How a Classroom Game Becomes an Embedded Assessment

In Galactic Mappers, a social studies game about physical geography, students compete in teams to create the most geographically diverse continent in a shared hemisphere. This group mapping project encourages students to collaborate, design, iterate, and present a finished product in a single class period.

It’s also a fun and informative way to assess my sixth grade students at Quest to Learn early in the school year—and a powerful example of an embedded assessment that allows me to better support the learning process.

Embedding Assessment in a Game

Galactic Mappers provides many opportunities for me to assess my students, give immediate feedback, and track their learning across a class period as they attempt to reach their goal.

As they design their first continent, I might observe a group and note how easily they construct landforms without using notes or text. Better yet, I might see a student assisting her teammates. And I can always ask certain students to define the different landforms they are about to “unlock” as they play. In this way, the game enables me to clearly identify if any student is having difficulty understanding a concept, and then support her or have a teammate do so.

The game also allows me to assess skills beyond content—primarily social and emotional learning skills. Like most games, Galactic Mappers has time limits as well as winners and losers. In the time it takes to play a complete game, I can see which students are skilled time managers and collaborators, and how each student deals with frustration and challenges.

During gameplay, I check in with groups and individuals, and record observations. I use a rubric that assesses three areas:

1. Geography skills: Students can use a key and proper labeling skills, as well as demonstrate a firm knowledge of physical geography.

2. Design: Students present a clear, neat, and visually pleasing continent that is appropriate for a map.

3. Listening: Students have the ability to listen to their teammates and teacher, as well as be a positive force in their group.

Preparation and Planning

In order to successfully implement an embedded assessment in a game like Galactic Mappers, it’s useful to lay some important groundwork in the days leading up to gameplay.

Gameplay

Galactic Mappers is generally played during one 90-minute class period, but it can be adjusted to fit different schedules. Gameplay is divided into several rounds that involve both group work and whole-class discussion. Opportunities for feedback and assessment differ in each round.

Next Steps

I’ve been thinking about iterations on this game to challenge students further or teach different concepts—for example, modifying it to focus on building actual continents or civilizations that students are learning about. While this may take away some of the more creative elements of the game, it would certainly ground it in the reality of the civilizations we will be studying over the course of the year.