Objective: 

Students will role-play a physical board game and adjust game variables, such as movement speed, resources, and game layout. They will analyze how these changes impact strategy and player success, and reflect on how the same concept applies to coding computer games, where altering parameters affects gameplay.

Materials Needed:

• Pre-made simple board game setups (with variables that can be easily modified, such as movement speed, resource availability, and game board layout)

• Tokens or game pieces for players

• Notepads for recording observations and results

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Begin by asking, “What kinds of things make a game challenging or fun?” 

  • Discuss how changing variables, such as player movement speed or the number of obstacles, affects gameplay. 

  • Explain that in today’s activity, students will adjust different parts of a simple game and see how these changes impact the way the game is played. 

  • Relate this to how computer games are coded, where developers adjust variables to create a balanced, fun experience.

• Group Activity: 

  • Divide students into small groups and provide each group with a pre-made board game setup. 

  • Each group will play a basic round of the game, recording the results. 

  • Then, allow them to modify one variable at a time, such as how fast players can move across the board (changing movement from 2 spaces to 4 spaces), how many resources they need to win, or the number of obstacles on the board.

• Testing and Refining: 

  • After each round, students will discuss how the game felt with the new variable changes. Was it harder or easier to win? Did changing one aspect of the game make it more or less strategic? 

  • Encourage students to test multiple variations of the game by changing different variables one at a time and recording how these adjustments affected the game’s outcome and player strategies.

• Discussion: 

  • Once students have finished their game rounds, lead a class discussion. Ask, “How did adjusting the variables change your game? Did it affect the strategy or the pace of the game?” 

  • Guide students to consider how this process is similar to coding a computer game, where developers adjust variables like difficulty level, player abilities, and resource availability to create a balanced game. 

  • Ask them to think about how game designers test different setups to create the best player experience.

• Presentation: 

  • Each group will present their modified game setup, explaining which variables they changed and how these changes affected gameplay. 

  • They should also discuss how they would balance the game to make it more fun or fair, based on the results of their testing.

Equity and Access: 

Provide pre-labeled game boards with clearly defined variables for students who may need additional support. Pair students with varying strengths to encourage collaboration and peer learning. Offer guided questions to help students analyze how variable changes impacted the game, ensuring all students can participate in the discussion.

Real-World Application: 

Relate the lesson to how game developers use coding to adjust variables in video games. Discuss how balancing difficulty levels, character abilities, or item availability in popular games like Minecraft or Fortnite involves changing these variables to create a fun and challenging experience.

CS Practice(s):

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify how changing one variable at a time impacts the game’s overall outcome, simulating how developers refine gameplay.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: Students playtest different versions of their game, refining it to find a balanced and enjoyable gameplay experience.

Standard(s):

• CA NGSS MS-ETS1-3

• CA CS 6-8.DA.9

Objective: 

Students will use Microsoft MakeCode or another game creation platform such as Scratch or App lab to build a game where they can adjust variables like player speed, resource distribution, and game rules. They will analyze how these changes affect gameplay outcomes, and refine their games to create more balanced or strategic experiences.

Materials Needed:

• Computers or tablets with access to Microsoft MakeCode or a similar game creation platform

• Recording sheets or digital spreadsheets to track game data and player outcomes

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Start by explaining that games often use adjustable variables to create balanced experiences. 

  • Discuss how changing variables, such as player speed or resource availability, can make a game easier or harder. 

  • Introduce Microsoft MakeCode or another coding platform where students will build and modify their own games by adjusting these variables.

• Group Activity: 

  • In pairs, students will create a simple game using a coding platform. They will start by coding a game where two characters compete to collect resources. 

  • Once the game is built, students will identify key variables to adjust, such as character speed, resource locations, or the size of the game board.

• Testing and Refining: 

  • Students will test their games by playing multiple rounds and recording the outcomes. 

  • They will analyze how different variables affect which player wins and whether the game feels balanced or fair. 

  • Based on the data collected, students will adjust variables to create a more strategic or even gameplay experience, refining their code as needed.

• Presentation and Discussion: 

  • Each pair will present their game to the class, demonstrating how they adjusted variables and refined their game based on player outcomes. 

  • They will explain which changes made the game more balanced and discuss how computational thinking helped them improve their game design.

Equity and Access: 

Provide pre-built game templates for students who need additional support in using the coding platform. Pair students with varying coding experience to encourage collaboration, and offer visual aids for students who may need additional guidance in understanding game mechanics and variables.

Real-World Application: 

Connect the activity to real-world game development, where designers use testing and feedback to refine variables such as difficulty levels, character abilities, or resource management. Explain how understanding game mechanics is crucial for creating fair, engaging, and successful games.

CS Practice(s):

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students create and modify a digital game using a coding platform, adjusting variables to change gameplay.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: Students test the effects of different variables, analyze game outcomes, and refine their code to improve the balance and strategy of the game.

Standard(s):

• CA NGSS MS-ETS1-3

• CA CS 6-8.DA.9