Eighth grade English students create board games for test preparation
Eighth grade English students created board games to represent Odysseus’ journey in Homer’s The Odyssey. Students were tasked with accurately representing the epic poem through a game to demonstrate their understanding of the plot, characters, conflict, and setting.
Students displayed creativity and problem-solving as they created their board games completely from scratch. They worked in small groups to practice their communication and collaboration skills.
“A huge benefit of this project is that it allows students to capitalize on one another's strengths. One student on the team may excel in writing, so they would benefit the team by writing out the instructions for the game. Another team member may be a wonderful artist, so they could take the lead on designing the game,” explained Jane Leake, English teacher.
Students were asked to include at least five illustrated and labeled obstacles that Odysseus encountered on his journey within their game. They were also required to include at least three positive encounters Odysseus had with a god/goddess. To help with test preparation, students had to create at least 15 comprehension questions, which players were asked to answer to advance in the game. Two of the questions were required to be a quote identification.
“The project gives students an opportunity to collaborate and share what they know. It gives them a chance to think creatively while recalling concepts and literary terms. Since we started reading the book over six weeks ago, this activity gives them the opportunity to review and recall the beginning of the book,” reflected Leake.
Way to go, eighth grade students!
