Work hard, play hard: One teacher’s journey implementing gamification all YEAR long


Picture this – kids hunting your classroom for clues, working strategically with each other, dramatic music playing, and a sense of anticipation filling the air. 

What if I told you that this isn’t just a fun, one-time activity, but a regular, intentional experience designed to increase engagement, and as a result, increase learning at the same time? This is just one tiny peak into a day in a gamified classroom, where learning remains the focus, but with creative twists, using techniques that make games so enjoyable. 

(Granted, every day and every activity doesn’t look just like this, but as with anything in teaching, variety and focusing on what’s best for each individual lesson are key.)

Gamification: Explained

Many of us have played the classic “Oregon Trail” computer game growing up, fording rivers, keeping an eye out for rattlesnakes, and of course, taking some time to hunt for food.  “Oregon Trail,” is a fun game, that also teaches you about America’s most famous trail.

However, playing games like that in class that are both fun and educational are not necessarily what gamification is all about. Instead, gamification is about turning something that is not currently set up like a game, into one.

There are plenty of great ways to incorporate games, and game-based learning into the curriculum to increase learning and engagement, but gamification goes a bit further. Gamification brings in as many elements of games as you’d like, (points, currency, teams, etc.), while also having a common theme and storyline that ties everything together. 

The overall hope is to make learning more engaging and effective, encourage valuable real-world skills, like collaboration and critical thinking, and also to challenge students to do more than the basics required in class.

My Gamification Journey

I began exploring gamification in 2015, inspired by Michael Matera’s insights. Since then, I’ve continued learning more about gamification through graduate courses, extensive reading, and practical application in my teaching. Each year, I refine the process, adding and tweaking the games. My students and I have had tons of fun with it, and I’ve seen some incredible results!

A highlight was when a 7th grader initiated an Autism Awareness Week, a project born from a gamified class challenge. With peer collaboration and staff support, it turned into an unforgettable week with hands-on activities and lessons, culminating with everyone watching the film, “Life Animated,” in our theater to end the week.

My Games

I currently have a year-long game that I developed to match my 7th grade World History curriculum, called Legacy, a game that I created to match my 8th grade American History, called Become the President, (it runs ¾ of the year), and a game that the students help design that they play during  the 4th Quarter in 8th grade. You could set your game up for any length, and adjust as you see fit depending on how things go the first time. Click on the images below to see the game introductions.

My games have in-class activities throughout the year, as well as optional enrichment-type activities that can be done, too. Students can earn points and money, and ultimately the points determine the winner and winning team at the end of the game. There is a store where kids can get in-class rewards, small items like candy, and mostly, items that will help them somehow in the game.

Participation in the game is voluntary and doesn’t impact grades. Classroom activities are integrated with the game to enhance learning without being disruptive. The aim is to overlay the game onto regular teaching, making it more engaging and encouraging independent exploration.

The game culminates in a “reveal” party, where we recap events, acknowledge standout students, and announce winners. Prizes are awarded, but the primary incentives are the prestige of winning and bragging rights.

Creating the games: Themes

Designing a game is thrilling, especially when coming up with a name, theme, “logo,” and story-line. “Legacy” emerged from the diverse topics of my 7th grade history class, encompassing geography, world religions, historical periods like the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and culminating in a project on 20th-century conflicts. The concept of legacy—both inherited and left behind—became the unifying theme.

I created engaging chapter titles and introductions to weave our game’s story as we explore different subjects throughout the year. These chapters act as game levels, with students earning badges on our leaderboard as they progress.

In 8th grade, the focus shifts to U.S. history, from its inception to the Civil War. Central to this is understanding the Constitution and governance. To inspire civic responsibility and leadership, I developed “Become the President,” a game where students advance through levels at their own pace, each one building towards the potential of becoming a great leader.

The game’s narrative is enriched with “Side Missions” and activities, such as safeguarding the Constitution from hypothetical hackers during our Constitution Test.

**TIP **When coming up with your own name, theme and story-line, don’t be too overwhelmed or pressured to constantly tie it in. Keep it basic to start, and reflect on how you can develop it and tie it in more as you go.

Creating the games: Levels

In my “Become the President” game, “Levels” are the other option for anyone wanting to do something outside of class to earn points or money, and they are completely optional, as well. Each level has a short list of “tasks” to complete, and as I check them over, and unlock the next level in their Google Classroom. 

When students unlock the next level, they get a bonus each time, and an upgraded “badge” on my leaderboard, such as “Mayor,” or “Governor.” Students can become a “Presidential Candidate,” or finalist to win it all, by either completing all of the levels, or being the first in their “Party” (small group) to reach 1 million followers (points). 





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