William Johns

MEDT 7485
04/03/18

1. Game Title: Surviving The Great Depression

2. Game Genre: Simulation
3. Target Audience: High School U.S. History Students (11th and 12th graders)
4. Subject Area: Social Studies / U.S. History
5. Topics Covered: Great Depression / Dust Bowl / FDR / New Deal
6. Learning Objectives/Standards Addressed:
SSUSH17 Analyze the causes and consequences of the Great Depression.
a. Describe the causes, including overproduction, underconsumption, and stock market
speculation that led to the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression.
b. Explain factors (include over-farming and climate) that led to the Dust Bowl and the
resulting movement and migration west.
c. Explain the social and political impact of widespread unemployment that resulted in
developments such as Hoovervilles.

SSUSH18 Evaluate Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal as a response to the Great

Depression and compare how governmental programs aided those in need.
a. Describe Roosevelt’s attempts at relief, recovery, and reform reflected in various New Deal
programs.
b. Explain the passage of the Social Security Act as a part of the second New Deal. c.
Analyze political challenges to Roosevelt’s leadership and New Deal programs. d. Examine
how Eleanor Roosevelt changed the role of the First Lady including development of New
Deal programs to aid those in need
7. Goals: The goal of this game is to experience how life actually was during The Great
Depression and the years that followed. The overall objective is to be able to survive the
many different obstacles that The Great Depression brought with it and continue on with your
life after this horrible time in history.
8. Rules: The student will not be able to change the character they chose until the level has
been completed. The student will either survive, complete the level and be given a graded
score at the end of each level or die and fail the level and have to restart or skip that level.
The student will be given a grade after completing each level and upon completion of the
whole game will be ranked and given an overall score and if available a spot on the wall aat
the end of the game.
9. Storyline: There will be a total of 20 levels to complete for the whole game. At the beginning
of each level of the game the student will choose an avatar to play as for that level. Various
situations and objectives will be based on the choice of which avatar the student initially
chooses for each level of the game. The student will make decisions that will ultimately affect
the life of their individual character in the game. Throughout the game the student will have
opportunities to see various viewpoints and different attributes that led to The Great
Depression and try to make conscious decisions on how to help the m survive The Great
Depression.
10. Characters/Roles: The student will have the option to select from various characters with
specific or no role in each level. The various characters that can be chosen from could
consist of regular farmers all the way to the president of the United Sates at the time, Franklin
Roosevelt. Whichever character the student chooses will determine the severity and difficulty
of the level of the game. Some characters will be available during specific levels and others
will be available throughout the whole game.
11. Problems/Tasks/Missions: The various problems and tasks in the game will be dependent
on each level and the character selection made by the student. For example if a student
chooses to be FDR, then they would be faced with issues surrounding the recovery effort and
coming up with solutions to help get America out of The Great Depression and back on its
feet. If the student chooses to be a farmer, then they would be faced with the many difficult
issues surround the drought, Dust Bowl and little money available to be able to feed their
family and run their farm. There are numerous possibilities and outcomes that will be
available to the student and depending on which character they pick will determine their
overall experience with the game.
12. Descriptions of 3D Environments:
Overall description (visual) The overall physical setting of the game will depend on
which level and character the student chooses to be in
that particular time frame. Each level will have its own
unique physical characteristics associated to each
character and will be appropriate to the timeframe
discussed. All of the characters will be allotted the
same amount in each level with money, etc. based on
their historical significance and role in the game with
respect to history.
Characters or NPC The student will have the opportunity to choose various
characters in each level that pertain to the selected
timeframe listed in history. The characters will range
from prominent businessmen and women, farmers,
 children and even the president of the United States.
The student will be able to customize the character
they are using by various selections of clothing and
attributes that would relate to that specific time in
history.
Game mechanics (actions) Students will have full control to character movements
in the game. The characters will have the ability to
walk, run, jump, sit, stand, talk, give hand gestures,
pick up items, put down items, turn around and drive
vehicles or equipment as needed. Characters in the
game will also be able to communicate with NPC in an
effort to complete various missions and objectives built
into each level.
In-world tools/resources The individual character chosen by the student will
have the opportunity to either have or obtain all the
tools and resources needed to complete each level.
The resources available to each character are initially
based on the student’s character selection. Various
levels allow and demand cooperation with NPC in an
effort to open up extra tools and resources needed to
survive the level being played.
Challenges or obstacles The overall challenges and obstacles that the student
will face, is based on their initially character selection at
each level. Each level will have built in challenges and
obstacles, the characters decisions to how they handle
these obstacles will determine their score in the game.
Interaction/communication Characters will interact with NPCs and also various
message boards and sites in the game at various
levels. These interactions will provide the player with
various choices to choose from and the response they
choose will determine their score and survival in the
game.
Sounds There will be various sounds throughout the game but
mainly occurring when the player is physically moving
and also communicating. There will be audio and text
written speeches available from the interaction with
other NPCs and the various message boards found in
 the game.

13. Levels and Progression: The game will have a total of 20 levels and progression throughout
the game will be based on the players’ selection of the character and the choices made in
each level. The various levels are designed to be based on different actions and scenarios
possible based on the initial characters choice and their role in that timeframe in history.
14. Number of Players: Single Player
15. Estimated Length of Gameplay: The gameplay is entirely up to the individual player but I
would say it could be possible to finish each level in around 45 minutes or so. This would put
the total game at around 15 hours to complete and could be broken up into a whole semester
or school setting.
16. Cognitive Processes Required for Gameplay:
Remembering Yes The student will have to remember various information
learned from their encounters with NPCs. Students will
also need to use information from previous and current
class lectures to help in making decisions that will help
them in the game.
Understanding Yes The student will have to understand how each and
every decision they make will affect them later on in the
game. Each positive or negative response will guide
their character to a specific scenario and event.
Applying Yes The student will need to apply the content knowledge
that they have about the subject area to help guide
them in making decisions. These decisions will either
make or break them in the game and the application of
known historical facts from this timeframe will help them
prosper in the game.
Analyzing Yes The student will have to analyze their specific choices
per each individual character and decide which option
to choose. This will allow the student to either prosper
or fail in the game.
Evaluating Yes The student will have to evaluate their overall choices in
the game and determine if they made the best decision
or not for each objective. This will allow the student to
pick the best option and prosper in the game.
Creating No
17. Skills Required for Gameplay:
Critical thinking Yes The student will use critical thinking to help
them choose the best option to complete
each objective thrown at them in various
levels of the game.
Problem solving Yes The student will use problem solving to best
answer and meet the objectives in each
level of the game.
Decision making Yes The student will use decision making skills
to guide them in the various choices and
paths to take in the game with the different
characters that are available.
Creativity No
Communication Yes The student with communicate with NPCs
throughout the game and also other
students and or teacher to develop more
content knowledge about the subject in an
effort to advance in the game.
Collaboration Yes The student must collaborate with NPCs to
gain information and complete objectives in
each level of the game.
Psychomotor skills No

Other No

18. Content Integration:

This game requires prior knowledge. Prior knowledge would be
very useful in making
decisions throughout the
game but is not required.
This game teaches academic content. Yes
Content integration strategies and rationale: Students will be exposed to various
aspects of the content being covered in the standards throughout each level of the
game. The game will be designed and set in the years leading up to and following The
Great Depression. All aspects of the game will be set in this timeframe and various
situations and objectives being covered will relate specifically to the standards being
taught. United States history concepts will be covered along with a few other subjects
 through the duration of the game.

19. Engagement Strategies: Complete engagement by the student is required in order to be

successful in this game. Interaction with NPCs and other objectives throughout the game
help to make the game fun and a great learning opportunity for the students to have outside
of a typical classroom setting.
20. Scaffolding Strategies: The students will be provided at the beginning of each level with a
list of objectives and detailed instructions on how to play the game and complete the
objectives. NPCs will also be available to answer questions and help guide the students
through each level with various objectives that must be met to complete the game.
21. Assessment Strategies: Inside the game the assessments will include either completion or
failure of various objectives in each individual level of the game. If a student completes the
objectives correctly then they will get to move on to the next level and a score will be given to
them per each level. If the student does not complete the objectives then they will fail and will
not be able to advance to the next level of the game. Outside of the game in the classroom
various quizzes and other methods will be used to measure if the student is mastering the
content knowledge or not.
22. Major Purpose of the Game Integration: This game will be mainly used as a…
Motivation tool This application will allow the learner another avenue to
learn the content being taught to them. This game will
allow the student a fun alternative way to learning the
content being taught.
Practice No

Instructional tool This game could be used as an instructional tool if the

Formative assessment
Summative assessment
teacher sees fit but would first be used as a reward an
alternative learning assignment for the student.
This game could be used to help guide what need to be
retaught to my students and what content seems to be
grasped by my students. With the completion of various
levels and the game itself, I can see which students are
struggling with the content and which ones are grasping it
and can be moved on to new content.
No

Other No
23. Implementation Plan: I would first implement this game to the class as a small group activity
to be utilized by the whole class. I would show the fun and engaging properties that this game
has to offer to my students and then allow them an allotted amount of time in class to ply the
game. I would also offer this game as an extra credit and alternative assignment to take the
place of something else in the class for my students to better gain knowledge of the desired
content being covered.
24. Perceived Barriers & Support Needs: I do not see that many barriers to the use of this
game except with the ability to have access to it with the internet and a device to load the
game on. I would have to request the use of a computer lab, Chromebooks or another
method to get my class the materials needed to complete the game. Outside factors such as
little or no access to a technology or internet source outside of the classroom setting could
play a role in the completion of this game.
25. Reflection on the Assignment: Overall this assignment helped me to better understand the
many different components and learning opportunities that are available for me as an
educator to use with my students with gaming. The topic that I chose in U.S. History depicts a
time in history that the world will never forget and hopefully never have to witness again. This
assignment showed me that there are so many ways to relate the content material to my
students other than just by lecturing or direct instruction. This assignment opened my eyes
and allowed me to branch out of my comfort zone and think about what I would like to explore
and create for my students to use.