Level UP!
The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, the AMD Foundation, and Scholastic collaborated in the creation and release of Level UP!, an online teaching resource that employs video game design as a teaching and learning tool. Level UP! offers STEM and language arts lessons for middle and high school students. Using the free game design platforms Gamestar Mechanic and Activate!, students develop 21st century skills as they create their own games.
Level UP! has two levels with four lessons per level. For teachers interested in exploring the power of incorporating game design into your standards-based curriculum, these lessons provide a helpful introduction. Additionally, beginning in the 2011 school year, a “game design” category was added to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Students are encouraged to submit their games for regional and national competition.
On the site, Scholastic also provides a TeacherShare group on the topic of using video games as teaching tools. The group provides space for educators to discuss the use of game design in the classroom and to share additional resources.
