Choosing a Game Genre

Now that you have had some time to play the games, it is time to start thinking about the type of game that you would like to create.  Remember, we will be creating games in the S.T.E.M. area--Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.  So put on your thinking caps and try to come up with a topic that will be interesting and fun to learn about.

Setting up your blogs

Your e-mail account is set up and your wiki account established.  It's now time to set up your blog.

If you have never blogged, it will be a new experience.  You will be expected to blog at least once a week and maybe more on special occasions. 

Good luck--now get started!

Welcome to Globaloria game design class!

Buckle up and get ready to blast off for a new year! I look forward to seeing the games that you will create this year and possibly enter in the STEM competition. In addition to creating a game, you will be working with your own wiki and blog throughout the year. Good luck and I hope you enjoy the class!

Looking Back

When I look back on my first year as a Globaloria teacher, I wonder where the time went. We had our training and it was time to start. Then the snow kept pouring down. Before you knew it, it was May and time for students to have their games done. My students accomplished a lot, but at first I was apprehensive that they would get finished.

My advice to new educators would be to not get overwhelmed. There is a lot to do, but if you begin to doubt your ability, your students will not get the full benefit of the program. Let the students know that you are learning too and will need their help. The students will grow more if you let them learn how to do things on their own and share with their classmates. So if you start to feel that you are not accomplishing anything, take time to sit back and relax and then start again!

My Favorite Beatle

I have always enjoyed listening to the Beatles and my favorite has always been Paul McCartney. Their songs are easy to sing along with even if some of them have weird lyrics. Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote most of the song lyrics. It is strange that many of my students weren’t familiar with the Beatles until the Rock Band video game came out in 2009. It’s nice to know that if they can't reunite in person, they can virtually!

If you want to listen to some of their music or watch videos.

Enjoying Summertime!

Well--I am just getting used to being off from school. It usually takes the rest of June to realize that you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn and be at school in time for morning duty. Usually I start to really enjoy my break in July and it usually flies by. Then, guess what, it's August all ready!

We start back on August 18th this year. I have a lot of things to do to get ready to start again. I saw a student yesterday working at an ice cream stand and she said that she was ready to go back to school; she said she was bored! I thought, not me, I don't miss lesson plans and inservices at all.

It's inevitable though; come August, it's back to the grind!

One Day at a Time

We're down to the final days. End of course tests and senior semester exams are done. We completed our game presentations and graduation is next. After that, comes underclass exams and registration. I have one more morning duty and that's it. I am looking forward to some free time to relax.

We Survived!

Friday was our presentations and we survived. Everyone was nervous and after we had to restart the computer things went relatively smooth. Our superintendent and assistant superintendent and one of our board members were in attendance as well as David. Several positive comments were made and that really helped to settle the students' nerves. Overall, it was a good experience and I think that the students enjoyed showing their work to the guests.

Next comes the paperwork to wrap up the end of the year. Then comes our workshop in July. I am looking forward to learning more that I can use in my class.

Got Stress?

Well, we are on the home stretch. Our presentations are Friday. Due to WESTESTS this week, I will only have my class on Tuesday and Friday. Our Tuesday class will at least be for 90 minutes which will help. I am taking it one day at a time!

Spinning my wheels

We're quickly approaching time for our presentations. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm about tested out for the year. There are AP tests, end of course tests, Westest and semester tests. Our class schedule has been changed just for Westest next week and I will only have my students 2 out of 5 days. If I didn't know better, I would swear it is a conspiracy. This is the most hectic time of the year. Oh, well--with any luck we'll be ready!