FRIT 7090: Games and Instructional Design

The Heros Quest

Final Project
Summer 2015

Cindy Dixon

Instructional Goals and Objectives

This unit is designed for a 9th grade Literature and Composition class to teach the
characteristics of the classic heros journey and quest and classic archetypes in
literature with the video game Lego: The Hobbit. Through playing the video game,
students will experience the trials and tests of the classic hero rather than simply
reading them as in a traditional text. Students will analyze the components of the story
told through the action of the game to synthesize the information into a explanatory
narrative. Students will explore this content to reach the goals/standards of determining
theme, analyzing complex characters and their development, analyzing authors choice
of text Story told through the game) structure, and point of view all while engaging in
and playing the video game. Instruction will begin with a foundation and exploration of
Joseph Campbells monomyth and outline of the Hero Cycle. One goal of this unit is to
reveal to students the relevance of the heros quest and journey to our society today in
our culture which includes the structure of our literature, films, and games. The students
will meet the following standards:
ELAGSE9-10RL2: Determine a theme and/or central idea of text and closely analyze its
development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and
refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
ELAGSE9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters(e.g., those with multiple or
conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters,
and advance the plot or develop the theme.
ELAGSE9-10RL5: Analyze how an authors choices concerning how to structure a text,
order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks)
create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
ELAGSE9-10W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex
ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content.
https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Frameworks/ELA-9-10-Grade10Literature-Composition-Standards.pdf

Learner Characteristics
This class of 26 15-16 year old students is a high achieving class. It consists of 14
females and 12 males. The income level of this class of students range from a medium
income level to a high income level with none of the students on free or reduced lunch.
The demographic makeup of the class is 90% Caucasian, 10% Latino,African American,
and other. They are motivated to learn and excel. All of them are also enrolled in
Advanced Placement World History and several take one or two other Advanced
Placement Courses such as: AP Statistics and AP Psychology. The majority (all but 3
students plan on advancing to AP Language and AP Literature for their 10th and 11th
grade year). All students took the 9th grade Literature and composition class as 8th
grade students in an accelerated curriculum. All students scored as Exceeds on their
End of Course Test for 9th Grade Literature and Composition. 11 of the 26 students are
qualified as Gifted under the current requirements for the state of Georgia. All of them
have been in an advanced track taking honors classes prior to tenth grade. A particular
characteristic of this class is that while they are highly motivated, it is sometimes the
grade or score that motivates them more than actually learning the material. They are
willing to learn to earn points for a high GPA, but at times do not see the value and
relevance in what they are learning and why. These students come with moderate to
advanced skills in using technology and all of them own some type of device for
computing and gaming. They come from households where they are supported and
provided for. The students in this class have had training and experience in the use of
chromebooks for a minimum of one year as part of a pilot program for Bryan County
School System.

Content and Instructional Strategies/ Sequence of Lesson

Day 1
1.The teacher will present the Hero Cycle Handout along with a slide presentation and
discuss each phase of the heros quest and journey ( departure, initiation, and
return)with the students using the well-known characters from The Lion King as
examples of each of the qualities, trials, and structure that make up the theme of the
heros quest. *see Handout included *see sample of slide presentation included
Goal/Objective: ELAGSE9-10RL2: Determine a theme and/or central idea of text and closely analyze its
development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific
details; provide an objective summary of the text.

2.The teacher will introduce the game Lego:The Hobbit

http://thehobbit.lego.com/en-us/videogame by presenting the introduction of the the
story and overview of the game tasks in the guide provided with the game.
Goal/Objective: ELAGSE9-10RL2: Determine a theme and/or central idea of text and closely analyze its
development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific
details; provide an objective summary of the text.

Day 2-3 ( may need to adjust- it is difficult to determine the amount of time it will take
each group to play through one section of the game)
1.In groups, students will play through one of the following stages of the game and
record on a chart how their actions and steps in the game indicate the following:
stage in the theme of the quest, development of character, how each choice or
task contributes to the structure of the whole story. * See Chart included
Note- This video game could take weeks to play in its entirety. The following phases of the game are chosen
to represent the main stages of the heros quest so that the lesson can be completed within a 3-4 day time
frames.

Group

Stage in
Video Game

Correlation to
Hero Cycle
Outline

Stage 2 The
Unexpected
Party

Departure The Call to

Adventure Refusal of the
Call

Stage 3
The Battle
with the
Orcs

The Road of
Trials

Stage 10
The Battle
with the
Spiders

The Road of
Trials

Stage 5 The
Barrels out
of Bond

Rescue from
Without

Stage 7
Gollums
Puzzles

Supernatural
Aid

Stage 16
Defeat
Smaug

Apotheosis:
Ultimate Battle

ELAGSE9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters(e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations)
develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

ELAGSE9-10RL5: Analyze how an authors choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it
(e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension,
or surprise.

Day 4
4. Using the information from their charts, students will write a short explanatory
narrative explaining how the steps they followed in the game are a part of the cycle of a
hero and how each character is developed. They will also explain how both of these
contribute to the overall theme and structure of The Heros Quest.
ELAGSE9-10W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and
information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

5. Students will present their narratives to the class. Class discusses.

Learner Assessment
The students writing will assessed with the explanatory narrative rubric. Students who
successfully create their narratives as the final product of this lesson will score at least a
7 (meets standards) or above in each category of the rubric.
*see Rubric included
Evaluation
Students will have an opportunity to provide their feedback of the lesson and the Lego
Hobbit game on an evaluation form provided at the lessons conclusion. The teacher
will review the responses and use the information to improve the lesson.

Hero Cycle Handout

Source: http://englishteachers.wikispaces.com/file/view/Unit+Plan.

Slide Sample Lion King

Source: http://www.mythologyteacher.com/The-Hero%27s-Journey.php

Chart for Students

Stage of Game:

Correlation to Hero Cycle

Outline:

Character(s)
Suggestion:focus on only one or two
characters:

List Actions/Choice of
Characters

Development (changes) in character

aligned with his/her actions

How each action contributes

to theme of Heros Quest

Rubric for Explanatory Narrative

The teacher will assign a grade ranging from 1-10 for each rubric category based on the following:
Scoring Guidelines:
Exceeds Performance Level = 10/15; writing demonstrates all of the characteristics.
Meets Performance Level = 7; writing demonstrates the majority of the characteristics.
Meets Part of Performance Level =5; writing demonstrates about half of the characteristics.
Does Not Meet Performance Level = 0; writing does not demonstrates any of the characteristics.

Category

Exceeds Performance Level Characteristics

Content
10pts

Draws evidence from literary texts to support analysis, reflection.

Integrates information into the text (game) selectively to maintain the flow of ideas and
expresses an accurate analysis of the theme of the heros quest

Evidence
10pts

Links examples from text(game) to the theme and structure of Heros Quest

Integration
10pts

Draws evidence from literary texts (game) to support analysis, reflection. of complex
characters and their development with each action within the game

Organization
10pts

Creates an organization that presents the information gathered from the game (via the
chart) in a logical order

Style
10pts

Establishes and maintains an effective formal style and objective tone

Acquires and uses accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases,
sufficient for comprehension of the text (game) from Hero Cycle Handout

Conventions
10pts

Score

Demonstrates command of the standard English conventions for grammar and usage.

Total Points 60

_______

Survey

Circle the answer that appropriately describes your experience.

1.Were the instructions easy to follow?

Yes

Somewhat

No

2.Were you able to define the characteristics of the quest in the game as defined in the
teacher presentation?
Yes
Somewhat
No

3. Were you able to define the characteristics of the quest in the game as defined in the
Hero Cycle Handout?
Yes
Somewhat
No

4. Do you feel the video game was too difficult or frustrating to play?
Yes
Somewhat

No

5. Do you feel that the introduction to the video game was adequate to prepare you for
playing the game?
Yes
Somewhat
No