Resources

"Dice in the Dairyland: The History of Dungeons & Dragons."   These resources from PBS Wisconsin would be excellent for younger students, perhaps as part of a social studies lesson.  It has "Questions to Consider" and a video transcript available in Spanish.

Central Michigan University Press.  An independent game publisher that is part of CMU and its Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, you'll find several options that run the gamut from RPGs to board games, from K-12 through higher ed.  So far, all of the published games also offer options for accompanying teacher guides as well.

Dice Alliance.  An 501(c)3 in Western Kentucky (centered around Paducah) that has been offering services and support to youth since 2020, particularly in running after-school TTRPG clubs.   Founder Cory Toon was interviewed by CAR-PGa in October 2024.

NerdLouisville.   A 501(c)3 that supports Kentuckiana youth that started in 2015. ( A October 2017 story by Jeffrey Lee Puckett in The Courier-Journal explains how it came to be and some early partnerships it made.)  Support has included donation of game materials and partnering with a social worker to run an open D&D campaign with young players. 

Story Engine Decks.  The company has various card decks & expansion sets that can help build a narrative or world, with simple and intuitive rules.  While originally made for TTRPG players or GMs, the decks can be excellent for brainstorming fiction, understanding geography, or collaboratively practicing what is like to co-create a story.  Additionally, they have free lesson plan resources!  (While most of the lessons are aligned to middle and high school standards, others -- like the "9 Storytelling Activities" handout -- could be for any age group, depending on their literacy level and supports given.)

Play Make Learn (conference).  Held in Madison, Wisconsin, this annual conference has been running since 2017.  The focus is on many aspects of play in pre-K through college teaching;  the role of librarians (particularly in makerspaces); and game-based learning in general, from video games to board games to TTRPGs.  (Adam attended the 2024 conference, and some TTRPG stories from PML are here!)

Wisconsin Adventures.   Created by the Wisconsin Historical Society in honor of D&D's 50th Anniversary (which, of course, shares a historical connection to the state), this TTRPG incorporates myths and legends from Wisconsin into a 5e compatible set of adventures.    Per the website: "Within each adventure players will interact with characters inspired by historical figures, Wisconsin mythology, and actual locations. The historic background of each is provided at the end of the module, as well as an extensive list of English/Language Arts and Social Studies standards that can be met within the structure of the game."   There are several options for purchase, including an Educator Bundle.  This might serve as inspiration for your state or town's historical society, or for educators to create adventures around their own local myths and legends!  (Chris Baker)

Fart Quest The Game.    A free TTRPG to go with a popular book series Fart Quest, aimed at elementary grades 3-5, and inspired by the author's love of Dungeons & Dragons.  The link is to a ZIP file that contains printable PDFs of pregen characters, a map, player instructions, and a "Dungeon Master" guide.  (While this offical publisher website gives information about the book series and an overview of the game, the page only indicates two books  have been published when they are actually up to Part 4.) (Justin Gadd)

Let's Quest. A 501(c)(3) Florida charity established in 2024 "dedicated to supporting afterschool tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) programs by providing a treasure trove of resources and materials to educators and facilitators. All services and materials provided are at no cost to students, teachers, schools, or parents".   Let's Quest "believe[s] in the power of TTRPGs to inspire creativity, critical thinking, and community in young minds."  The site is beginning to build out resources to help educators. (John Johnson)

The Lost Universe.   NASA -- yes, as in the American space agency!  -- created a system-agnostic TTRPG adventure module to teach about the Hubble Telescope and space-related science.  This could be wonderful for students, assuming they already have characters (or are provided pre-generated ones), and if they are already familiar with the rules of an established TTRPG.  Because it is system-agnostic, it depends heavily on a GM to bring specifics, such as stat blocks of characters and monsters; it also notes that the "adventure is designed for a party of [four to seven] level 7-10 characters."  Based on the science concepts central to the module, I would recommend that the players are high school age (although you could customize the module for younger students).  The website contains free material such as a downloadable PDF for a GM, a map, and a poster advertising the game.  (Here's a 2024 interview with the NASA author of the adventure!)

DMless Adventures for 5e .   Limitless Adventures is a company with several 5e supplements, but their "DMless Adventures" line would be of particular usefulness to an educator who needs to a way for students to lead their own play.   The rules are simple, and consists of participants playing cards to determine each encounter; each card refers to a number in the guidebook very similar in style to a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book.   Their first boxset, The Blood Queen's Defiance, is recommended for five players with 4th Level characters; others are available on the Limitless Adventures website.  You might use the product as is, or use it to inspire you on how to automate your own academic TTRPG modules.  (Dan Reem and Tom Gross)

Lost in the Dark.  Another Limitless Adventures product; this is a solo adventure gamebook set around 5e rules.   The book leads you through character creation, and from there, advances you through the story complete with dice rolls and monster encounters.   Great for a classroom or school library for students to check out, or for enrichment time. 

Nations & Cannons.  Using the D&D fifth edition ruleset, players can create characters set during the American Revolutionary War.   There's plenty of game material to peruse on their website, as well as some educator opportunities to explore.

The Baby Bestiary Companion Rules uses the D&D fifth edition ruleset, and shows how to incorporate a character rescuing and raising a newborn fantasy monster.  This could be a way to bring in younger players into a roleplaying game experience that doesn't necessarily involve fighting and battles.

The Last Spike.  A board game about railroad expansion in the 1800's.   While there are many such historical games in the marketplace, what makes this one particularly worth highlighting is that they offer a "Teacher's Guide" of resources to go with it, with middle and high school lesson plan ideas.  You could find ways to add some role-playing elements!

The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure.  In the publisher's words, it is a "life-sized fantasy game experience" with a simplified rule set geared toward students kindergarten age and up.  Large durable tiles are placed on the ground, and students are to choose a pathway from one tile to the next while overcoming challenges and collecting tokens along the way.  This might be a good alternative activity for an elementary PE class, or even as a way to do a creative indoor recess.

Alexandria RPG Library is based in Seattle and is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization.  They have amassed a collection of thousands of RPG rulebooks and boxsets going back decades, which they often curate and exhibit around the country.  Their online database may serve as a resource for teachers or students researching the history of tabletop roleplaying games, but their website may also be the start of some inquiry-based learning: What can the history of role-playing games tell us about a culture over time?  How do various gaming systems create mathematical balance to ensure fair playability?  In what ways are RPGs inclusive and exclusive (lack of translated materials, accessibility concerns, cultural insensitivities, etc.), and how can we make RPGs more inclusive?  How can a roleplaying game charity positively impact a local or global community, and how can we help increase that impact?

Oddfish Games has some items that are just plain fun, including a guidebook on How to RPG with Your Cat.  But they also have products that could inspire some educational integration.  Their line of Adventure Scents could not only add to the ambiance of a roleplaying game journey, but could also increase the immersive experiences during a readaloud of a story, be the kickoff (whiff-off??) of a descriptive writing piece, or amplify a "you are there" moment of history.  Oddfish also publishes Cooking with Dice: The Acid Test, which could gamify a culinary arts unit or even inspire how to incorporate TTRPGs for the entire course.

American Library Association "Games and Gaming Roundtable."   The ALA has a page on their website dedicated to various ways that librarians can incorporate games into learning spaces.   TTRPGs frequently are mentioned in the articles.  (James Allen)

Kentucky, 1861: Loyalty, State, and Nation.  A role playing game module that is from the Reacting Consortium,; this particular one was highlighted from Reacting's extensive list of games for its obvious local connection.   While these Reacting games were originally created for college students to play, they certainly can be a starting point to demonstrate how such RPGs could be adapted for younger students to make history or literature come alive.  (Recently, Reacting Consortium launched a resource page for adapting their modules for high school students.)  The gamebooks for these modules need purchasing and a paid membership to the Reacting Consortium is required to access the rest of the gaming materials.  Note:  because its subject matter may be difficult for role-play, it is recommend to treat this Kentucky module  as something to analyze by educators but not actually use with K-12 students. 

Classcraft.   A digital platform that combines a positive behavior intervention system of rewards with a blended learning organization tool.  Many RPG elements are present, including avatar customization, "boss battles" (gamified formative reviews), personalized learning Quests, and more.  A basic plan is free, but a paid Premium level offers additional features.  For a video overview of Classcraft from a student's perspective, click here; for a introduction to Classcraft Quests, click here.  (Note:  Classcraft was recently purchased by HMH, and as announced here, the original platform was sunsetted in June 2024.  The new HMH Classcraft "will not instantly replicate every feature of the original platform, especially components related to gamification and behavior management. Our team is fully committed to reintegrating these vital elements over time but cannot confirm their immediate availability by June 30th [2024].")

Inkarnate.   This site allows you to create template-driven fantasy-style world maps or smaller scenario/city scale maps.  You can sign up with a Google account for a limited free account (limit of 10 maps and fewer templates to access), or pay for a "pro" account. (John Brewer)

Dungeon Scrawl.   You can create dungeon maps for free that are "saved" within the browser with export options.  A paid pro option is also available with a few more features.  (John Brewer)

Inklewriter.   A branching narrative writing tool, free and accessible via your browser.  You can write and publish stories with branching "Choose Your Own Adventure"-style logic, allowing your eventual reader to experience the story like it's a text-based game.  The linked page gives tips on how to create free, anonymous accounts for your students.  

Twine.   Another CYOA-style branching narrative writing tool that allows you to publish for others.  It's a free open-source tool that can be accessed via your browser or as a downloaded desktop app.   While there are some Twine options that might require, benefit from, or provide practice in coding, you can also use Twine as a simple WYSIWYG text creator. (John Brewer)

Dungeons & Dragons "Build an Adventure."  Official lesson plans for grades 4-6 and 6-8 (language arts, science [NGSS}, and mathematics), including introductory materials such as game and character rules.  Created by Young Minds Inspired in partnership with Wizards of the Coast.

Dungeons & Dragons: Official Site Educator Resources.   Among other resources, I'd recommend requesting a free "Afterschool Club Kit" (supplies are limited and they likely go fast after the start of a school year!) as well as apply for a "D&D Beyond Educator License," which upon approval gets you free electronic access to the three key rulebooks as well as some adventure modules.  In both cases, these may be limited to one person per school/library/enrichment center.

"System Reference Document 5.1."  A 400+ page PDF released by Wizards of the Coast under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, this is the 5E compatible set of rules on how to create characters, combat, spells, magic items, monsters and more.

Online dice rolling sites:

• D & D Beyond (official; besides digital dice, also has D&D character creation and other tools; requires a free account)

• Google Dice Roller

• D & D Dice Roller (unofficial)

• DM Tools:  3D Dice.   The website also has other useful free tools, such as an Initiative Tracker.