Tectonic Chances blog post

This is how I solved the driving question for our Tectonic Chances project.  The driving question for this project is how are thematic and mathematical elements used in game design.  I will write the answer to this at the bottom of my post.  For this project we had to make a graph of how much screen time on screens we have in a day.

Here is my game board.

Here are the game rules.

This is my review and process of creating this game.

I think that if I were to do it again then I would focus more on the scientific aspect of the project and less on the game.

I think that the game is pretty fun, and I like the final result.

The Curricular Competencies for this project are:

1) Evaluating: Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of evidence.

I struggled with the 10 key science parts because I was focusing on the game play  and less attention to the scientific aspects. My game board did look like an actual map of tectonic plates. After I realized that I was not focusing on the scientific aspect enough, I added more elements relating to the principles of tectonics.

2) Questioning and predicting: Demonstrate a sustained intellectual curiosity about a scientific topic or problem of personal interest.

I got distracted sometimes during this project, so I was not very good with this part of the curricular competencies. For example, sometimes I got distracted by the IPad or something else. I am fixing this by putting less stuff on my desk so there is less to be distracted by so I can concentrate better. I am also putting restrictions on apps on my iPad that are not essential for school.

3) Understanding and solving: Develop, demonstrate, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and problem solving.

The game contained probabilities and random elements because it used dice and cards for vital parts in the game, and the game would not function without them. For example, if the game did not have the deck of cards, then it would be very boring and impossible to lose.

The steps that I took to make this game were:

Milestone 1:  For this milestone we went into our groups, and discussed what type of game we were going to make. After that then we drew on our whiteboard how the game works and how we were going to include natural disasters into the game, specifically ones caused by Tectonic Plates.

Milestone 2:  For this milestone we created a list of 10 science vocabulary words and wrote down how we could implement it into the game.

Milestone 3:  For this milestone we did a quiz on plate tectonics.

Milestone 4:  For this milestone we made our final game rules and put it into a pages document.

Milestone 5:  For this milestone we created all the pieces of the game.

Milestone 6:  For this milestone we made the blog post which I am doing right now.

I learned a lot about Tectonic Plates and game design in this project, for example tectonic plates on the asthenosphere act as lily pads on water. Oceanic and continental plates come together, spread apart, and interact. I really liked designing the game for this project and I found it quite fun to play. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

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