Games Squad Suggested Schedule

Games Squad Suggested Schedule

The Games Squad’s teacher sponsor can follow or adapt this schedule for managing this group’s activities. This proposed schedule assumes that the Games Squad meets every two weeks. With any additional meetings at the end of the year (or if you meet weekly), we encourage using the time to allow Games Squad students to play the games together. This is especially helpful if your school does not allow students to take home iPads for Amplify Games use outside of school.

September
Goal: The first month should be dedicated to establishing the Games Squad: Who’s involved? What are the roles and goals of the group? Where can you set up a Games Squad Display?
Session / Suggested Activities / Resources
Session 1 / ●  Show Games Squad Launch Presentation. This presentation outlines the various roles, materials and activities available for the Games Squad.
●  Identify a location to use as a Games Squad Display. / Games Squad Launch Presentation
Session 2 / ●  Have students decide which role they want to fill. In their new groups, students should start brainstorming their first activity:
○  Forums:
■  Explore the forums.
■  Brainstorm what kinds of posts/contests/challenges/content you want to post.
○  Events:
■  Review Speed Game Sharing (for Teachers): Pre-Event Checklist.
■  Determine date, time and location for the October event: Speed Game Sharing (for Teachers).
■  Determine how to spread the word—flyers, invitations, etc.—and assign to students on the Engagement team.
○  Experts:
■  Start building your expertise by playing Amplify Games!
■  Decide which game to feature on the Games Spotlight Poster first.
○  Engagement:
■  Discuss who will be responsible for putting together and promoting the first banner display. (If you use the ELA games, we suggest the “Which Curioso Are You” banner.)
■  Brainstorm with Events team about spreading the word about the Speed Game Sharing Event (for Teachers). / How to Access the Forums Slide
Speed Game Sharing (for Teachers): Pre-Event Checklist
Printed engagement materials, to distribute to the students
Games Spotlight Poster
Games Stickers:
·  ELA Games Stickers
·  Science Games Stickers
·  Math Games Stickers
Which Curioso Are You? Banner and Stickers
October
Goal: Establish the Games Squad Display and host Speed Game Sharing event for teachers.
Session / Suggested Activities / Resources
Session 3 / ●  Forums:
○  Post new content onto the forums.
○  Engage with classmates who have already posted on the forums.
○  Create Forums Update Poster and hand off to Engagement team to post.
●  Events:
○  Review Speed Game Sharing (for Teachers): Pre-Event Checklist.
○  Identify the student Experts who will staff the 10 tables, and which games they will present.
○  Identify the Events team members who will greet teachers when they arrive, explain the event to attendees, and keep the table rotation running on time.
○  Work with Engagement team to create and distribute promotional materials for the event. For example, students could design flyers or invitations to distribute in teacher mailboxes and/or post in the faculty break room.
●  Experts:
○  Create Games Spotlight Poster and hand over to Engagement team to post on the Games Squad Display.
○  Work with Events team to coordinate who should be the Experts on which games for the Speed Game Sharing Event (for Teachers).
●  Engagement:
○  Establish your Games Squad Display! Set up posters from the Forums team and Experts, as well as your first banner. (If you use the ELA games, we suggest the “Which Curioso Are You” banner.)
○  Work with Events team to create and distribute promotional materials for the Speed Game Sharing Event. / How to Access the Forums Slide
Forums Update Poster
Speed Game Sharing (for Teachers): Pre-Event Checklist
Games Spotlight Poster
Games Stickers:
·  ELA Games Stickers
·  Science Games Stickers
·  Math Games Stickers
Which Curioso Are You? Banner and Stickers
Session 4 / ●  Forums:
○  Review the forums—are people responding and participating? Strategize ways to engage more students.
○  Create and post more content/contests/activities, etc.
●  Events:
○  Review Speed Game Sharing (for Teachers): Pre-Event Checklist.
○  Create signs for the tables, making clear which game is featured at each table. You could also create a flyer that lists all the featured games, which can be handed out to attendees at the event for continued reference after the event is over.
○  Events team members who are greeting teachers and running the table rotation, etc. should practice their scripts for explaining the event to attendees and put together a minute-by-minute schedule for the event.
○  Send a reminder to teachers about the event 1 week in advance.
●  Experts:
○  Plot out and practice your 3-minute demos for your chosen games at the upcoming event.
●  Engagement:
○  Support Events team as needed.
○  Brainstorm next banner on the Games Squad Display. (This could include the “What kind of gamer are you?” banner or custom content). / Speed Game Sharing (for Teachers): Pre-Event Checklist
What Type of Gamer Are You? Banner and Stickers
November
Goal: Prepare for your first multiplayer tournament.
Session / Suggested Activities / Resources
Session 5 / ●  Forums:
○  Create Forums Update Poster and hand off to Engagement team to post.
●  Events:
○  Review Multiplayer Tournament: Pre-Event Checklist.
○  Determine date, time and location for the tournament.
○  Decide on the game: Story Cards (ELA), MasterSwords (ELA), Mlob Rule (math) or TyrAnt (science).
○  Determine how students will sign up to participate in the event, and identify a deadline for sign-up that is roughly 2 weeks ahead of the event. Determine the max number of students who will be allowed to sign up (ask your Amplify Games contact for a more detailed tournament guide to help with this decision).
○  Identify the Events team members who will take on the following roles:
■  Promotion and sign-ups (in partnership with other teams)
■  Brackets structure and management
■  Prizing
●  Experts:
○  Create Games Spotlight Poster and hand over to Engagement team to post on the Games Squad Display.
○  Start practicing the multiplayer game to be featured in the tournament and start coming up with tips and tricks to share with Forums team to post before the event.
○  Consider making a video tutorial about the chosen game.
●  Engagement:
○  Create and post content on the Games Squad Display (this could include the “What kind of gamer are you?” banner or custom content).
○  Collect and post engagement materials from other teams. / Forums Update Poster
Multiplayer Tournament: Pre-Event Checklist
Games Spotlight Poster
Games Stickers:
·  ELA Games Stickers
·  Science Games Stickers
·  Math Games Stickers
What Type of Gamer Are You? Banner and Stickers
Session 6 / ●  Forums:
○  Work with Events and Experts teams to create posts about the upcoming tournament.
○  Create and post new content.
●  Events:
○  Review Multiplayer Tournament: Pre-Event Checklist.
○  Work with the other teams to create and distribute promotional materials to get sign-ups for the event. All promotions should drive to the determined means of sign-up (e.g. sign-up sheet on the Games Squad Display, sign-up sheet with the front desk, inform the Games Squad teacher sponsor) — and most importantly, should mention both the date of the event and the deadline for signing up.
■  Design flyers to print/photocopy and post around the school or hand out in homeroom.
■  Draft and post an announcement about the tournament on the forums.
■  Write and schedule an announcement to be read over the school loudspeakers.
■  Work with the Experts team to plan forums posts about the selected game, giving tips to encourage playing ahead of time.
○  Determine the bracket structure and create a detailed schedule for the event.
○  Students responsible for prizing should determine the prizes for the event. Amplify provides certificates and ribbons, but you could offer additional prizes based on your budget. Assign related tasks if prizes need to be procured.
●  Experts:
○  Continue practicing and preparing tips and tricks for the upcoming tournament.
■  Work with Forums and Events team to add these to the forums.
●  Engagement:
○  Work with the Events Team to create materials to promote the upcoming tournament. / Multiplayer Tournament: Pre-Event Checklist
Tournament Banner
Tournament Brackets
Certificate
Ribbons (provided by Amplify)
December
Goal: Host multiplayer tournament and plan and promote engagement activities over winter break.
Session / Suggested Activities / Resources
Session 7 / ●  Forums:
○  Continue to promote the upcoming tournament on the forums.
○  Support Events team with logistics.
●  Events:
○  Review Multiplayer Tournament: Pre-Event Checklist.
○  Close sign-ups about 2 weeks in advance of the event, and confirm with participants.
○  If spectators will be allowed at the event, switch promotional messaging to focus on that.
○  Assign participants to their first-round brackets. Make name signs to indicate where participants should sit when they first arrive.
○  The students responsible for prizing should fill in as much info as possible on the certificate and ribbon (i.e. everything except the name of the winner). If there is other prizing, they should confirm it will be ready by the date of the tournament.
○  Send a reminder to participants about the event about 1 week in advance.
●  Experts:
○  Continue practicing and creating tips and tricks to post on the forums.
○  Support the Events team with logistics.
●  Engagement:
○  Work with the Events team to create promotional materials as needed.
○  Prep Weekly Winner Poster to put on display to congratulate the tournament winner after the event! / Multiplayer Tournament: Pre-Event Checklist
Tournament Banner
Tournament Brackets
Certificate
Ribbons (provided by Amplify)
Weekly Winner Poster
Session 7 / ●  ALL: Work as a group to think about ways to keep your peers involved in Amplify Games over the break. Involvement will depend on your access to Amplify Games at home.
○  If you don’t have Amplify Games over break but do have internet, work together to create content for the forums. Print and distribute the forums flyer.
●  ALL: If you do have Amplify Games access at home, work together to plan Multiplayer Hours:
○  Determine date and time slot for the multiplayer hours. Depending on the length of the break, you could hold multiple multiplayer hours (e.g. every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, 3:00-5:00 pm).
○  Identify Games Squad members who will be available at each of the planned multiplayer hours.
○  Fill in date/time information on the flyer provided by the Amplify Games team. Print/photocopy and post around the school or hand out in homeroom.
○  Post on the forums promoting the event:
■  Draft and post an announcement about the multiplayer hours.
■  Work with the Experts to plan forums posts about multiplayer games, giving tips to encourage playing ahead of time.
○  If time allows, practice the multiplayer games!
●  ALL: If you have Amplify Games access at home but don’t have enough time to plan a Multiplayer Hours event, print and distribute the Play at Home Flyer! / Play at Home Flyer:
·  Flyer for ELA + STEM Games
·  Flyer for ELA Games
·  Flyer for STEM Games
Forums Flyer
Multiplayer Hours Flyer:
·  Flyer for ELA + STEM Games
·  Flyer for ELA Games
·  Flyer for STEM Games
January
Goal: Prep for the Amplify Games Q&A event for teachers.
Session / Suggested Activities / Resources
Session 8 / ●  Forums:
○  Add new content to the forums.
○  Create Forums Update Poster and hand off to Engagement team to post.
●  Events:
○  Review Amplify Games Q&A: Pre-Event Checklist.
○  Determine date, time and location for the February event: Amplify Games Q&A. Decide if it will be panel-style, or more informal drop-in hours.
○  Determine how to spread the word—flyers, invitations, etc.—and assign to students on the Engagement team.
●  Experts:
○  Create Games Spotlight Poster and hand over to Engagement team to post on the Games Squad Display.
●  Engagement:
○  Design and post content for the Games Squad Display. / Forums Update Poster
Amplify Games Q&A: Pre-Event Checklist
Games Spotlight Poster
Games Stickers:
·  ELA Games Stickers
·  Science Games Stickers
·  Math Games Stickers
Session 9 / ●  Forums:
○  Review the forums—are people responding and participating? Strategize ways to engage more students.
○  Create and post more content/contests/activities, etc.
●  Events:
○  Review Amplify Games Q&A: Pre-Event Checklist.
○  Identify the students who will play the following roles:
■  Student Experts who will answer teacher questions.
■  Events team members who will greet teachers when they arrive, explain the event to attendees, and keep the program running on time.
○  Create and distribute promotional materials for the event. For example, students could design flyers or invitations to distribute in teacher mailboxes and/or post in the faculty break room.
●  Experts:
○  Work with Events team to determine who will answer teacher questions and what to do to prepare.
●  Engagement:
○  Work with Events team to create and distribute promotional materials for the event. / Amplify Games Q&A: Pre-Event Checklist
February
Goal: Host your Amplify Q&A event for teachers and begin planning Speed Games Sharing event for students.
Session / Suggested Activities / Resources
Session 10 / ●  Forums:
○  Create and post new content on the forums.
○  Create Forums Update Poster and hand off to Engagement team to post on the Games Squad Display.
●  Events:
○  Review Amplify Games Q&A: Pre-Event Checklist.
○  Events team members who are greeting teachers and running the table rotation, etc. should practice their scripts for explaining the event to attendees and put together a detailed schedule for the event.
○  Send a reminder to teachers about the event about a week beforehand.
●  Experts:
○  Prep for the Amplify Q&A Event.
○  Create Games Spotlight Poster and hand over to Engagement team to post on the Games Squad Display.
●  Engagement: