gXK9DVzMA6endtoGtD-0_kkifasD4FOQcg8gW8EyLEBCUW2RwG4QcQopc71d1bsv_BHTBhrD19IYIr-KYs/s400/wiiblogpic5jpg.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Here are some of these specific data points (of averages) in a graph, particularly as it relates to <b>Level 2 & Under boys</b> (an essential part of my research question):</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>MATH-AVERAGES OF STUDENT SURVEY RESULTS-LEVEL 2 & UNDER BOYS</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGM5CQFGvIjVTgClZEDU_nvb4LmW3bdM49cU8sqMgGokrLDVPP1yAgjsg71GwcSkFLdTn3A7NgiZn1QqMzXrCrg7t74rwytym9vL3bi_HAv2ZTMxbRKZBMGX5cLvUURH82FPTfSh3ePD0/s1600/wiiblogpic6jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGM5CQFGvIjVTgClZEDU_nvb4LmW3bdM49cU8sqMgGokrLDVPP1yAgjsg71GwcSkFLdTn3A7NgiZn1QqMzXrCrg7t74rwytym9vL3bi_HAv2ZTMxbRKZBMGX5cLvUURH82FPTfSh3ePD0/s400/wiiblogpic6jpg.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />LITERACY-AVERAGES OF TEACHER SURVEY RESULTS-LEVEL 2 & UNDER BOYS</b></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74xVXcd8v7jPqejifxOB4jjTuqY1csysS7qZiL9vWXtrIq7dANtKJtX5qBePHmdSh7yxwUYsfBsWRkUD5LZiJHVDChz6IAckC_gU5D6C638xg5XZGiwXEt94MRwxWDNMmk7zmoPyhZlA/s1600/wiiblogpic3jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74xVXcd8v7jPqejifxOB4jjTuqY1csysS7qZiL9vWXtrIq7dANtKJtX5qBePHmdSh7yxwUYsfBsWRkUD5LZiJHVDChz6IAckC_gU5D6C638xg5XZGiwXEt94MRwxWDNMmk7zmoPyhZlA/s400/wiiblogpic3jpg.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>MATH-AVERAGES OF TEACHER SURVEY RESULTS-LEVEL 2 & UNDER BOYS</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51izUYCNw2ekbCkD7361a3cf5QjOc1L2AkqY3eUb8olIzYD9FJpKUxU8l6Zj2cXyTs3Nwyka4TcfzGowM_3IXZChMgbOyRC2S6zcAmjw8LSPDO5tn7GDKOLq6I0UwT1WNWB2Vask9AtU/s1600/wiiblogpic4jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>ACKNOWLEDGMENTS</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I have so many people to thank for this project! My principal, D. Brownlee, and Vice Principal, P. Smith, who supported this project 100%. The teachers who participated and their students. My husband, Patrick Johnson, for encouragement and tech support! The school board and the MISA grant for providing funds to support this project. And all the great game based learning teachers out there, in particular my Twitter PLN, who offered--and continue to offer--inspiration and support. Many, many thanks!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>WHAT'S NEXT?</b> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">More game based learning! In fact, I am now in the process of co-ordinating with my local high-school (and, hopefully, with our entire Area of schools) a larger Mario Kart project inspired, again, by Scotland's Consolarium. As they did, I'd like to organize a Mario Kart Leaderboard, the idea being that individual schools and classes could use Mario Kart in their classrooms/curriculum as they see fit (we would provide ideas to get them started, of course!) and then post their race times on the Leaderboard. Later in the year, we would take the highest contenders and have a Wii tournament/celebration! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>ARE YOU INTERESTED?</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The idea is in its infancy, but if anyone out there is interested please contact me. We'd like to run this locally but with the power of Skype, Wii tournaments can be held between anyone anywhere (A teacher in Tornoto Diana Maliszewski (@MZMollyTL) and I are hoping to hold one via internet/skype this coming June between a group of boys--I'll let you know how it goes). So please contact me at jujohnson@mail1.scdsb.on.ca if you're interested!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Also, if you're wanting to try this out, check out <a href="http://gbl.betterthanworksheets.com/">my resource page</a>. It also helps to find another teacher at your school to brainstorm with. I held a Wii Play Day for staff and with just a group of us we came up with many many ideas.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b>AND ALSO....</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Next year I am slated for the regular classroom to teach literacy for Gr. 7/8. I already have grand plans for weaving gaming into literacy, including Mario Kart but also in other ways...I'm also hoping to incoroparte more pop culture in general (music, videos)--see my <a href="http://poplit.net/">poplit.net</a> to get an idea. If this is your interest also, please get in touch!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As I said to my administrators "I'm just getting started with this!" And having lots of fun learning on the way. Wa-hoooo!</span>Julie Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796427254856173894noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015490542655420172.post-69730060600594028512011-04-25T05:39:00.000-07:002011-04-25T05:52:41.365-07:00WEEK 6: "But We're Not Done Yet!"This past week I brought my Mario Kart research project back into the classroom...this time to a Gr. 4/5 split. My focus continued to be literacy centers and a math activity (in particular, division)--though I must confess, <a href="http://gamesbasedlearningblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/few-gaming-points.html">after chatting with teacher Brian McLaren</a>, I was eager to branch out and try new Mario Kart activities.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKvMbI4vfJRRyoGwTWdbjg1SrcGfc6GccxyRlwK1EIkjWN6nMvY3F3JZUg9sqfcxBwh1wD3TNg6Zi4ZqgO9B-fvHrNO-XZcI3hfyoAJmLkeJXM2kmrHvxNVBhWiik7ZqCTi_32j7J7mc/s1600/IMG_1399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKvMbI4vfJRRyoGwTWdbjg1SrcGfc6GccxyRlwK1EIkjWN6nMvY3F3JZUg9sqfcxBwh1wD3TNg6Zi4ZqgO9B-fvHrNO-XZcI3hfyoAJmLkeJXM2kmrHvxNVBhWiik7ZqCTi_32j7J7mc/s320/IMG_1399.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Alas, the timing and parameters of my project do not allow for larger projects, and when I spoke with the teacher of this class, she was pretty excited with what I had done already and was eager for me to use that material again. I had to remind myself, these students hadn't seen these activities before..to them they were going to seem new & fresh & excited...at least, that's what I hoped!<br />
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And so it was!<br />
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<b>Literacy Centers</b><br />
As I've mentioned before, one of my favourite parts with the literacy centers is seeing the student reactions to the centers (<a href="http://gamesbasedlearningblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/mario-kart-week-5-juniors-get-turn-at.html">for details on the literacy centers themselves, see previous post</a>--in this class the numbers of centers was reduced, we excluded the Peach, Donkey Kong and Mario centers).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKp_2rIaNBSwlK5J1pjM6GuWVJL1OlnEIe9AuM8MRutRUNCjc3t3hCpxD1krPeiPxrG369O2bP_wBUdb0_Y_rpO-vPl8jP0oZD88zPJn64Hat2qVoE-ZXduHR48Fq_oKbeZY3HQlUbSQ/s1600/IMG_1407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKp_2rIaNBSwlK5J1pjM6GuWVJL1OlnEIe9AuM8MRutRUNCjc3t3hCpxD1krPeiPxrG369O2bP_wBUdb0_Y_rpO-vPl8jP0oZD88zPJn64Hat2qVoE-ZXduHR48Fq_oKbeZY3HQlUbSQ/s200/IMG_1407.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">There's usually a 'fun' reaction to their initial unveiling, some excitement around who gets to go to which centre, etc.</span><br />
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While all of the centers were fairly well received, the reading scripts, the interview writing and the descriptive writing were probably the most popular.<br />
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There were two boys in particular in this class who responded with obvious enthusiasm to the writing center (neither are considered 'avid writers') who, upon hearing it would soon be time to change centers, cried "But we're not done yet!" They wanted to keep writing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7hBPRYLM_O1QV7x-D9Ei1wRmXYL6_Vlu1GqP2Fhc52FmZ2bjuiScOv7HrsHZw_AwDbUkzFgTZDXHIVQ6lma_-xrYYBgaTdkhp4Eb3mVq9fE2rbiP5Uf9zCNCPNUh7TWYWe6l5KkECEI/s1600/IMG_1408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7hBPRYLM_O1QV7x-D9Ei1wRmXYL6_Vlu1GqP2Fhc52FmZ2bjuiScOv7HrsHZw_AwDbUkzFgTZDXHIVQ6lma_-xrYYBgaTdkhp4Eb3mVq9fE2rbiP5Uf9zCNCPNUh7TWYWe6l5KkECEI/s200/IMG_1408.JPG" width="200" /></a>These guys also, upon hearing that literacy centers would be continued next period, said: "Awesome!"<br />
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This is not something they usually say about literacy.<br />
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<b>Math</b><br />
The math focus this week in this class happened to be division. Since I'd already done other operations (addition, multiplication) I took what I'd done previously and adapted here.<br />
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Of course, we ranked the race times for each of the four racing groups, as I have done previously. Students really engage in this activity, it has never failed to get their interest.<br />
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Once that was done, we did a few division questions with the Mario & Luigi manipulatives to 'warm up'. I would give a division question, like 15 divided equally into 3 groups, how many in each group? and they would have to show it using the manipulates.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>After that, the class broke into partners, and each partner received a Mario themed word problem. They then had to use chart paper, divide it in two, and on one side a) solve the problem as a long division equation and on the other, b) draw a picture of the solution.<br />
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They then presented these to class when they were finished. (And there was a lot of interest in hearing the different Mario Kart word problems, each one starred a different MK characters, such as Boo, Bowser, Luigi, etc).<br />
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Next Week: next week is my last class, a Gr. 2 class, and then I start analyzing the data!Julie Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796427254856173894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015490542655420172.post-80199294511807670392011-04-17T12:21:00.000-07:002011-04-17T12:48:41.231-07:00A FEW GAMING POINTS...<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> For reasons of scheduling, I didn't run <a href="http://gamesbasedlearningblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/mario-kart-in-classroom-week-1.html">my usual Mario Kart research project</a> this week...though next week I will be back at it, in a Gr. 4/5 classroom with MK literacy centers and MK division!</div><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Even though I didn't run the project, I've a few interesting points related to Mario Kart and game based learning that I thought I might post:</div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://www.playerzblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/free-online-games-mario.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.playerzblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/free-online-games-mario.jpg" width="153" /></a><b>1. "Does <i>yours</i> have Mario?"</b></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b></b>There's a teacher at my school who told me this cute story last week. In our photocopy room, there's a recycle bin, and sometimes this teacher pulls paper from there, and then photocopies what she needs on the back of it, as a way to re-use paper. One day, it turned out that she pulled out from the recycle bin some of my Mario Kart math/colouring sheets to use. In class, a student turned it over-- and exclaimed in pleased surprise. "My page has Mario on the back!" This then led the class to turn over their pages--some did have Mario characters, some didn't. It was all very exciting. </div><br />
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Some eventually coloured them in, too.<br />
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I think this is a funny story because it shows the buzz just even a plain ol' MK themed picture creates. Using games in the classroom does not have to be elaborate...<br />
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<a 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" 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" width="200" /></a><b>2. Or you can be VERY elaborate!</b><br />
This week I had the opportunity to Skype with Brian McLaren in Scotland. He worked on <a href="http://ltsblogs.org.uk/consolarium/2010/04/26/mario-kart-leaderboards/">the Mairo Kart Leaderboard last school year for the Consolarium,</a> and supported schools there in initiating their own Mairo Kart projects. He kindly consented to share how the Leaderboard worked and some of the projects that happened...these were very inspiring!<br />
<br />
I especially liked hearing about the cross curricular projects and the 'real life connections', such as:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>link MK to Forumla One racing, study effective ads, car designs, race courses, cities in which the races take place</li>
<li>then create racing groups, each student owning a particular role: students can design (drawing or 3D), advertise, write about their own racing car, have a budget and plan how to get from one race city to another without risking financial ruin (looking up airfare on the internet, for instance)</li>
<li>hold the race! create race courses to scale, then chalk out in the playground-one school even had students create their own karts, which they then used in a real race!</li>
</ul><b>3. Research Participant</b><br />
<b></b>I also got to participate in a<a href="http://www.hastac.org/blogs/lcaouncedu/call-participants-research-study-using-games-learning"> Phd research project about gaming in education</a>, skyping with Leo Cao from the University of North Carolina. This was a great way for me to articulate the how's and why's of my current project, and also to explain some of my ideas of future projects (as I said to my principal recently: 'you realize I am just getting started with this!'). Participating in this study just doubled my passion for this emerging and engaging subject.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="176" src="data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAkGBg8NDw8PDQ0NDQwNDQ0NDAwNDQ4NDQ0MFBAVFBQQEhIXHCYeFxkjGRISIDEgIycpLCw4Fx4xNTUqNSYrLCkBCQoKDgwOFA8PFSkYFBwpKS0pLikpKSwpKSkqKSkpKSktKSkpKSksKSkpKikpKSkpKSwpLikpKSkpKSksKSkpKf/AABEIANMA7wMBIgACEQEDEQH/xAAbAAACAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgEDBQQGB//EAEgQAAIBAgIECAoHBgQHAAAAAAABAgMRBBIFITFRBiIjQWFxgbETMkJScpGhssHCB2JzgqLR4RQzQ1OS0hVjo7MkZIOTw9Pw/8QAGQEBAQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECBAMF/8QAJhEBAQACAQIFBAMAAAAAAAAAAAECEQMEYRIhMVGxM0FxgRMyYv/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8A+uodCIdAOMhUMgHQ0UKh0AxIIlIASGAAAAAAAAAAAAAWQwsgKmIx2VyYCSK2OytgKyAbIuUDFZLZFwIZBJAEWCxJAR0IdCRHQU6HQkR0QPEdCIeKAZDoVDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIymtiWnZW1c73lEq0nzvs1AdE3YodWN7Zld3sr7bbbFb9vTrZlaaquLpWbTWaSa2p6tZdDYkyuRy6P0gq0deqpHVJb+lHTIBWxWyZCtgDZFyGwuBNwFuTcIkgACuhDoSI6IHiOhEOgHQ6K0OmA4yIiMAAAAAAAAAAAABEnZPqYGTXxKUutpat7CE7pc17HLWp63ebtz836FsZ26kvYWRLWRg+EMp479laupUala94pQinaKta7bVtd+fYW6clx4LdB9/wCh5zg9LNpivL+XgIR7X4H9Td0vK9VdEI97OjmxmOWp7RydLnlnx+LK73a5aFVwalF2km+/YehwmMVWN1qa8aO5nm4bC+hWcHmjt51zNbjysdT0LEYlDEKpHNHtXOnuGZhUNkXIZFyhrkpiXJTAe5IiY1yDpQyFQyCnQ8REOiB0OmVpjIC1MZM48TiMqe20YObtqb26r9jOTC4xzlJPMrX15prY0t+ta9vQ9QXX3bAGe+3+qX5lOITUZOLcZKLcZKTumkEawHHovH+HpqTVppRU1zZnFO66NZ2AAAAAVV5WjLqZYznxcrQfZ3gYVR1G2nZRd7tWv7bk1p5YTe6nN+qLIqVrJtqVtW7ndt/SV492o1fQkvXq+J6YTeUeXLdYZXs8rwPd9IaRl5kaNJf1SX/jRuaSleo+iMe4weALzVdI1POxFNX/AO5L5kbWOfKT6LL8KPbn+pXP0U1wYKojxFQyPF1LqFd05XWzyo8zX5mvTqqSTWxmIi/D4hwf1XtXxJYrUZFyFNNXWtMhsipuTcW5NwGTGTK7jJgdsRkKhkRToZCoZEDIZCjICir4zX1Id8iqnSULtbOdKMY9yLKj479GHfI4quNtU8G1U1tLVSm469nGtaxRZSx0ZznBJ3hGE78zUr2t6h8Q+JL0ZdxwYnF06U5KEKkqrpwzOlRqVOLxsl3HUvKLaMpvDRdS6qOgvCZtUs2TXfpCOng0uTk/rQX+nE2DJ4OLkn6a9yJrCkBAARUM5dIS4nb8GdJxaTlqS6/h+YGPiFeNt8qa/HEo0vO1Cb6aa/1Il9XyV9dey7+BncJ6uXCzfW/VCUvlPfhm88fy5eruuHO9qw/o0V8PiZ+fjJeylT/Nmrip3qVfTffY4Po1p2wN/PxVd+pxh8p0V58eT3zl7xeS75MvyvTzXFhO0XoZFcJXQ6PN7HGQoyAuw9Zwf1XtW57zvvcy0dGHrW1Pxe4lWOu4XIuBFNclMW5NwjRGQo6MtGQyFQyAZDIVDIDlqvjy6ofErqXaai8srcWTWZJ77c4uLfKPqj3FM8dGEoRkpNzuo5bbVbbu2lCYLBThOpOpUjOU404rLTyKMYZrc7v4xfi3yc/Ql3EwqpqMk9UpONtzSb+ViY18lU9CXcB0cHP3L9P5ImpcyeDb5KXRU+WJripEEMkhkVBnaVlrXo/H9DRMvSb43Uo/FgZlTx6f35eqNvmMbhtUthJdKqf7bj8xty8ZdEZ98TzX0g1LYb7s/fpr8zq6b6mLh6+64Mv18rvo/hl0dh35zrz9deZVJ3b6zt4JwyaOwi/5SE+2UXL4nCedu8q6cJrHGdllKdn0HSmcRdRqczI06kxkImMiB0Ddup+whMZAdWGlddWwuKcLsfWWmWjAQSEaiGQqHRlpIyIJAZDIVDIDNxb5SX3fdRzzinZ6s0XeLavZl2MfKT64+6ik0gcpNpykuLfJGCcYpvU5O7bbtqDF1r0qifmS7iCrFvk5+hLuA7+DL4lT013W+BsmJwY8Wr6a+JtkpAQySCKgx9JS477F+FGwYWkKnHlqk9b2W6ud9BYOby+qC9rf9p4/6TKuXD/cXtk38h6+Cd5Nq18qV7Xsr69XWeH+lCV6ajvdKPsqf3I6um/vv2lfP6/z45Pez5es0fT8Hg6UfMwdKPaqKRkG7illozXmwUfakYJ4R2pJIAqOijV5mdCZwXOqjVuFXpjplaGRB24Ran1lrK8H4r6y5oy0QkLABrIZCIdGVMSQSAyGQqGQGRjp2nNpZrNarN34q5lrM/PUlTbyyTdR5Yu8ZOnzX51r7bdJoYp8pP0vgiicU1Zq6vss2aiVz4PwkYPOnmveMXe9rK/jO9r3td+yxXOpOVOq5xcVbi3TV3bjWT1pX39J1U4pLixyrbazWu3SV4393P0SpJqaaPBnxav2n5m2YvBnxKn2n5mzczWoGQAEAYOLleb7e83Wzz1Z8ZlgU8Jw+Wevhafn4ulD/ZXzs90meI4TLPpLR0N+Mz9kakf/AFHV0/l4r2rg6zz/AI5/qPW6Tlyc+lrvMM2NKy5LrlHuZjXPCOypAgCokaMrCEgdtGrcuRmxlY7qNS4Vp4Lxe0vaKcB4nay9mGikDWIsBpoZMS4yMqsJFTJTAZDIRMZAZGJfHn6bOPGeLHZ48dqg9l35Ulu/Q6q748/Tl3sqlG//AMviaRz6P8V6ktcdipx/hQXkykvb7LNvjnycur4lkY22fApxz5OXZ3oDV4Nfu6n2r7jYMfg0+Sn9q+5GtclIa5FyLkNkUtWVoy6n3Hma9W9S15605WS4tk+dno8S+JLqsealgqTeuEXffd95YlXU5XSe9J+tHjMcvCaZwK8yFeq+jXiHf3T0/wDicFqSldc1kvO6ebL7UWUqNNy8MqcFUcXDwmVZ3DM3lzbr3dj2wz8Mvdz8vFc8sb7Vz6XfEivrPuMm5paZl4i9J9xlp95mPY4C3C4QwC3JuBKLaU7MqQyCvR6M1011s6Gjn0T+6XXLvOtow0rsRYssRYDsuMmVpkpkVamMVpjJkDkpiJkgZFV8aXpy95lcqmXyc25XtdjTet+lLvYk6aknFpSTWtO1mu00ijCYnO6q2qnUyKW9ZU7davYnHPk31x95DYeMIxtTioxTaypWtLnVhMc+J96HvIqNXg2+Sl9rLuRrXMfg4+Rf2ku5GrczfVYe5FxbkXIrh0lpSlTvTcuUsnkSd7dezcef/wAUv/Areuj/AHi6ZqXxVXoyr2foc8ZG5GdrVUjdv9mnd5rvNS8ppvy96RdDENJKNGSS2LPT/uKVIsjIo58fh61ZpxhGKin41SOvn5jzS0xHp9R7CdW0JvdTqP1RbPnDLEbP+Mw3+xjLTFPzu8wrBYqN9aWp+cvWMtJw85etHnso0aYHo46QhvXrLY42O885GmXwpAfRtC1FKjGzT1y1X17TuPHcDoWry+yl3o9kYvq1CsiwxBFWpjKRQpDKRBcmPmKVIlSAuTGUilSGTIrLb29b7ynEQcotK19zbSfQ2uoskrq12r88XZ7TnquPhFJ1XHLGcXTzRUG2lLNJWvdJb9jZtn7owdGUM7m051J52o3yx1JJLsQY58RenD3kJGlmjViq1Ruo5tTvHNRzKyUNVrKzavftIxatCKu3adNXe161rfSBr8HXyP333I1LmTwdfI/ffuxNS5m+rUNcLi3IzWIPFY6rmr1n/mNe39RIyOd1Lym982x4yPVh0xkWxmcqmWKQFmMqWoVn/kVfcaPC5T2Okp2w9b7O3raXxPIiBMhKgMSioVQLI0yUPEBoQLoQEiy2EgN7gnG1aX2b70erbPJ8GJcrL7P4o9LnMX1ai1yIzFWcMxFWpjJlWYZTILkxkUqYymBcmMmUeEK6mI3AcdWooPLNqLW/Vdb0cWIo0qksznrtFapK2p6/WtXUXV0pPjJS69ZQ8PD+XD+iJpFlFQhmaqXzb2tWtv5inHYmLyxTTbnF6texh+zU/wCXD+iI0cJDzIrqiijb0PRdKjGMvGbcmt2zV7DtzmZhp5UlzHUqphXTnKcVVtTm90Jv8LF8ILKYV4aEu995YpHoMRoujL+HC/RFI4amh6a8le03tjTPUx/CFs9GQXM+yU18St4GO+a/6k/zKObStX/h6nTkX40eYcz1WI0fGUXFym4u14uWp2OaOiqS2QXbr7yjzynfZr6tZbCjN7IS7VbvPRLDRWxJdQyooIwoYGo+ZLrf5F8NGS55epGx4IlQAz6ejI87k+2x008FBeT67s6VAZRAfBpQfF1dWo71iOn2nBHUOpEV3ftD3h+0vecSkMmQbOcFM5s5OcyrqUyfCHLnJ8IFXuoVTmVuoJKZUEmIDkLcoYaJWmMpCjqpzLlM4ozLFUIOvODmcvhQ8MRV0pFFSREqpVKoVCzOeY85lMpFQkypoaUhGyiAuQyAhrgKFwGRItyUwHTJTEQyCrEybiJk3INFASAUBcACFbFbIACCAAAJQABKY6YABNyGyQASTKpMAAqkyqZIFFbFYAEKyAAAAAAklAAEoZEAAyGAAr//2Q==" width="200" /></span><b>4. Behaviour Wii</b><br />
A fellow SERT and I were talking one day a few months ago about how to support several junior boys who had issues with work completion and anger/disrespectful behaviour. We wanted to run a social skills group, but since it was going to be held at recess--and would thus be voluntary--we knew it had to have a 'hook'. We didn't think the boys would willing give up playing soccer outside for a mere round of 'role play and strategizing about emotions and respectful behaviour'.<br />
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So we incorporated the Wii. We developed a role play game that happens withint the context of the Wii game play. So when the boys play Mario Kart, they also have role play cards (for example, one plays 'angry', the other plays 'uncaring'). The other students are observers, with distinct questions to answer (also on cards), such as: how did their behaviour impact the game results? how did watching their behaviour make you feel? (often, these students are unaware of how their behaviour impacts others), etc. After the game is over, we all come together to discuss what happened, and to examine strategies for handling those emotions in the moment. Then we try them out.<br />
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There is also Wii reward time given in their regular class to support positive behaviour. And at the end of the year, we're going to have a Wii tournament via Skype with another group of boys at a school in Toronto (with thanks to the fabulous Diana @MzMollyTL). We in fact started off the group with a co-operate activity/discussion between the boys of both schools via Skype--which really fostered a great sense of connection.<br />
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We only just started implementing this, but its clear to us that without the Wii game play, the boys would not volunteer to give up their time! The program would not happen with out it.Julie Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796427254856173894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015490542655420172.post-19237360226889649642011-04-08T13:44:00.000-07:002011-04-08T13:56:46.537-07:00Mario Kart: WEEK 5! The Juniors Get a Turn At The Wheel...<style type="text/css">
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<div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I took Mario Kart into my first junior classroom (Gr. 4). It allowed for a bit more expansion in the activities, particularly in the area of writing and multiplication. Here are centers we used:</span></div><div class="p1"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31O5dxg7zDa-z_h0jct8BmH7cgNiNM8e7zIlsnr_m0p9rfr6Xt2YJD5o8-XhF1dH1-ZEoRw9WvS_xWjzrY1s9J0IaYbQ8NotKkY-Gqu2tndndSOwwAszlSxyRPaRExMFpcSrsjh2BWHE/s1600/IMG_1381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31O5dxg7zDa-z_h0jct8BmH7cgNiNM8e7zIlsnr_m0p9rfr6Xt2YJD5o8-XhF1dH1-ZEoRw9WvS_xWjzrY1s9J0IaYbQ8NotKkY-Gqu2tndndSOwwAszlSxyRPaRExMFpcSrsjh2BWHE/s200/IMG_1381.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><ul><li>PEACH PARAGRAPH: Use the answer sandwich paragraph writing technique to answer Mario Kart inspired questions.</li>
<li>MARIO SPELLING: students had the option to make their own top 10 MK word lists (in addition to the ten I provided) and use in the various activities (such as hangman, create-a-word-search)</li>
<li>YOSHI READING: read the Mario Kart scripts (that I made) expressively then write your own</li>
<li>DONKEY KONG LISTENING: listen to the media on <a href="http://poplit.net/">poplit.net</a> and answer the questions</li>
<li>LUIGI WRITING: in addition to using the ‘description wheel’ graphic organizer to describe a character, setting, or kart (or an invention of one of their own), expand those descriptions into metaphors and similes</li>
<li>BOWSER WORD WORK: use Mario Kart related homonyms, such as road and rode, in various activities (hangman, sentence creation, word search)</li>
</ul> And we added two new centers:<br />
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHyiRuaSdaC6Jdqbfr7akU_BmIkesf5QTL7ZKH2jxVlCcA21Wlt7U5uxGPSyJi5TB9osRcjNf7rodVx73ZVj8k1zLjvLIEMqe0gWCledbv11XDgjj2OGvhHay-e01uFf66jjnQfo6Tmk/s1600/IMG_1375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHyiRuaSdaC6Jdqbfr7akU_BmIkesf5QTL7ZKH2jxVlCcA21Wlt7U5uxGPSyJi5TB9osRcjNf7rodVx73ZVj8k1zLjvLIEMqe0gWCledbv11XDgjj2OGvhHay-e01uFf66jjnQfo6Tmk/s200/IMG_1375.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DAISY’s NON FICTION TEXT FEATURES: do a scavenger hunt for non-fiction text features (lists, headings, diagrams, table of contents, etc) using the MK manuals (of which I had 2 copies)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">TOAD’s INTERVIEW STATION: develop interview questions for a partner who will be a MK character, write down the answers in a script format</span></li>
</ul></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Some of the student responses were so fantastic, I have to include them here:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Luigi Writing: Descriptions, Metaphors, Simlies</b></span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Spiky Flying Goomba: His fangs are swords. His eyes are big, blue oceans. </span></i></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Light Bowser: His teeth are like mountains. His sword is as light as the sun.</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Din: His eyes are as black as space. Skin is as red as a pool of blood. </i></span><br />
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</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Mario Spelling: Create A Mario Kart Top Ten Word List</b></span></div><div class="p1"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJ8kFeEr0KDhEjlOZV_2XsfNCceycIthdHnvUZoKf-lmT3R_iUk2lTvXpf2zfVERA1uTl7g4FGRGDT-C6Nt6S_f0GbsFh4QlGgYyAxP-aJRgdWplIo4gcyMfSlt1JmvMAmfw8wOffsqE/s1600/IMG_1377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJ8kFeEr0KDhEjlOZV_2XsfNCceycIthdHnvUZoKf-lmT3R_iUk2lTvXpf2zfVERA1uTl7g4FGRGDT-C6Nt6S_f0GbsFh4QlGgYyAxP-aJRgdWplIo4gcyMfSlt1JmvMAmfw8wOffsqE/s200/IMG_1377.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Skid, race, character, speech, chant, champion, game, yoshi, catch up, cartoon</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; color: black; display: inline !important; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; color: black; display: inline !important; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b>Toad Interview: create questions for a Mario Kart character, act out the answer</b></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Sample #1</b></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Toad: What’s your favourite car?</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Baby Peach: Stroller.</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Toad: What do you say when you win?</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Baby Peach: Whoooo.</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Toad: Did you’re mom teach you how to race?</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Baby Peach. Yes.</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Toad: Who is your best friend?</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Baby Peach: My mom.</i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXuQT5vSn-x9Pa1pxQK3ZvigGqSciQpFGfSiYFhB4enmhkunzHqU-6lI4v3MuDAAsyWG6H4GLCsgaXRWEvHj3b-2Le1phhlc2JRBY4UpIStvp4e_EDr0eoeQDoS8IqHGiBbHMlNci7Bs/s1600/IMG_1385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXuQT5vSn-x9Pa1pxQK3ZvigGqSciQpFGfSiYFhB4enmhkunzHqU-6lI4v3MuDAAsyWG6H4GLCsgaXRWEvHj3b-2Le1phhlc2JRBY4UpIStvp4e_EDr0eoeQDoS8IqHGiBbHMlNci7Bs/s200/IMG_1385.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Sample #2</b></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Question: What is your favourite thing to do?</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Yoshi: My favourite thing to do is race people in Mario Kart races.</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Question: What is your favourite place to race?</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Yoshi: My favourite place to race is Yoshi Falls.</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Question: What is your favourite kart?</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Yoshi: The egg mobile.</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Question: What do you like eating?</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Yoshi: I like eating apples. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Yoshi Reading: Read, write and act out scripts with the Mario characters</b></span></div><div class="p2"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Princess Peach: Are you racing with Bowser?</span></i></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Mario: Yes I am</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Bowser: Are you ready to lose?</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Princess Peach: Are you crazy? When I raced him he nearly broke my car!</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Mario: So I am going to race him.</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Stage guy: Three, two, one, race!</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Princess Peach: Good luck!</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Bowser: ha ha ha</i></span><br />
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</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Peach Paragraph: Respond to a Mario Kart themed question using the answer sandwich format. </b></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>The best features of Mario Kart are how you can pick your person, your kart and what track you go on. You can also win power blocks.</i></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>You can pick any people. You have lots of people to choose from. Same with the karts, you could pick any cart that goes with the person. You can also pick what track you want to race on. You can pick a hard level or an easy level track to race on. The Power Blocks give you different powers to help you win. They give you banana’s to make the other people slip and stuff like that. And that’s the best features!</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I thought these show how Mario Kart can inspire writers. These were crafted within 20 minutes approximately while at the literacy stations, sometimes after doing other activities.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Mario Math: Multiplication</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6nBrw6qhop72OIRPeTv-zM1DyRHLNJmkavKPacDcb-512dOJ1gcUhvD4q3MSWpIogzTiEMXigzNMrDIasC3DRZk7Lopf5AJ-EFGwijHUNF9SV-duzKR4eypn8MjWrsmLBS6BxE4JfAc/s1600/IMG_1388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6nBrw6qhop72OIRPeTv-zM1DyRHLNJmkavKPacDcb-512dOJ1gcUhvD4q3MSWpIogzTiEMXigzNMrDIasC3DRZk7Lopf5AJ-EFGwijHUNF9SV-duzKR4eypn8MjWrsmLBS6BxE4JfAc/s200/IMG_1388.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The classroom teacher and I thought it would be great to expand on the multiplication task I did with the Gr. 3's, when I had students draw the explanation/solution for a Mario Kart word problem, such as "There are 3 baby bowsers with 5 spikes each. How many spikes are there all together?"</span><br />
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<div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">For the Gr. 4's we thought they could come up with their own word problems. Then they could draw a corresponding picture for it, plus show the number sentence--plus show it as an array (another math expectation for G. 4). We thought they could then post the results in the class...on a giant hanging times table we </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">made out of those handy all-purpose teacher supplies: construction paper, old yarn and masking tape. </span><br />
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</span></div><div class="p2"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeqBEk61rLgcyZ_8ueXcksteaA4enxtZEN6g4SqjEMLPVYNzfJ7d3wsiJ4BMks5aDFCx6afkUPhJCzD-lkbzqRVIGINRQlaAkQDfqO09GvF9aSlo_ekVHTaIKaob2tdf9DJfi-RxfoOA/s1600/IMG_1392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeqBEk61rLgcyZ_8ueXcksteaA4enxtZEN6g4SqjEMLPVYNzfJ7d3wsiJ4BMks5aDFCx6afkUPhJCzD-lkbzqRVIGINRQlaAkQDfqO09GvF9aSlo_ekVHTaIKaob2tdf9DJfi-RxfoOA/s200/IMG_1392.JPG" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">So, after we did our usual sorting of the game data and applauding the 'winners' (which students always, always seem to love doing), we divided them into groups (the students who had more difficulty were given lower numbers to work with, such as the 4 times table), told them to choose a multiplication fact in their group (such as 4x5) and then fill out the corresponding graphic organizer. Then they could tape their page to the giant hanging display. They were to try to fill out the entire time table.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="p2"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIY79M9Ra2oZKB1dqdE0wK101gUYWIa_BE68Ev73bWXJ5m3BVc2EBhh2Lnd74A9W1I2djsu5OF7Ble5IsyY641jycFbMEp4IEeu-tsbhm9g9W4HnQX62JGHgNA9jLcbEaKDfqhFi9FfQ/s1600/IMG_1393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIY79M9Ra2oZKB1dqdE0wK101gUYWIa_BE68Ev73bWXJ5m3BVc2EBhh2Lnd74A9W1I2djsu5OF7Ble5IsyY641jycFbMEp4IEeu-tsbhm9g9W4HnQX62JGHgNA9jLcbEaKDfqhFi9FfQ/s200/IMG_1393.JPG" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">When they were done, they could do one of the multiplication colouring pages I had used in previous classes (again, a big hit...students were very excited over which characters were available, etc.). (I have never thought to see such excitement over math work sheets!)</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Reflections</b></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b>Collaboration Rocks</b>! One of the joys of implementing this project is that I get to meet teachers and 'hash out' ideas. I brought what I'd done in the other classes to the Gr. 4 teacher and we took some time to explore how those tasks might work with her students. We would get an idea, then one of us would add to it, then it would shift and transform again with another thought...all very jazzy and it made the planning process exciting because we were both feeding off each other ideas & getting enthused by it. I think its especially helpful when implementing a games based learning project to just have a brain storming session, throw ideas out on the table and see what comes of it. It can help solidify the project, get it off the ground running!</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Due to timing, my project will take a one week break--but then I'll be back in a Gr. 2 then a Gr. 4/5 class! See you then!</span></div><div class="p2"><br />
</div>Julie Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796427254856173894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015490542655420172.post-76945913087736665712011-04-03T12:20:00.000-07:002011-04-03T12:33:49.564-07:00Mario Kart: WEEK 4! "It's Working!"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8t-EynP9mA45qr1M_SKlGs1eklIIMSXZXNrazRcNsm9spEfk2-0oGC1QBzpgFHBGprOEXO-jqENXOagKv8vIK2nQrrGXPW6XLcPmL-2iISfigGT6YOgI3dU3YVNT64fAw8lDZkbYyOU/s1600/IMG_1319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8t-EynP9mA45qr1M_SKlGs1eklIIMSXZXNrazRcNsm9spEfk2-0oGC1QBzpgFHBGprOEXO-jqENXOagKv8vIK2nQrrGXPW6XLcPmL-2iISfigGT6YOgI3dU3YVNT64fAw8lDZkbYyOU/s200/IMG_1319.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>This was another great week bringing Mario Kart into the classroom, this time a grade 2/3 split. In this split, students were fairly evenly matched, though there was the need to differentiate in the math portion for an IEP student working below grade level.<br />
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<b>Literacy Centers</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwk5zjr8s1QYEAv6fLALCfZHseIt-GmJD9rMnAe-S0UVUsmyzvG77qX9Epxn2vd0uZ0VcvQpi_Ao_AsYSkrUCpmdo9MGTWsNuCJEsOSawog1gFGs1txNTDUghUo1R2vK095kTBkCvw7iM/s1600/IMG_1320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwk5zjr8s1QYEAv6fLALCfZHseIt-GmJD9rMnAe-S0UVUsmyzvG77qX9Epxn2vd0uZ0VcvQpi_Ao_AsYSkrUCpmdo9MGTWsNuCJEsOSawog1gFGs1txNTDUghUo1R2vK095kTBkCvw7iM/s200/IMG_1320.JPG" width="200" /></a>The Literacy Centers were primarily the same as last week in the Grade 3 class. Again, the big hits were Luigi Writing Centre, Donkey Kong Listening Station (poplit.net) and the script reading at the Yoshi Reading Centre.<br />
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One of the best parts about this project is witnessing the excitement as I 'unveil' each of the Mario Kart literacy centers and explain what you do at each center. And then the expressions of excitement when students realize which center they will be going to next, especially when its a center they are very interested in. "Yes!" "Awesome!" (This is exactly what I want students to be saying about literacy!)<br />
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</b><br />
<b>Math</b><br />
Math was similar <a href="http://gamesbasedlearningblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/mario-kart-adventure-continues.html">to two weeks ago</a>, with the focus being on double addition for both the Gr. 2's and 3's. Again, I created Mario word problems while students used place value mats to demonstrate their answers. They also used the 'stoplights', holding up green, yellow and red if the answer was odd, even or greater than 50. (To differentiate, I handed those 2 students separate Mario Math questions at their level and also different criteria for the red stoplight (ie: numbers greater than 15, rather than greater than 50). They also got the same colouring sheets, just with different questions).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBvRGLY1Xtg8mFpOLrX221APnSRCsyE53z6BDMneQok82VQz3glKZP99gR4ATZl0b1aYysh_ZYlo5NPe4uAs-pVAk0fsVVMR1Id9LogHiL6cxWV8b3aiezvEzh7KqKNcKRUiw2_L8zw4/s1600/IMG_1350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBvRGLY1Xtg8mFpOLrX221APnSRCsyE53z6BDMneQok82VQz3glKZP99gR4ATZl0b1aYysh_ZYlo5NPe4uAs-pVAk0fsVVMR1Id9LogHiL6cxWV8b3aiezvEzh7KqKNcKRUiw2_L8zw4/s320/IMG_1350.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Again, what as I've been finding in the other classes, this theme brings a lot of excitement to math. Everyone is keen to sort the game times (data) and determine the winner for the various races (Yoshi, Mario, Donkey Kong, and Luigi). Everyone is keen to answer the questions and do the colour sheets. I'm often asked 'can we keep these?' 'can I take these home?'.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii31XQsqO8TdRL3VdrGyRRoKqiho_Skoo-7v19eYPB5Ol5cA8vSMjbHiGWAR2H6RpbYX1SU0HrUIbdzWcFZI48-DrmW1QMKqtkBeFXj3XtMK5s_Rdd1B7Taa5IAHkIY1kr6gLr0nilIgo/s1600/IMG_1355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii31XQsqO8TdRL3VdrGyRRoKqiho_Skoo-7v19eYPB5Ol5cA8vSMjbHiGWAR2H6RpbYX1SU0HrUIbdzWcFZI48-DrmW1QMKqtkBeFXj3XtMK5s_Rdd1B7Taa5IAHkIY1kr6gLr0nilIgo/s320/IMG_1355.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>Reflections</b><br />
<b>It's working!</b> Having done this now in 4 different classroom, I can tell you anecdotally that this is working. Yes, it needs a bit of tweaking here and there sometimes, and also could be expanded (as I've mentioned previously) into larger, more elaborate lessons. But the general response from the students is overwhelmingly positive.<br />
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I've also taken a preliminary look at my data from my first class, and already I can say that the student response to the literacy centers is greater for the Mario Kart version. I take this as their way of communicating: <i>we like this. More, please!</i><br />
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I also enjoy hearing the spontaneous comments of appreciation. In this class, one boy says, quite seriously, out of nowhere: 'thank you, Mrs. Johnson, for bringing the Mario stuff to our class'.<br />
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(I've also had other students from other classes stop me in the halls to thank me. Mostly boys. Some more than once!)<br />
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Next week's Gr. 4 class brought their consent forms back in record time. I even had a boy stop me (2x) in the halls to let me know he'd brought his form in and was ready to go!<br />
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This will be my first junior class next week and it should be a lot of FUN! Check back in one week as I write up the details!Julie Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796427254856173894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015490542655420172.post-44624241998458752552011-03-26T06:55:00.000-07:002011-04-03T11:27:12.227-07:00Mario Kart: Literacy Centers and Math WEEK 3This week I took the Mario Kart game into yet another Grade 3 classroom!<br />
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<b>Literacy Stations:</b><br />
This class has similar literacy centers to the other Gr. 3 class so I kept them the same (except for Peach's EQAO Surprise. This class had 5 stations instead of 6, so we left that one out).<br />
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Again, the centers that generated the most enthusiasm were:<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><ul><li>Yoshi's Reading Station (reading then writing Mario based scripts), </li>
<li>Donkey Kong's Listening Station on the computer (a <a href="http://www.poplit.net/mario-kart-page">poplit.net</a> task that involves listening to Mario-based music and watching a Mario you tube video, then writing responses via google docs), </li>
<li>Luigi's Writing Station (using a 'describing wheel' organizer to describe a character, kart, or setting, or create a new character, Kart or setting)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WJfLtEA3cfZKpk__7ittJhPDylMa0cb3qO7ROpIuW5xoERlCB5KFJPd7wF4uz_fhi8v4M6iRkEjcdbhtjw19hsWu0HKAujGsjXymk-vDBrMmqQHJ14lDRtLDI8p2v-gPNwG5N5j423c/s1600/IMG_1258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WJfLtEA3cfZKpk__7ittJhPDylMa0cb3qO7ROpIuW5xoERlCB5KFJPd7wF4uz_fhi8v4M6iRkEjcdbhtjw19hsWu0HKAujGsjXymk-vDBrMmqQHJ14lDRtLDI8p2v-gPNwG5N5j423c/s320/IMG_1258.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KpTX4AjG62D3vK-uMXoMMhLS5JyEJ7UNxiWxSdeeJQrx7Xg4EYEjU-DmrBJNbg7gmAvJLk1Kl4rNj6bMp-a9k79Xdqadr2WmBNiMtEcW0XYPl-5kKFHvx1tpj0xF9O0tD6bJUa6C3j0/s1600/IMG_1246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KpTX4AjG62D3vK-uMXoMMhLS5JyEJ7UNxiWxSdeeJQrx7Xg4EYEjU-DmrBJNbg7gmAvJLk1Kl4rNj6bMp-a9k79Xdqadr2WmBNiMtEcW0XYPl-5kKFHvx1tpj0xF9O0tD6bJUa6C3j0/s320/IMG_1246.JPG" width="320" /></a></li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>And, as usual, the word work centers (Mario spelling and Bowser word wall work) generated the least amount of enthusiasm! I have noticed this in all the classes I've been in. It's not that the students don't do the work at these stations, but more that they seem less enamoured with it and happier when they get to do the other stations. This may be because, even though it had a Mario spin to it, it is still the same tasks repeated. Or perhaps its because word work (grammar and spelling) is inherently boring no matter what the spin on it? (I'm not sure, and I'm going to be pondering this over the next while.)<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFT3_qBK1nsqWA5W5qreKtUimSMZv3O9yCwr1aPL4rRlaKDYU1I_LBHo7i8o6KU5ikL_FzM2YmgfiynFWWNHEkkMyVDc6WrMBvxZDGv4aD-FLrtF08ZNYwkVxvSfYHjehmT3PBC3AV3MI/s1600/IMG_1248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFT3_qBK1nsqWA5W5qreKtUimSMZv3O9yCwr1aPL4rRlaKDYU1I_LBHo7i8o6KU5ikL_FzM2YmgfiynFWWNHEkkMyVDc6WrMBvxZDGv4aD-FLrtF08ZNYwkVxvSfYHjehmT3PBC3AV3MI/s320/IMG_1248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In this class, there was a LOT of obvious excitement for the writing center, with student creating their own Mario Kart characters, such as Lightening Bolt, Big Teeth, Devil Player, and Grandma Bowser.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlTwUyN1DAc2SkySuOYvuS_WUi_-sOUE6xdmDM3dld7CACUKTnywgSq8iSt6AqKHbr86pSMnuILEKljwxbwOFH0Aqxu4bI42uGG7Pcvl5hyaH545rKpjnDxn3Lt8SLzZehH-wWunOG5k/s1600/IMG_1263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlTwUyN1DAc2SkySuOYvuS_WUi_-sOUE6xdmDM3dld7CACUKTnywgSq8iSt6AqKHbr86pSMnuILEKljwxbwOFH0Aqxu4bI42uGG7Pcvl5hyaH545rKpjnDxn3Lt8SLzZehH-wWunOG5k/s200/IMG_1263.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZxe27p2SxscBNRAnvEiLjPClMFTnw9PHgerZBELfWAFR0fd6YNCdEBE5yoZBN4lI-TaFPKo5_2QDHjZp_b7RGHdBsTKGT3frIW7TrDi0pLAWXmj5ck-8iIXK63-R7l8fufPXTQ4FsXk/s1600/IMG_1265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZxe27p2SxscBNRAnvEiLjPClMFTnw9PHgerZBELfWAFR0fd6YNCdEBE5yoZBN4lI-TaFPKo5_2QDHjZp_b7RGHdBsTKGT3frIW7TrDi0pLAWXmj5ck-8iIXK63-R7l8fufPXTQ4FsXk/s200/IMG_1265.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<b>MATH</b><br />
I have noticed that the Mario math I've done generates a lot of excitement and engagement and this class was no exception.<br />
<br />
After we sorted the racing times and crowned 'the winners' of the four races (see <a href="http://gamesbasedlearningblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/mario-kart-in-classroom-week-1.html">previous post</a>), we started our Mario Kart math task.<br />
<br />
This time it related to Multiplication. Students in Gr. 3 in Ontario need to know their multiplication facts to 7x7. Also, for the EQAO assessment in May, they need to be able to show their solutions through pictures, numbers and words.<br />
<br />
I broke this lesson up into 3 parts.<br />
1. I stated Mario based word problems that they had to draw a picture to solve, then translate into an equation. They also had to be prepared to explain their solution orally, for I was selecting random names for responses. If if their answers were even, odd or over 20, they had to hold up the corresponding red, green or yellow 'Mario Kart stoplight' card. (This picture shows 3 Karts with 4 wheels each, so how many wheels altogether?)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNsDkCdudAdACiiv3F0yGvX_f4Wjpz2exVoWZuY8Op2EsSIfn-bbAAjhFCBe7f1Bn0dQ2qJlCeTorykg0U-yZdxltC9X8ad9V4fF3u-7UNFRDo_bqQ2-mIKHkT5ez71m0nmci6p1-r2c/s1600/IMG_1274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNsDkCdudAdACiiv3F0yGvX_f4Wjpz2exVoWZuY8Op2EsSIfn-bbAAjhFCBe7f1Bn0dQ2qJlCeTorykg0U-yZdxltC9X8ad9V4fF3u-7UNFRDo_bqQ2-mIKHkT5ez71m0nmci6p1-r2c/s200/IMG_1274.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<br />
2. I stated multiplication facts that they had to 'show me' using Mario & Luigi manipulatives. And again, if their answers were even, odd or over 20, they had to hold up the red, green or yellow 'Mario Kart stoplight' card. (This picture shows 4 x4).<br />
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3. A Mario Kart colouring page with multiplication facts on it and a 'colouring key' (with odd, even, or over 20 answers requiring a specific colour).<br />
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<b>Reflections:</b><br />
<b>Reluctant Writer Writing!</b> In this class, there was one very reluctant writer who usually requires a fair bit of prompting to get anything down on paper, who, when facing the writing task at the writing center, sat down and started writing WITH NO PROMPTS and EVEN ENTHUSIASM, filling the description wheel almost fully with accurate descriptions. Frankly, I was blown away by this. That pretty much made this whole project worthwhile in my book!<br />
<br />
<b>Kids like the game play!</b> When I did my informal interviews afterward, the students made it very clear that their favourite part was the game play. So while I think you can include the game in other ways (see <a href="http://gamesbasedlearningblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/mario-kart-adventure-continues.html">previous post</a> and comment below) using it as a video clip or what have you, I think it really helps connect the students to the game if you let them have a round of play. It takes 2-3mins approx. for a round of racing. I had everyone race individually, so I could get the time at the end for a math tasks but you could easily race 4 players at a time, which would give everyone a chance to experience the game in a fairly quick amount of time. If you don't use the data for math, there's so much more you could do with the gaming experience: have students write reviews, or describe the experience or whatever. At the very least, it familiarizes everyone for any writing task related to the game.<br />
<br />
<b>More ideas!</b> The classroom teacher and I were brainstorming other ways you could expand on these literacy activities, which, as I mentioned in my previous post, could be developed into 'meatier' whole class tasks. We talked about using it to build characters (especially given how enthusiastic the students were about creating their own Mario Kart characters). You could even just take the character selection screen and use that to start a description activity, with everyone choosing and describing inner and outer qualities.<br />
<br />
Next week I will be in a Gr. 2/3 class, then after that the grade 4's get a turn!Julie Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796427254856173894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015490542655420172.post-65893487079051911212011-03-13T09:16:00.000-07:002011-03-13T13:59:27.143-07:00The Mario Kart Adventure Continues... WEEK 2This week I brought Mario Kart into a Gr. 3 classroom, using the game again in literacy centers and a math activity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjiFfHx5wMdjarnqomQ2CJaTgY9si8KyaMIbTD5e3uO6G3o4KB41O22LJRdckc-mrn0eb0tRTX61_jNQB3-HTgFqANQqYQM89t1ry4L-yQBMA68brwNRIcrCM33yXl26G7qSwYCmjedfk/s1600/IMG_1176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjiFfHx5wMdjarnqomQ2CJaTgY9si8KyaMIbTD5e3uO6G3o4KB41O22LJRdckc-mrn0eb0tRTX61_jNQB3-HTgFqANQqYQM89t1ry4L-yQBMA68brwNRIcrCM33yXl26G7qSwYCmjedfk/s320/IMG_1176.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>LITERACY CENTERS</b><br />
Many of the literacy centers were similar to last weeks <a href="http://gamesbasedlearningblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/mario-kart-in-classroom-week-1.html">(see previous post)</a>. The Peach center was the only one to change significantly: it went from a math center to a 'Surprise Center', which in this class changes every so often to a new activity. The surprise activity of late had been answering 'EQAO' type questions with the 'answer sandwich' procedure. So I gave this a Mario Kart spin.<br />
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For those of you not in Ontario, EQAO is the province wide assessment that takes place in Gr. 3 & 6 at the end of the year. Students in this Gr. 3 class are learning to create paragraph answers in response to questions by: restating the question (bread), then providing 3 proofs (sandwich fixings), then writing a concluding statement (bread)--ergo, an 'answer sandwich'.<br />
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For this center, I created 'cards' with different questions on them related to Mario Kart and gaming, such as<br />
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<ul><li>"You are playing Mario Kart with a friend who has never played it before. Write a paragraph to explain to your friend what the game is about and how you play". </li>
<li>"Compare Mario Kart to another video game you have played. WRite a paragraph to explain their differences and similarities." </li>
<li>"You are to advertise the Mario Kart game in a store. What are the game's best features? Write a paragraph to convince other people to buy the game". </li>
<li>"You want to be able to play Mario Kart in class but you need to convince your teacher it is a good idea. Write a paragraph to convince your teacher to use Mario Kart in class."</li>
</ul><br />
In this class there were some students who were not familiar with the game or the Mario Kart phenomenon & I realized that I had to account for their lack of exposure. So I ended up including this in the EQAO cards: "In any of the questions, substitue Mario Kart with the game of your choice (either video game or other game)".<br />
<br />
(I also had these students play the game first, and also watch the game as another played so they could become familiar with it.)<br />
<div><br />
</div>By its nature, this centre was a bit challenging for some students, especially those who were reluctant writers. We also had to encourage students to think deeper beyond just saying 'it's fun'. Why is it fun? What makes it fun? What is so important about having fun?<br />
<br />
As such, this centre required a bit more intervention on behalf of the regular classroom teacher & myself.<br />
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<b>MATH</b><br />
In addition to using the game data to sort game results <a href="http://gamesbasedlearningblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/mario-kart-in-classroom-week-1.html">(see previous post</a>), I again tailored Mario Kart to the class's current math focus, which happened to be double digit addition with regrouping. Students were already using the base 10 blocks and placements (of ones, tens, hundreds, etc) so we just 'tweaked' the usual questions to have a Mario Kart focus.<br />
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We started with Mario Kart word problems, which they had to figure out using their base ten placemats. They were also given strips of red/green/yellow construction paper which they had to hold up if their answer was:<br />
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Odd: red<br />
Even: green<br />
Greater than 50: yellow<br />
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You'll notice those colours mimic that of the Mario Kart race 'starting stoplight'!<br />
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Here's an example of a Mario Kart word problem:<br />
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<i>I wrote Nintendo 66 letters asking that they include my new character in the Mario Kart game. I had my friend write 77 letters. How many letters did we send altogether?</i><br />
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We went through several of these.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Then I used the Mario Kart colouring pages from last week to create Addition Colouring worksheets. I took each character I had (Peach, Mario, Luigi, Bowser) and put 2 digit addition questions into their various colouring sections. They had to figure out the answer then look at the code to determine what to colour that section. So for Peach, for example:<br />
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Odd answers=pink<br />
Even answers=yellow<br />
Greater than 50 answers=blue<br />
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<b>WHAT I LEARNED</b><br />
<b>We could go deeper!</b> I found myself this week wishing I could have expanded on a number of the literacy centers and incorporated the game more fully. The writing center activities could be a more thorough class lesson, where we look more closely at the characters and karts in the game, describe them more specifically, compare them, and create new ones, etc. We could do stories set in the different level settings. The reading center is another area. This continued to be a big hit, with students LOVING the dramatization of Mario characters. Many of them started writing their own scripts, though they didn't get enough time to finish them withint the context of the literacy center rotations. But you can see how that could easily turn into a larger drama and writing activity, again turing to the game as a whole class to look more specifically at characterization, setting, etc.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmhfMlh1dT_OSpODm2ti2VHTd7JZUozxsy3huAsBeX3b1cr96ewpotfm4ne_Byf3lYWiSb9Ta34U9A7jVoAD17lPXBBhIrqmLLOL1yHZ7DCRu2dl6lj-71Pv86CVweEqJ-_PDmT0Nch8/s1600/IMG_1202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmhfMlh1dT_OSpODm2ti2VHTd7JZUozxsy3huAsBeX3b1cr96ewpotfm4ne_Byf3lYWiSb9Ta34U9A7jVoAD17lPXBBhIrqmLLOL1yHZ7DCRu2dl6lj-71Pv86CVweEqJ-_PDmT0Nch8/s200/IMG_1202.JPG" width="200" /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rFxfxG6-olOyghhfYb52k7abDuFn9arxN9vzhy0efIJ9smtiLTQq42hkQGy-ATDOJObay1iYwAYP6drcQIMBagXYdlc5E06lw3y2rrgWfBhpeXLIzi6o7JtkM69Dmad2jy8MwD3_gdk/s1600/IMG_1204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rFxfxG6-olOyghhfYb52k7abDuFn9arxN9vzhy0efIJ9smtiLTQq42hkQGy-ATDOJObay1iYwAYP6drcQIMBagXYdlc5E06lw3y2rrgWfBhpeXLIzi6o7JtkM69Dmad2jy8MwD3_gdk/s200/IMG_1204.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Alas, I am restricted by time restraints and the goals of my specific project. There's just so much more that could be done and I'm feeling my project is like a 'sampler plate'--a wide variety of Mario Kart options are presented, but many could become larger 'meals' in themselves if given time and space. That would allow the game to be utilized more, even just as snippets to show the whole class. (The entire game doesn't need to be played).<br />
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<b>Not Meant to be a Magic Bullet</b>! Most students were engaged by the inclusion of the Mario Kart game this week, but not all were. There were 2 students in particular, both on IEP's, who were just not that interested in it. It wasn't something they liked (they have other interests). (There were 2 other students, also on IEP's, however, who were VERY engaged because of the game theme). I think this speaks to the fact that we need to include variety, even within the context of games based learning. It's never one size fits all (I could definitely see 1 of these students responding more to the Kinectimals xbox Kinect game, for instance). My point here is also that the inclusion of gaming/technology does not replace the other supports that students need to be successful. Students who had difficulties with writing still needed direction and prompts at the writing task. This is a comment that comes up often in #edtech comments on Twitter: technology is a tool for the teacher, it does not replace the teaching!<br />
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<b>Overall, high enthusiasm!</b> Nonetheless, my overall impression was that students rated the event highly and when I interviewed them, it was quite unanimous that they enjoyed themselves:<br />
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<i><b>"I liked it" "It was fun" "I liked the literacy centers" "Awesome!" "I want to do it again" "That was really cool". "What I liked most is that we had Mario stuff instead of class stuff. We got a change."</b></i><br />
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Some of their favourite tasks were the Mario Kart scripts, the <a href="http://poplit.net/">poplit.net</a> task on the computer, and the writing center where they got to create their own character.<br />
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Next week I'm in another Gr. 3 class, and will give literacy and math a Mario Kart 'tweak' yet again...Julie Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796427254856173894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015490542655420172.post-64880643192943207562011-03-05T05:44:00.000-08:002011-03-06T10:15:27.854-08:00Mario Kart in The Classroom WEEK 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS091iBzsa6xbNU4gCbM6MuMgcw-dHtRVV8xC1CGrNTPH3dBZ9PHVhfvfBN9JFMH_lzcjg0xJwGkJvfJIjwxDWze8Jq6H6H0NAfpqOYeUIJ1bfRYv8E7ckgKtXyBuUKmi-0N6PJLvalmA/s1600/mariopicjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS091iBzsa6xbNU4gCbM6MuMgcw-dHtRVV8xC1CGrNTPH3dBZ9PHVhfvfBN9JFMH_lzcjg0xJwGkJvfJIjwxDWze8Jq6H6H0NAfpqOYeUIJ1bfRYv8E7ckgKtXyBuUKmi-0N6PJLvalmA/s200/mariopicjpg.jpg" width="181" /></a></div>This week I finally started my research project and brought Mario Kart into a Gr. 2 classroom! At last! I've been waiting for months to give games based learning a try.<br />
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<b>THE LOGISTICS</b><br />
In each class I go into over the next 5 or 6 weeks, I'm:<br />
<br />
-adapting the current literacy workstations to have a Mario Kart theme.<br />
-setting it up so each student plays the game once. The game play results are then used as data.<br />
-giving the current math focus, what ever it may be at the time, a particular Mario twist.<br />
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<b>LITERACY CENTERS</b><br />
So, for instance, in this particular Gr. 2 class, I created Mario Kart versions of their literacy "I Can" workstations:<br />
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<ul><li>"Yoshi "Partnered Reading Centre (short, easy scripts staring Mario characters written by me for student read aloud), </li>
<li>"Bowser" Word Wall Work Centre (a list of word wall words that related to the games used in various activities), </li>
<li>"Mario" Spelling Centre (a list of 'content' words related to the game, like star, power, kart, fast, slow, etc, are used in various activities), </li>
<li>"Donkey Kong" Listening Centre (Listening to music from the game, comparing it/describing it, and watching a video)</li>
<li>"Luigi" Writing Centre (various descriptive writing tasks related to the game, such as describe a character from the game, create and describe a new character or new kart)</li>
<li>"Peach" Math Centre (using Mario Kart math manipulatives, such as big/small print outs of Luigi/Mario pictures, to create patterns and to use as non-standard units of measurement</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhWDyw5CMocmn5HTdTsW6vmmWAbenFfIXku1qAEHmS2mHd1VLDO30LqSMg2HUqHBvF9U54PFfqu1CeGEE1m6elNWu_L5WfezhQLxwQznP0hrtfaP9ACeEXSYWW1j-Yhw4HAhKKqvYMx4/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhWDyw5CMocmn5HTdTsW6vmmWAbenFfIXku1qAEHmS2mHd1VLDO30LqSMg2HUqHBvF9U54PFfqu1CeGEE1m6elNWu_L5WfezhQLxwQznP0hrtfaP9ACeEXSYWW1j-Yhw4HAhKKqvYMx4/s320/023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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The YOSHI Partnered Reading center was VERY popular. Students love dramatizing the Mario characters. This activity carried over into recess, with students playing "Mario Kart" out on the playground.<br />
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I used my <a href="http://poplit.net/">poplit.net</a> as the listening/computer centre, and students loved listening to the music of Mario (an idea I got from <a href="http://hallyd.edublogs.org/2010/02/03/adventures-with-bowser/">Dawn Hallybone</a>) and the video <a href="http://www.poplit.net/mario-kart-page">"Real Life Mario Kart"</a> (by freddiew). They then filled out a google doc graphic organizer to answer questions about these.<br />
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<b>GAME PLAY</b><br />
I also gave each student 'a ticket' with their name on it that allowed for one race. Students were called up, did the race, then the timed results went on the back of their ticket. I wanted the timed results so I could only play it one person at the time, not multi-player (which does not give a time!). We did this during the literacy centres, over 2 days, during 2 20-30 minute literacy blocks, approximately. Each student took 2 minutes at game play, approximately.<br />
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<b>MATH</b><br />
Once the game had been played by everyone, we could do the math. The math was broken into 2 sections. First, using the cards as manipulatives, we ranked all the times in small groups to determine who had the greatest time for each race (there were 4 sets of racers: Peach, Mario, Luigi and Donkey Kong). To each of those winners, I gave a certificate. Then we decided who had the best time across all the races--that was our 'grand champion' and they, too, received a certificate (and also they get to race the teacher at a later date).<br />
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<b>MATH TASK</b><br />
Then we moved on to the specific math focus. The Gr. 2's were working on 2D shapes (identifying and sorting polygons). Their Mario Kart task was to fill in the outline of a Mario Character colouring page with pattern blogs of various polygons then answer some questions about the shapes they used: total number, number of different types (triangle, quadrilateral, etc), which were used most/least, etc.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5trEUhFg6NaaK6YuPfrOhvANuthlyL6xcf-sO0-HKwSjxPnrDGnsULIhOuT7EVCZ0aGbuqYlnePFrFJvnu7GqSJuPFH-pqgt0HZslJPjhOgQyVf6npCmN4vq8ObPPh_2KnVS5CEfQsA/s1600/IMG_1143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5trEUhFg6NaaK6YuPfrOhvANuthlyL6xcf-sO0-HKwSjxPnrDGnsULIhOuT7EVCZ0aGbuqYlnePFrFJvnu7GqSJuPFH-pqgt0HZslJPjhOgQyVf6npCmN4vq8ObPPh_2KnVS5CEfQsA/s320/IMG_1143.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The students loved this task. Their focus was amazing! Not a single redirection, prompt or 'Johnny, get back to work'. They all dug right in and stayed there. There was also lots of 'purposeful talk' about shapes. When they were done, they got to keep the colouring page, which in itself made them very excited.<br />
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<b>WHAT I LEARNED</b><br />
1. A little bit goes a long way. This does not need to be rocket science! Even the slightest nod in the direction of student interest (such as using Mario Kart colouring pages for the math) = big time engagement.<br />
2. Bowser is very popular! There was lots of requests for a Bowser versions of things.<br />
3. Students loved this! Just taking the usual class activity and giving it a Mario Kart Twist = students saying "This is the best day ever!" and repeatedly saying how much fun they were having. One student stopped me in the halls later to tell me thank-you, and how much fun he had.<br />
4. It was easier to facilitate than I thought, especially the game play. The ticket system made it run very smoothly, no hiccups.<br />
5. Mario Kart is quite adaptable--which is a point I'm trying to prove! In addition to the 2D math idea, I also came up with a corresponding 3D shapes activity. Essentially, play the race course with Bowser's castle for the whole class to see. Then ask student to use 3D shapes to create their own "Bowser's Castle". They could use red construction paper to cut out lava strips. Then they could use a similar tally sheet (to the one described above) and document number and types of 3D shapes used to make their castle. (I would have loved to implement this, but, alas, must move on to the next class).<br />
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<b>ONGOING DATA COLLECTION</b><br />
As this is an 'action research' project, I am also conducting surveys, collecting finished work data, and doing interviews with teachers/students to document the impact and success of using Wii in the classroom (especially as it pertains to students working below expected levels). I haven't yet gone over this data in any detail, but my own initial, first impressions indicate this was very successful in terms of student engagement and also in terms of work completion (ie: that 2D math task was diligently completed by ALL students).<br />
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Next week, I take Mario Kart into a Gr. 3 classroom...and will need to adapt Mario Kart somehow to the concept of place value and double digit addition! *thinking cap is firmly in place*<br />
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Of course, I will be blogging about that experience in one weeks time!Julie Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796427254856173894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015490542655420172.post-35979724398411672202011-03-02T14:36:00.000-08:002011-03-05T06:52:47.297-08:00Welcome!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Finally, I've set up a blog site that will focus on my own games based learning adventures! This is an adjunct to my games based learning resource site : <a href="http://gbl.betterthanworksheets.com/">http://gbl.betterthanworksheets.com/</a><br />
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I discovered the idea of using video games in education last summer and am now finally on my way to exploring that in my teaching. I am a Special Education Resource Teacher at Goodfellow PS in Ontario.<br />
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I'm very eager to hear any thoughts or comments other educators might have about these issues. Please always feel free to contact me by leaving a comment on the blog, via Twitter (@JulieeJohnsonn) or via email: jujohnson@mail1.scdsb.on.ca.<br />
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Very much looking forward to elaborating on this blog site about my Wii project and issues/ideas about gaming in education!<br />
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Happy Gaming!<br />
Julie JohnsonJulie Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796427254856173894noreply@blogger.com1