Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

1

Students will be able to analyze related ELA, life science, math, and U.S. history texts and media to explain how systems function, change, and connect across subjects.

2

Students will be able to investigate a real or simulated system by identifying variables, collecting playtest data, and interpreting patterns that show cause and effect.

3

Students will be able to define a systems problem using evidence from user feedback, text analysis, and playtest observations to separate problems from solutions.

4

Students will be able to generate multiple game mechanic and scenario ideas that model how a system changes when one rule or condition is altered.

5

Students will be able to prototype a playable board or card game that represents a systems relationship using accurate subject-area content and clear rules.

6

Students will be able to test and refine a game prototype using peer and user feedback, playtest results, and revision logs.

7

Students will be able to justify design decisions in writing and speaking using precise vocabulary, relevant evidence, and source references.

Products

individual

Systems Inquiry Notebook and Personal Prototype Pitch

Each student submits an evidence-based research notebook with annotated texts, vocabulary tracking, system maps, and a simple playtest data display, then includes one individual prototype or concept sketch with a short written pitch. This product shows personal mastery of the system content and how evidence from sources and playtests informs design decisions.

team

Cross-Subject Systems Board or Card Game Showcase Prototype

Teams create a polished playable game with a shared How Might We problem statement, rules guide, source-based card text, and a higher-fidelity prototype ready for authentic playtesting and exhibition. The final game must clearly show how one system change affects outcomes across ELA, science, math, and history, and explain how feedback shaped the revisions.

Rubric
Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric
Category
Learning Goal
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies
Collaboration
  • I can work with my team to complete roles for playtesting and design tasks and follow group norms (like taking turns and using respectful language) even when we disagree.
  • I can collaborate to share ideas, listen to teammates’ perspectives, and help the group make decisions about rule changes by explaining how they affect gameplay during playtests.
  • I can lead parts of collaboration by facilitating equitable participation, resolving minor conflicts through compromise, and using evidence from playtest notes (data/observations) to propose and justify design revisions.
  • I can independently sustain strong team collaboration by coordinating roles, incorporating peer and possibly outside feedback, and using a clear decision-making process to refine our game system so it is more playable and better supported by evidence.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
  • I can explain a system connection in my game by identifying the most obvious rule change, describing what happened next, and giving one piece of evidence from playtesting or a text/card I used.
  • I can analyze how a rule change creates a chain reaction by predicting what might happen, using specific evidence from playtests (observations, counts, or patterns), and revising one game mechanic with a clear reason.
  • I can evaluate multiple causes in a complex system by comparing how different groups/rounds respond, interpreting patterns in my data, and refining rules or scenarios to improve cause-and-effect across ELA, science, math, and history connections.
  • I can independently design and justify an improved system model by testing hypotheses, identifying limitations in my data/methods, using that analysis to refine gameplay, and clearly defending my design decisions with cross-subject evidence and reasoning.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Effective Communication
  • I can clearly share my ideas during collaboration by listening respectfully, taking turns, and explaining one key claim using simple evidence (a fact, example, or detail) from the text or our playtest notes.
  • I can communicate my design thinking with clarity by organizing my explanation (main idea + reasons + evidence) and using grade-level academic vocabulary and correct terms from reading to answer basic questions from teammates.
  • I can present and justify my game decisions by explaining the connection between evidence and outcomes, referencing sources accurately (text, data/graph, or historical material) and responding to feedback by revising what I said or how I explained it.
  • I can strengthen my communication by adjusting my message for different audiences (teammates, guests) and clearly connecting cross-subject system cause-and-effect using multiple pieces of evidence and precise vocabulary, while responding thoughtfully to questions with reasoning and specific details.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Content Expertise
  • I can use evidence from multiple texts I read to support my game design decisions, including accurate key vocabulary and clear references to what the texts/data show.
  • I can connect evidence from ELA, science, math, and history texts to specific parts of my game (rules, challenge cards, and scenarios) and revise my design when my evidence or playtest results suggest I should.
  • I can independently track how my system explanation turns into game mechanics by using deeper reading strategies (summarizing, questioning, and noting text structure) and using patterns in playtest data to make targeted, justified revisions.
  • I can confidently synthesize cross-subject evidence into a coherent system model for my game and evaluate the limits of my evidence/playtest data, using that evaluation to make sophisticated refinements that improve cause-and-effect understanding for players.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Self Directed Learning
  • I can use a provided plan (checklist, timeline, or model) to complete my assigned reading and playtest tasks and keep my work organized enough to finish on time.
  • I can set a specific goal for my game and learning, choose from suggested strategies to read and understand challenging text, and use feedback notes to make at least one clear improvement to my work.
  • I can monitor my understanding during reading and playtesting by asking questions, tracking patterns in evidence, and revising my design decisions based on feedback and results I can explain.
  • I can independently plan my next steps, read purposefully across conceptually related texts to deepen my evidence, and refine my game using data-based revisions while clearly justifying how feedback improved my final prototype.