Week 4- Gaming Literacies

Words with Friends

Words with Friends is a leading social mobile game challenging players to create the highest-scoring words while playing against family and friends. Players can be engaged in up to 20 games at once and are able to chat with each other in game

1. What gaming elements provide users the learning content and how? (Refer to the journal article page 4).

The following gaming elements are embedded in Words with Friends.

Text:  Players needs to be able to read the directions and scoring rubric in order to receive the highest score and win.

Game Rules: Players need to know spelling of words and be able to determine which word will give them the maximum amount of points.

No embedded scenario design is present in Words with Friends.  The background does not affect the situation of the game.  Looking at the background would be like looking at the board game Scrabble. 

There are no visual-graphic or audio elements that enhance the game. 

2. What is the goal of the game?

The goal of the game is to form words vertically or horizontally on the board while trying to score as many points as possible for each word. 

3. What are rules of playing this game?

·         The first word must be placed so that 1 of the tiles is on the star in the center of the board.

·         Every word following that must be placed so that at least 1 tile is shared from an existing word on the board.

·         Tiles can only be placed in the same line vertically or horizontally each turn.

·         Tiles can be placed so that multiple new words are formed simultaneously using neighboring letters.

·         Words cannot be placed if they create an illegal word using neighboring letters.

·         All words labeled as a part of speech (including those listed of foreign origin, and as archaic, obsolete, colloquial, slang, etc.) are permitted with the exception of the following: proper nouns (words always capitalized), abbreviations, prefixes and suffixes standing alone or words requiring a hyphen or an apostropheforming words horizontally or vertically on the board, trying to score as many points as possible for each word.

4. Does this game have any scenario design? (Refer to the journal article page 5.) If yes, is this a fabricated or embedded in curriculum-related content?

Words with Friends does not have any scenario design

Assignment#2

     Grade level- 7^th grade

       Common core standards and learning outcomes http://www.corestandards.org/the-          %20standards

        ·         L.7.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

       ·         L.7.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases

       Instructional activities (how does this game help develop language acquisition and development, both oral and written, be creative?)

Words with Friends helps students develop language acquisition and development both orally and written.  Players must comprehend language in order to come up with words to submit.  The longer the word the more points you can earn.  Bigger words are better choices when produced than smaller words because they receive more points.  Players are exposed to more words which in turn increase their vocabulary and comprehension.  Seeing words and putting them into memory helps them when speaking to others or writing.  Players are more likely to look up large words for meaning to see if their words or other submitted words make sense. 

Students will be responsible for looking up 4 words unknown to them and submitted by other players.  They must write a definition, use the word in a sentence, and draw a picture of the word’s meaning.  All the words will be compiled into a classroom book that will be a resource kept in the classroom.  Students can use it as a dictionary when writing in journals.  If there are 20 students in the class and each student looks up 4 words, there will be a total of 80 words for the dictionary book.  If we do this every month, student vocabulary will increase drastically. 

      Assessment

      Students will be assessed by a rubric on the four words they have chosen.  The categories will be as follows:  Is there a proper definition? Is the word used in a sentence appropriately?  Is there a picture that explains the word’s meaning?

      Debriefing (refer to the journal article page 8 to 12)

      Students will use Blogs to write, organize, and reflect on their gaming strategy.  They will use complete sentences and correct grammar.  Students will then read and comment on their classmate’s blogs.

      What cognitive skills do this game help to cultivate?

      Words with Friends help students with the cognitive skill reasoning. 

      What new literacies skills do this game help to cultivate (refer to the journal article page 2 and 3)? 

      Words with Friends help cultivate logical thinking skills.