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We're making a game!

By Hero's Journey Academy

Session 4, Week 1, Year 2

Let the sun shine on!

The arts in Active Leadership Academy are celebrated as a core skill in the elementary studio and incorporated as important parts of quests, genre and civilization challenges in all studios.One particularly popular activity is Process Drama, where a Guide or older Heroes relate through dramatic play, moving in and out of roles, exploring fantasies; practicing improv techniques — and usually — ending with a public performance.This session, the Eagles are doing a play where they will be performing Frozen! We started out the week with learning the scores of the songs and casting each character.

Eagles sit in a circle reading scripts on the classroom rug for their Frozen play rehearsal
Several girls rehearse a Frozen play in a classroom while posters line the back wall

Game Design Quest

Welcome to the Game Design Quest! Throughout the Hero’s Journey, the Eagles will be playing the odds. They can either speculate—meaning they can gamble and play entirely based on luck—or they can figure out ways to know their odds and decide whether or not to play or how much to risk. It’s all about the choices the Eagles make. On this quest, they’ll evaluate those choices.Eagles will also log on to Scratch and begin working as a video-game designer! Their challenge from now until the Exhibition is to create an online game on their own to have ready for their parents to test at the Game Expo at the end of the quest.

Children in a classroom work at tables with papers and markers during game design
Three learners sit at a table moving game pieces on paper boards
Eagles sit at a classroom table with papers and pencils while working on their game project
An eagle and a guide stack plastic cups at a table in the classroom

Letter to a Hero

For this Writers’ Workshop, the Eagles will get the special opportunity to craft a letter to their hero, where they’ll be telling them why they are their hero, sharing something interesting about yourself, and thanking them. This is a chance for them to to learn more about their hero and reach out to him or her! The learners can choose anyone in the world—authors, politicians, designers, artists, entrepreneurs, athletes, anyone. The one constraint is that they have to write to someone they have not met in person.

Two learners use laptops at a table while a boy stands nearby in a classroom
Two learners sit at small tables in a classroom, writing and working with papers and books

Double Down Spelling Week!

This week, we started with some Core Skills encouragement for the Eagles. They get double points for finishing Spelling Classroom tests with a 100%. We announced the winner on Thursday and they received a prize!

Empty learner workspace with tables, blue chairs, posters, string lights, and a wall-mounted monitor

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