Disciplinary Literacy and Gamified Learning in Elementary Classrooms

In this text, Drs. Haas, Metzger, and Tussey provide eight chapters of quests about three elementary-aged siblings who travel via a lava lamp to different thrilling locations, such as Stonehenge, Machu Picchu, and The Great Wall of China. The children complete various discipline-specific tasks at each destination. For each chapter, there are three elementary-themed quests: Quest 1 pertains to history and social studies; Quest 2 is focused on art, literacy, and technology; and Quest 3 deals with engineering, math, and science. The authors not only explain the activities but provide pictures to showcase certain quests, as well as YouTube links to videos to further aid teachers.

 

Elementary teachers could easily select all or certain chapters and/or activities for their students to complete. The tasks are also able to be modified to fit teacher needs. Each chapter includes new activities for each of the three quests so that teachers gain a wealth of knowledge about different strategies to help engage students in not only mathematics, but cross-disciplinary tasks.

 

For example, in Chapter 4, students can learn about The Great Wall of China, create a billboard to promote tourists to go see the wall (Quest #1), construct a travel brochure using pictures and texts about wall (Quest #2), and make a catapult to potentially damage their constructed wall (Quest #3).

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Ann Wheeler is a Professor of Mathematics Education at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. Her research interests include middle and secondary mathematics education pertaining to technology.