Curriculum / Tabletop Game Design / Task sheets

Student task sheets

Sixteen sheets, one for each assessed strand, printable as a set on A4 landscape. Content comes from Plans/assessments.md, which is still being written. Anything not yet decided is marked in orange on the sheet rather than left blank, so an unfinished sheet cannot be mistaken for a finished one. Sheets are not linked from the unit page yet.

Sheets
16
Page
A4 landscape
Ready to print
3 of 16
Still to write
60 items
Submission
ManageBac

Ai / Criterion A, Inquiring and analysing

Justify the need for a new game

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
1 class
Worked
Individual
Do1 class
  • Choose a target audience for your game and go talk to them.
  • Define your specific audience.
  • Provide details about their current recess activities.
  • Justify starting a project to build a tabletop game for this audience.
Hand in
  • 1 Page with need statement and interview notes

Where it goes

Upload pictures of your page on ManageBac, and submit the actual paper in class.

GradedAi

“Explains and justifies the need for a solution to a problem for a client/target audience.”

What separates the bands

1-2An incomplete statement with limited notes, no justification, and no explanation.
3-4A need statement and audience notes, with limited justification and explanation.
5-6A need statement and audience notes, with some justification and explanation.
7-8A detailed need statement and audience notes, with strong justification and clear explanation.

Tip

You must write your own need statement and audience notes. No sharing at all!

Tip

Don't make assumptions, ask questions to find evidence.

Tip

Justifying the need for something means explaining why it is needed in detail, with proof.

Tip

Writing about something you want or care about is not acceptable.

Aii / Criterion A, Inquiring and analysing

Plan and prioritise research

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
1 class
Worked
Individual
Do1 class
  • Spend your 12 tokens. One row per activity, with the question you need that activity to answer written in the first column.
  • Put your list in order of priority. Think carefully about the order of your research, which tasks have to happen first, and if something can only be done after something else.
  • Watch your audience at recess, budgeted at 3 tokens. It is the only activity that tells you how long they really have and how long they will really stay at a table.
  • A "what decision this unlocks" column on every row.
  • What did you give up? Name what you could not afford, and say what could go wrong because you skipped it.

On the unit page: The research budget.

Hand inEnd of class 1
  • Research Plan, 1 page

Where it goes

A PDF of your research plan to ManageBac

GradedAii

“Constructs a detailed research plan, which identifies and prioritizes the primary and secondary research needed to develop a solution to the problem independently.”

What separates the bands

1-2A basic plan that is unlikely to help you develop a game.
3-4A plan that will help you develop parts of your game, in no particular order.
5-6An organised plan, ordered by priority, that will help you develop your game.
7-8A detailed and organised plan, prioritised with reasons, including time spent with your real audience, where every row lets you decide something.

Tip

Every row should let you decide something. If it does not, take it off the plan.

Tip

Spend the tokens on watching your audience, not only on asking them. What people say they enjoy and what they keep playing are two different answers.

Tip

Reading a review of a game is not the same as watching your audience walk away from one halfway through recess.

Tip

Write down what you gave up, and what could go wrong because you skipped it.

Aiii / Criterion A, Inquiring and analysing

Analyse existing games

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
3 classes
Worked
Individual
  1. 1Teardown together, then the first one alone
  2. 2Two more teardowns
  3. 3Synthesis and design implications
Do3 classes

The requirements for this task have not been written yet.

Hand in
  • 3 Games Analysed and completed synthesis

Where it goes

Upload pictures of your work to ManageBac, submit papers in class

GradedAiii

“Analyses a range of existing products that inspire a solution to the problem in detail.”

What separates the bands

1-2Produce an incomplete analysis and choose games that are not likely to guide your work.
3-4Complete basic analysis of 3 games, though not all of them are likely to help guide your work.
5-6Completed a partially detailed analysis of 3 games which are mostly likely to help guide your work.
7-8Completed a detailed analysis of 3 games which are all likely to help guide your work.

Tip

You many only share 1 analysed game with a group member.

Tip

Your work is your own, a shared game just means you both get to analyse it.

Tip

Choose games that complement your group's choices.

Tip

Be detailed!

Aiv / Criterion A, Inquiring and analysing

Write the design brief

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
1 class
Worked
Individual
Do1 class

The requirements for this task have not been written yet.

Hand in
  • Design Brief, 1 page

Where it goes

ManageBac

GradedAiv

“Develops a detailed design brief, which summarizes the analysis of relevant research.”

What separates the bands

1-2Your design brief is unfinished and does not reference your research.
3-4Develop a basic design brief that references your research.
5-6Develop a design brief that includes a summary of your research.
7-8Developed a detailed design brief that includes a summary of your reseach.

Tip 1

Not written yet

Tip 2

Not written yet

Tip 3

Not written yet

Tip

Referencing research a requirement, not an option.

Bi / Criterion B, Developing ideas

Write design specification

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
1 class
Worked
Group Work
Do1 class

The requirements for this task have not been written yet.

Hand in
  • Specification, 8 to 12 lines

Where it goes

Upload a PDF of your work to ManageBac

GradedBi

“Develops detailed design specifications, which explain the success criteria for the design of a solution based on the analysis of the research.”

What separates the bands

1-2Did not create a complete set of design specifications.
3-4Created a set of basic design specifications which partially link to research, some can be tested.
5-6Created a set of design specifications which are partially linked to relevant research and can be tested.
7-8Created a detailed set of design specifications which are linked to relevant research and can be tested.

Tip

"Testing" your specifications can happen many different ways.

Tip

Specifications must be achievable and help guide the project.

Tip

Specifications should be created by your group, but each of you must participate.

Tip

All aspects of the game should be considered.

Bii / Criterion B, Developing ideas

Generate a range of ideas

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
3 classes
Worked
Individual
  1. 1Mechanic draw and rapid concepts
  2. 2Develop and annotate the best six
  3. 3Paper prototypes and the interpretation test
Do3 classes

The requirements for this task have not been written yet.

On the unit page: The mechanic draw, The interpretation test.

Hand in
  • 3 detailed game ideas
  • Brainstorming documents

Where it goes

Upload pictures of your work to ManageBac, hand in the paper in class.

GradedBii

“Develops a range of feasible design ideas, using an appropriate medium(s) and detailed annotation, which can be correctly interpreted by others.”

What separates the bands

1-2Produced less than 3 complete game ideas, with messy drawings and few notes.
3-4Produced 3 game ideas with drawings and some notes.
5-6Produced 3 game ideas with clean drawings and notes.
7-8Produced 3 well developed game ideas, with many clean drawings and many notes.

Tip

Write a lot of notes! You're explaining ideas to yourself, your team, and more.

Tip

Use rulers and drawing tools- your work will be far neater.

Tip

Use art markers, but be careful with them! (Don't mix colors)

Tip

Lean on game mechanics to help with your ideas!

Biii / Criterion B, Developing ideas

Choose and justify critically

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
2 classes
Worked
Individual writing, group decision
Do2 classes
  • Why the chosen design wins, referencing specifications by number.
  • The case against it. What it does worse than the concepts they rejected.
  • What was carried over from the rejected concepts into the final design.
  • What is still unresolved, and how the build will resolve it.
Hand in
  • Matrix + justification

Where it goes

ManageBac

GradedBiii

“Presents the chosen design and justifies fully and critically its selection with detailed reference to the design specification.”

What separates the bands

1-2Not written yet
3-4Not written yet
5-6Not written yet
7-8Not written yet

Tip 1

Not written yet

Tip 2

Not written yet

Tip 3

Not written yet

Tip 4

Not written yet

Biv / Criterion B, Developing ideas

Draw it for production

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
3 classes
Worked
Individual pages, team pack
Do3 classes

The requirements for this task have not been written yet.

Hand in
  • Production Pack, 4 to 8 pages

Where it goes

ManageBac

GradedBiv

“Develops accurate and detailed planning drawings/diagrams and outlines requirements for the creation of the chosen solution.”

What separates the bands

1-2Developed incomplete drawings and a limited outline or requirements to produce the game.
3-4Developed basic drawings and a general outline of requirements to produce the game.
5-6Developed partially accurate and somewhat detailed planning drawings and outlined requirements to produce the game.
7-8Developed accurate and detailed planning drawings and outlined requirements to produce the game.

Tip 1

Not written yet

Tip 2

Not written yet

Tip 3

Not written yet

Tip 4

Not written yet

Ci / Criterion C, Creating the solution

Plan the build

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
1 class
Worked
Team plan + personal plan
Do1 class
  • Team plan: build a plan for making the game, with time and resources established every step. All members of the group should be able to follow it without asking questions.
  • Personal task plan: Create your own plan for the specific tasks you will be responsible for. It must be detailed enough that other group members can help if you are absent.

On the unit page: The peer follow test.

Hand in
  • Both plans, both versions

Where it goes

ManageBac

GradedCi

“Constructs a detailed and logical plan, which describes the efficient use of time and resources, sufficient for peers to be able to follow to create the solution.”

What separates the bands

1-2Not written yet
3-4Not written yet
5-6Not written yet
7-8Not written yet

Tip 1

Not written yet

Tip 2

Not written yet

Tip 3

Not written yet

Tip 4

Not written yet

Cii / Criterion C, Creating the solution

Demonstrate technical skill

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
Runs through the build block
Worked
Individual
DoRuns through the build block
  • A dated photo of work in progress, with the student's hand or initials visible on the part
  • A photo of the outcome
  • What went wrong, what they changed, and what the second attempt did better

On the unit page: Three skills at depth, across at least two tracks.

Hand in
  • Making Log, 3 skills at depth

Where it goes

ManageBac

GradedCii

“Demonstrates excellent technical skills when making the solution.”

What separates the bands

1-2Demonstrate poor techical skills in the process of creating your game.
3-4Demonstrate satisfactory techical skills in the process of creating your game.
5-6Demonstrate competent techical skills in the process of creating your game.
7-8Demonstrate excellent techical skills in the process of creating your game.

Tip 1

Not written yet

Tip 2

Not written yet

Tip 3

Not written yet

Tip 4

Not written yet

Ciii / Criterion C, Creating the solution

Finish a working game

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
End of the build block
Worked
Team artefact, individual components
DoEnd of the build block

The requirements for this task have not been written yet.

On the unit page: The cold read test.

Hand in
  • The game + cold read record

Where it goes

Pictures of your work to ManageBac, the physical games shared in class

GradedCiii

“Follows the plan to create the solution, which functions as intended and is presented appropriately.”

What separates the bands

1-2Produce a game that didn't closely follow the plan and does not function well.
3-4Follow the plan and produce a simple game which works with some issues.
5-6Follow the plan and produce a competent game which works with few issues.
7-8Follow the plan and produce a highly competent game that works well with few issues.

Tip

Keep testing the rules and playing the game!

Tip

More eyes is more chances to spot problems! Share your work with others and ask for feedback.

Tip

Tight gameplay and limited rules is better than sprawling gameplay and complex rules.

Tip

High quality elements make a weaker game feel stronger.

Civ / Criterion C, Creating the solution

Justify every change

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
Ongoing, logged weekly
Worked
Individual
DoOngoing, logged weekly

The requirements for this task have not been written yet.

Hand in
  • Change Log, dated

Where it goes

Upload a picture of your work to ManageBac and submit your paper in class

GradedCiv

“Fully justifies changes made to the chosen design and plan when making the solution.”

What separates the bands

1-2My changelog includes few changes, and no real justification or explanation.
3-4My changelog includes many changes, but only some explanations and justifications.
5-6My changelong includes many changes, some of which have explanations and justifications.
7-8My changelog includes many changes which have explanations and justifications.

Tip

Don't wait to write about changes until the end!

Tip

The more detailed you are the better.

Tip

Changes explain your choices- telling a bigger story than it seems.

Tip

Your change log is individual, even though it might share some changes with the team.

Di / Criterion D, Evaluating

Design testing methods

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
2 classes
Worked
Individual
Do2 classes
  • The questionnaire, with its actual questions in their actual order
  • The observation sheet, with what is being tallied and how
  • The interview script, with prompts and follow ups
  • The user trial protocol, with what is timed or counted, by whom

On the unit page: Naming a method is not designing one.

Hand in
  • Test Plan + the instruments

Where it goes

ManageBac

GradedDi

“Designs detailed and relevant testing methods, which generate data, to measure the success of the solution.”

What separates the bands

1-2I chose testing methods that are unlikely to generate useful data.
3-4I designed basic testing methods which can generate some useful data.
5-6I designed testing methods which can generate useful data.
7-8I designed detailed testing methods which will generate useful data.

Tip

If your testing methods can be answered with yes or no, they are not likely to help much.

Tip

Your job when collecting data is to collect data, not to teach your game.

Tip

Microsoft Forms is an option, but should be one of many choices.

Tip

Be sure to collect quantitative AND qualitative data!

Dii / Criterion D, Evaluating

Evaluate against the specifications

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
2 classes
Worked
Individual
  1. 1Students test the finished game and evaluate it against their own specifications. Every success criterion is judged on the evidence the testing produced. 2The evaluation
Do2 classes

The requirements for this task have not been written yet.

On the unit page: The limits of your own evidence.

Hand in
  • Point by point evaluation

Where it goes

ManageBac

GradedDii

“Critically evaluates the success of the solution against the design specification based on authentic product testing.”

What separates the bands

1-2Not written yet
3-4Not written yet
5-6Not written yet
7-8Not written yet

Tip 1

Not written yet

Tip 2

Not written yet

Tip 3

Not written yet

Tip 4

Not written yet

Diii / Criterion D, Evaluating

Explain the improvements

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
1 class
Worked
Individual
Do1 class
  • Every improvement traces to a specific Dii finding. An improvement with no evidence behind it is a preference, and preferences do not evidence this strand.
  • Include one improvement for something that passed. Meeting a specification is not the same as being as good as it could be, and noticing that gap is a top band move.
Hand in
  • Ranked improvements

Where it goes

ManageBac

GradedDiii

“Explains how the solution could be improved.”

What separates the bands

1-2Not written yet
3-4Not written yet
5-6Not written yet
7-8Not written yet

Tip 1

Not written yet

Tip 2

Not written yet

Tip 3

Not written yet

Tip 4

Not written yet

Div / Criterion D, Evaluating

Explain the impact

Statement of inquiry

Designers communicate through the choices they give a player, and those choices decide who the game is really for.

Key concept
Communication
Related concepts
Innovation, Collaboration
Global context
Personal and Cultural Expression
Time
2 classes
Worked
Individual
Do2 classes

The requirements for this task have not been written yet.

Hand in
  • Impact report, poster or 2 pages

Where it goes

ManageBac

GradedDiv

“Explains the impact of the product on the client/target audience.”

What separates the bands

1-2Not written yet
3-4Not written yet
5-6Not written yet
7-8Not written yet

Tip 1

Not written yet

Tip 2

Not written yet

Tip 3

Not written yet

Tip 4

Not written yet