Game Assessment
Stephanie MacLaren
14 November 2012
My game was based off of the book The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of
Anything. I believe my game went decently well. An overall trend that I noticed was that the
older preschoolers grasped the concept of the game off of the story that I shared beforehand,
however the younger preschoolers were less engaged with the plot of the game and left before
they got to the end. Something that I did not expect to find was when the children worked
together and compromised. The object of the game was to collect pieces of a scarecrow as they
moved along the board. When each child reached the end they needed to use all the collected
items to create a scarecrow. When Dennis reached the end of the game he was missing a
pumpkin head to complete his scarecrow, when Isabella realized this she offered him her extra
pumpkin head, because she had collected two along the way. The biggest challenge that I faced
while doing this lesson was the distracting game pieces. I initially laid out all of the materials for
the children to get them interested, but as I was reading they decided to play with the theme
related moving pieces and ran off with them or tore the eyes off and asked mid-story if I could
fix them. This was distracting both to me, and to the children trying to listen to the story. It was
difficult to then get those children back on task, because they insisted on re-gluing the pieces
back together after repeatedly ripping them off. I knew that next time around that I needed to not
present the game pieces before the reading and to bring only the more nondescript game pieces.
Children tended to respond positively to my game. When the teacher asked who would
like to play my game there were many students interested and raised their hands and wiggled in
their seat, but some had to wait for the next round. The children that got to play the first round
worked together and took turns. However, the children that had to wait got upset that they could
not play right away and I would have to convince them to either watch or go to another center for
the time being and assured them that I would come find them when the first set of students were
done playing. Children could never remember the order in which they had to roll, and would not
even care if another child rolled twice in a row as long as they asked first. The child that then
rolled and moved her piece then handed the dice to the person next to them and the game kept
going. The one aspect of the game that got blurry was when the children chose their piece at the
beginning of the game, and then wanted to switch with another player mid-way through. Most of
the time, the children just switched their game pieces, but sometimes they argued and would yell,
“No this is my piece! You chose that one!” Kamii’s article stated that the major objections to
games are: children already have a competitive nature and will soon be exposed to it in the
primary grade years and also losing a game is upsetting to children. However, just like in the
article I made it clear to each student that there were no winners and losers, and that the goal of
the game is to just collect the materials and reach the end of the game. Children were free to join
the activity, and were not forced to participate, and could walk away if they were not interested
in the rules and activity. My goal as the teacher, according to Kamii, is to keep children
organized and to protect the weaker students from the bullies. However, there were no bullies in
any of the groups and they worked together to make sure they all reached the end of the game
and even shared collected materials to make sure each player could make a scarecrow in the end.
My game was a game of chance, the luck of the roll, and therefore each student has a fair chance
of completing the game first because it is all do to chance and not skill.
Two of the three aspects of my graded rubric were met by the children. All of the
children were able to count the number of dots on the dice, and efficiently move their piece in
the right direction for the correct number of spaces with little assistance. Dennis rolled a six and
while pointing to each dot proceeded to say out loud, “One, two, three, four, five, six!” Then he
picked up his piece and counted the same amount of spaces and then looked up and smiled at me.
The older students also understood that the concept of collecting pieces was related to the story,
and followed the rules that were established on how to get the materials. Isabella would land on a
green space, and would see that in the visual game key that green meant she got a pair of pants.
She would then ask me for the pair of pants to add to her scarecrow. The one outcome I tried to
meet, that did not work out was the idea of sounding out words. Each space had the material
written on it such as “Pants” or “Pumpkin.” I tried to get each child to sound out the word the
first time they rolled and moved, but most gave me wide-eyed stares that indicated they either
were too intimidated to try or had not learned letter and sound relationships. Dennis and Isabella
both tried to read the words, but gave up once they realized that each material also corresponded
to a certain color and that this relationship was written out on the corner of the game board. For
the most part, the outcomes of each skill were the same in both teachings. I did not reveal the
color key at the beginning of the second teaching in hope that the children would try to sound out
the words with help from me, but they soon got frustrated with themselves and I then showed
them the color/material relationship key in the corner and the game then continued on more
smoothly. I think expecting children to not only do math, grasp a concept based on a book, and
reading may be too intense for one game in a pre-school setting.
Based on responses from my first playing, I altered my game for the second time around.
I found that the game took too long for some children, and therefore I added another die, so
children could move potentially more spaces and the game would not be as drawn out. Children
seemed to like this plan better, because more children wanted to play a second round with me. I
also did not present theme related pieces the second time, and instead just brought different
colored/shaped erasers. The children thoroughly enjoyed manipulating the pipe-cleaners and
making new shaped monsters. However, the home-made monster pieces presented the first time
around were way too distracting for the children, and deterred from the board game, and they
insisted on playing with those pieces instead of the nondescript ones. By just presenting the nondescript pieces after the game, more children paid attention to the story and grasped the concept
of collecting those materials along the way, because they could recall what events occurred in the
book. I would not change the game itself, but I do feel that it may be geared more towards
Kindergarteners with the reading aspect on the spaces, however by providing a color key for the
collected materials it helps adapt to a preschool setting.
According to the article by Winstrom, it is the teacher’s responsibility to make sure that
the directions are simple and easy to follow. I explained the directions in a few different ways
and then proceeded to play the game with the children to model what will happen when they
each land on a certain colored space. If I rolled a three I would say, “One, two, three” and count
as I move my piece and then say, “Oh, I landed on orange! That means I get a pumpkin head”
while pointing to the color coded key in the corner. As I do this I will explain why I’m doing
this, so the children will make real-world connections back to the book and also what it would
take to create a scarecrow. I asked more questions the second time I played the game to keep the
children engaged and to keep thinking about the end goal: to create a scarecrow. I would ask
them questions such as, “Oh you have almost all of the pieces, but there was something in the
book that went ‘clomp, clomp’ that you still need to get. Do you remember what made that
sound? How far away is the next space with that object on it?” According to the article by Cutler,
children are more likely to get involved if the game is a hands-on activity that is meaningful to
children. Since many of the children enjoyed the story, they then have the benefit of
understanding the concept of the game and I was able to weave literacy and math together into
one cohesive piece. Children’s books provide a natural and meaningful path for exploring and
exchanging ideas about math and unique concepts.
I believe that using games is an effective way of teaching young children. Some of the
children from the CFDRC are from areas of low socio-economic status. According to the article
by Ramai and Siegler, playing a numerical game for about an hour (the same amount of time as
free center play) will increase low-income preschooler’s proficiency on numerical tasks such as
counting and numerical magnitude comparison. By counting the number on the dice and then
counting the number of spaces they move, they accomplish the former task. To accomplish the
latter, the teacher could ask questions such as “How many spaces are you away from the end?
How many spaces is Dennis from the end? Which one is more? Who might finish first?” Cutler
states that by creating a game that follows a path, children are more likely to work cooperatively
together and take turns and compromise as well as use more abstract thinking. I believe this to be
true because not only did the children playing the game work well together and ask for the dice
when it was their turn, they also were able to think critically about the concept of the book and
how it connected back to the game. Kamii’s article addressed the issues of such board games. It
was stated that teachers do not like games because they will increase competition in students.
However, preschoolers can choose to play a game, and can walk away at any time and are not
concerned yet with beating out another student. There was nothing to physically win in my
game, and the “glory” of finishing first faded off after I asked if anyone wanted to play again.
According to Kamii, that is the role of the teacher: to keep the children that did not win from
feeling like losers. Overall, children were free to join the game, and also have the choice to leave
if they do not like the rules and did not want to be ‘the child that always loses.’ Games that role a
dice or draw a card are completely up to chance, and that needs to be explained to students afraid
to lose, because games should be a fun way to learn not a torturous teaching method.
“Little Old Lady’s Walk Through the Woods Game” Lesson Plan
Stephanie MacLaren
Standards:
The Connecticut State Department of Education Performance Standards Met:
- P& S 7: Works cooperatively with peers.
- COG 5. Compares and orders objects and events
- COG 6. Relates number to quantity
- COG 10. Shows understanding of stories
Learner Background
All children participating in the game will be between the ages of two and four. Some of
the younger children will need assistance in counting the number on the dice and moving their
piece the correct amount of spaces in the right direction. Some of the children that attend the
CFDRC live in the Windham area, and come from a low SES home. Therefore, these children
may not have as much experience with a board game as some of their peers. A couple of the
children have been identified with a learning disability, and as a result may need assistance in all
aspects of the game such as collecting materials, counting, and taking turns with peers. One
young girl speaks predominantly Spanish at home, and the teacher occasionally needs to repeat
questions for her in both languages. This child may need more support in understanding the
verbal rules, and may need them repeated in Spanish.
Outcomes (objectives)
- Children will accurately count the number presented on the dice and proceed to move
their game piece that amount of spaces forward on the game board (COG 6).
- Children will learn to cooperate with peers and wait for their turn (P& S 7).
- Students will attempt to sound out a word written on a space.
- Students will show story understanding as they collect materials to build a scarecrow as
that was the outcome of the story (Cog 10).
- When children complete the game they will order the objects they collected into the form
of a scarecrow (COG 5).
An observation rubric will be used to score the performance on three of the project outcomes
of two children, during each teaching of the game.
Materials and Resources
- Little Old Lady Board Game
- The book: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
- A die
- Monster themed Game pieces made out of pipe cleaners
- Draw cards with each material (hat, gloves, pants, shirt, shoes, pumpkin) printed on it
Learning Activities
Initiation: I will place the game board out on the table with all of the materials for them to see.
I will ask the students if they have ever read the book “The Little Old Lady Who Was
Not Afraid of Anything.” If they have not, then I will read the book, and if they have I
will ask them if they would like to me to reread it to them. After I have read it then I will
show them the game board and ask them what they think the game is about based on the
materials like the draw cards. I will show them the draw cards, game pieces, and dice and
show them how to move their pieces along the spaces. I will then show them based on
what color space they land on they get a new item to collect.
Playing the game: I will play the first round of the game with the children, and as I roll the dice I
will explain what I am doing and count the number on the dice, and then count as I move
spaces. If I land on a specific color I will go, “I landed on blue! That means I get to
collect a shirt!” That way I can restate the rules.
I will ask questions about the story that I read such as, “Oh you still need one more thing
to make the scarecrow. What was the last thing that tried to scare the little old lady that
said ‘Boo!’?”
To ensure that everyone takes turns I will ask students who is supposed to go next so they
can learn to work together. When a child gets close to the end of the game I can ask them
who they think will reach the end first and why is that? How many spaces away from the
end is that player?
Closure:
I will ask the students if they enjoyed the game and the story. If they did like the game I
will ask them what their favorite part of it was. If a child disliked the game I will ask him what
he did not like about it. If they did not collect all the items to make a scarecrow then I will ask
them what they are missing based on the last page of the book which has a picture of the
scarecrow. I can also ask them what was the smallest or largest number they rolled with the dice.
Adaptations:
If a child has a cognitive disability then I will assist them in rolling the die, and then as
they move their game piece I can point to each next space and count out loud with them.
If a child has a large or fine motor disability and cannot physically move their game piece
or collect cards on their own then they can have a peer next to them roll the dice and whatnot for
them, so they can still enjoy the game and collect the materials. Or I could create teams if there is
a larger group of kids, with more than one child with a disability, and the teams can use one
game piece and play against the other teams. This way the children can collaborate and all
participate in the game at once without feeling like they do not have the skills necessary to
complete the game.
“Little Old Lady’s Walk Through the Woods Game” Lesson Plan
Revised
Stephanie MacLaren
Standards:
The Connecticut State Department of Education Performance Standards Met:
- P& S 7: Works cooperatively with peers.
- COG 5. Compares and orders objects and events
- COG 6. Relates number to quantity
- COG 10. Shows understanding of stories
Learner Background
All children participating in the game will be between the ages of two and four. Some of
the younger children will need assistance in counting the number on the dice and moving their
piece the correct amount of spaces in the right direction. Some of the children that attend the
CFDRC live in the Windham area, and come from a low SES home. Therefore, these children
may not have as much experience with a board game as some of their peers. A couple of the
children have been identified with a learning disability, and as a result may need assistance in all
aspects of the game such as collecting materials, counting, and taking turns with peers. One
young girl speaks predominantly Spanish at home, and the teacher occasionally needs to repeat
questions for her in both languages. This child may need more support in understanding the
verbal rules, and may need them repeated in Spanish.
Outcomes (objectives)
- Children will accurately count the number presented on the dice and proceed to move
their game piece that amount of spaces forward on the game board (COG 6).
- Children will learn to cooperate with peers and wait for their turn (P& S 7).
- Students will attempt to sound out a word written on a space.
- Students will show story understanding as they collect materials to build a scarecrow as
that was the outcome of the story (Cog 10).
- When children complete the game they will order the objects they collected into the form
of a scarecrow (COG 5).
An observation rubric will be used to score the performance on three of the project outcomes
of two children, during each teaching of the game.
Materials and Resources
- Little Old Lady Board Game
- The book: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
- Two dice
- Game pieces made from different shaped erasers
- Draw cards with each material (hat, gloves, pants, shirt, shoes, pumpkin) printed on it
Learning Activities
Initiation: I will ask the students if they have ever read the book “The Little Old Lady Who Was
Not Afraid of Anything.” I will then read the book. After I have read, then I will
show them the game board and ask them what they think the game is about based
on the materials like the draw cards. I will show them the draw cards, game pieces,
and dice and show them how to move their pieces along the spaces. I will then show them
based on what color space they land on they get a new item to collect. Those items are
the ones that appeared to try and scare the old lady in the book.
Playing the game: I will play the first round of the game with the children, and as I roll the dice I
will explain what I am doing and count the number on the dice, and then count as I move
spaces. If I land on a specific color I will go, “I landed on blue! That means I get to
collect a shirt!” And then point to the “key” in the corner. That way I can restate the
rules. Initially, I wanted the children to try to read the words on the spaces, but
some will not be at that level, so I will provide a color key.
I will ask questions about the story that I read such as, “Oh you still need one more thing
to make the scarecrow. What was the last thing that tried to scare the little old lady that
said ‘Boo!’?”
To ensure that everyone takes turns I will ask students who is supposed to go next so they
can learn to work together. When a child gets close to the end of the game I can ask them
who they think will reach the end first and why is that? How many spaces away from the
end is that player?
Closure:
I will ask the students if they enjoyed the game and the story. If they did like the game I
will ask them what their favorite part of it was. If a child disliked the game I will ask him what
he did not like about it. If they did not collect all the items to make a scarecrow then I will ask
them what they are missing based on the last page of the book which has a picture of the
scarecrow. I can also ask them what was the smallest or largest number they rolled with the dice?
Adaptations:
If a child has a cognitive disability then I will assist them in rolling the die, and then as
they move their game piece I can point to each next space and count out loud with them.
If a child has a large or fine motor disability and cannot physically move their game piece
or collect cards on their own then they can have a peer next to them roll the dice and whatnot for
them, so they can still enjoy the game and collect the materials. Or I could create teams if there is
a larger group of kids, with more than one child with a disability, and the teams can use one
game piece and play against the other teams. This way the children can collaborate and all
participate in the game at once without feeling like they do not have the skills necessary to
complete the game.
Early Childhood Education Rubric
Name of student(s): Cameron and Dennis
Name of Activity or Lesson: ____
Game Assessment (First Time)________________
In Progress
Proficient
Advanced
2
1
Student cannot
count the number of
spaces they are
supposed to move
unless assisted by
an adult
1
Student does not try
to sound out word
on the space they
landed on and
immediately asks
what the word is.
1
The student does
not understand the
concept of the game
is to collect articles
that make a
scarecrow based on
what the little old
lady comes into
contact to in the
book.
4
5
Child can count the
number on the dice
and efficiently more
their pieces the
number of spaces.
Dennis
2
3
Student tries to
sound out the word
and when they
reach a point they
do not know it then
they ask for help.
4
5
Student sounds out
the word they
landed on until they
string the sounds of
the letters together
to form a word that
corresponds to a
piece.
2
3
Student understands
the story that was
read to them, but
needs explanation
as to why they are
collecting pieces as
they play.
4
5
Understands the
rules of the game
and relates them
back to the story
they just listened to.
They understand
the pieces being
collected are what
tried to scare the
old lady, and in the
end become a
scarecrow.
Dennis
Cameron
3
Child can begin to
move their game
piece but are unsure
of counting some of
the time and will
ask for assistance
Early Childhood Education Rubric
Name of student(s): Isabella and Maddie
Name of Activity or Lesson: ____
Game Assessment (Second Time)
In Progress
Proficient
Advanced
2
3
Child can begin to
move their game
piece but are unsure
of counting some of
the time and will
ask for assistance
4
5
Child can count the
number on the dice
and efficiently more
their pieces the
number of spaces.
1
Student does not try
to sound out word
on the space they
landed on and
immediately asks
what the word is.
2
3
Student tries to
sound out the word
and when they
reach a point they
do not know it then
they ask for help.
4
5
Student sounds out
the word they
landed on until they
string the sounds of
the letters together
to form a word that
corresponds to a
piece.
1
The student does
not understand the
concept of the game
is to collect articles
that make a
scarecrow based on
what the little old
lady comes into
contact to in the
book.
2
3
Student understands
the story that was
read to them, but
needs explanation
as to why they are
collecting pieces as
they play.
4
5
Understands the
rules of the game
and relates them
back to the story
they just listened to.
They understand
the pieces being
collected are what
tried to scare the
old lady, and in the
end become a
scarecrow.
1
Student cannot
count the number of
spaces they are
supposed to move
unless assisted by
an adult
Early Childhood Education
Board Game Evaluation Rubric
Name of student(s): Stephanie MacLaren
1
Project is not
completed precisely
as assigned. Parts
are missing, the
format is incorrect,
or other elements do
not conform to
guidelines. Plan is
not submitted to
teacher prior to
game playing visit.
1
Game lacks artistic
elements, is less
engaging, and/or is
not sturdy enough to
hold up over
repeated uses.
2
3
Project is completed
by due date and in
assigned manner.
4
5
Project exceeds
assigned guidelines
in some way. Extra
elements are
included, particular
creativity is shown,
or the project in
other ways exceeds
expectations.
2
3
Game is engaging to
children, colorful,
attractive, sturdy,
and/or covered to
protect surfaces.
4
1
Game narrative and
plans are poorly
written,
unorganized,
unclear, and/or
illegible. The
narrative does not
conform to
assignment
guidelines.
1
Game narrative
lacks reflection on
child outcomes,
developmental
appropriateness, or
teaching experiences
and abilities.
2
3
Game narratives and
plans are wellwritten, organized
and clear. The plan
is polished an
professional.
4
2
3
Game narratives and
plans show some
depth of reflection,
including personal
insight and
consideration of
child outcomes,
developmental
appropriateness, and
teaching abilities
and experiences.
4
5
Game meets criteria
under number 3 and
contains elements
that are particularly
artful, innovative, or
show exceptional
effort by the student.
5
Game narratives and
plans are
exceptionally wellwritten, clear,
professional, and
detailed. Writing
quality exceeds
expectations for
undergraduate
students.
5
Game narratives and
plans show deep
reflection, including
great personal
insight, thoughtful
consideration of
child outcomes,
developmental
appropriateness, and
teaching abilities.
1
The narrative, plans,
and the game itself
do not reflect
specific course
ideas.
2
3
The narrative,
plans, and the game
itself reflect key
ideas and guidelines
discussed in class.
Reference is made
to a few readings.
4
1
The game includes
contains few novel
ideas or elements.
2
3
The game contains
some creative ideas
or elements.
4
1
The game does not
address a theme, a
work of children’s
literature, or any
other content areas
adequately. The
game contains
scientific, historical,
literary, or other
inaccuracies that do
not contribute to
children’s
knowledge.
2
3
The game clearly
addresses a theme or
work of children’s
literature, and/or
includes some
scientifically,
historically, or
literary accuracies
that enhance content
learning.
4
1
The project does not
address outcomes in
social development,
math, or content, nor
does it relate to
several of the SDE
Preschool
Performance
Standards.
2
3
The project includes
some outcomes,
game features, and
items on the
assessment that
address social
development, math,
and content, as
required. There is
clear alignment of
the game and it’s
outcomes to the
SDE Performance
Standards.
4
5
The narratives and
plans frequently and
directly relate to
many class
discussions and
guidelines. Specific
readings are
regularly referenced.
5
The game is
exceptionally
creative and unique.
Both the game itself
and the reflection
show novel
thinking.
5
The game clearly
teaches children a
theme or work of
children’s literature
or other content
areas in a powerful
and accurate way.
This is evidenced
not only in the
game, but in clearly
articulated outcomes
and assessment
items that show that
content learning is
important.
5
Outcomes, game
elements,
assessments, and the
narrative directly
address required
outcomes in social
development, math,
and content. Focus
on SDE
performance
standards is shown,
not just in outcomes
and planning, but in
the narrative.
1
There is little
evidence of
reflection on or
modification of
teaching methods,
materials, or
planning between
the first and second
game teaching.
Grade: 40/45
Comments:
2
3
The student shows,
in the narrative,
some reflection on
teaching methods,
materials, and
planning and
includes several
specific
improvements
between the first and
second teaching.
4
5
The student shows
deep reflection on
the experiences and
outcomes of the first
teaching and
includes, in the
plans and narrative,
thoughtful and
specific
improvements in
teaching, materials,
and planning.