Coding and Computational Thinking

Lesson Idea Name: Treasure Island Quest

Content Area: English Language Arts
Grade Level(s): 6
Content Standard Addressed: ELAGSE6W3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters;
organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events,
and/or characters.
c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one
time frame or setting to another.
d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey
experiences and events.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

Technology Standard Addressed: 6. Creative Communicator

Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the
platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.
6a Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their
creation or communication.
6b Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new
creations.
6c Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital
objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.
6d Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended
audiences.

Selected Technology Tool: Quest

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): http://textadventures.co.uk/quest

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☐ Remembering ☐ Understanding ☒ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4: Integration
☒ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

Engagement: Students will remain engaged in this assignment because they are able to take ownership of
their work. Students will be able to express their individuality with their writing as well as the game they
create. When students are able to display their individuality, they take more pride in their work and remain
engaged throughout.
Representation: Students will have multiple ways to complete the tasks of this activity. Students will be
reading, writing, and coding. Students will have the opportunity to use different coding apps on a by-case
basis.
Action and Expression: Students will have multiple opportunities to display their understanding of the
assignments. Students will have the opportunity to use their creativity to come up with a new way to display
their narrative if they do not feel engaged with coding. While all students will need to create something small
 Coding and Computational Thinking
with coding, if a student does not seem to be grasping the overall idea, they will be given an alternative
assignment to showcase their learning.

Lesson idea implementation:

Prior to this assignment, students will have read Treasure Island. Students will create a narrative adding
themselves to the story. Students will give themselves a family, name, occupation, hobbies, etc. to make their
story integrate with the actual book. Students will then use the story they created to make a game using the
Quest application. Quest allows you to make interactive story games. Students don’t necessarily have to be
expert coders to be able to work the software.

Students will have a 2 days to complete their narrative and 3 days to complete their story game. Students will
have the opportunity to play each other’s games and evaluate each other’s writing. Students will have a peer
evaluation sheet to evaluate their peer’s games. Students will have the opportunity to work with others to
finalize their game and get feedback. When students are ready to finalize their game they will be graded upon
completion, effort, and relevance to their writing. Students will have the opportunity to add onto their
narrative game throughout the year as read different books. Students will create “chapters” of their games
relating each chapter to a different book/narrative they create.

Importance of technology:
This project combines reading, writing, and coding. While students could read and write a narrative involving
themselves in the story, involving coding allows for a fun way to extend learning. Students are able to gain a
little knowledge of coding while using the knowledge gained from the books read and the narratives written.
Students can use their computers at school as well as at home to complete and play their games as well as
play their peer’s games. This activity allows for students to use the writing they created and plug it into
something useful such as coding. Students will be enthusiastic to “work” on something that seems like more
play than “work.”

Inspiration (optional):
The inspiration of this comes from the video games and social media students are using daily. Why not have
students create something related to their education to play with?

Internet Safety and Student Privacy:

Students will be able to access this at school as well as at home. While at school, students will be on the
school’s network so therefor safety procedures will be in use. However, when students are at home they do
run the risk of encountering something not meant for them. It is important that the internet safety policies
we use in school are clearly communicated to parents so that they may implement them at some.

Reflective Practice: Students often time are not introduced to coding until it is too late to learn effectively
(such as college). Giving them the opportunity to learn something sooner will help them in their computing
assignments later on. Students will feel as if they are playing by creating a game when in reality they are
learning a very useful skill and using interdisciplinary skills.