Community in Crisis, developed by FableVision Studios for Classroom,
Inc., has won bronze honors in the 2016 International Serious Play Awards competition
in the K-12 Literacy category.
Community in Crisis is the second
game in Classroom, Inc.’s Read to Lead
learning series (After the Storm was the debut game). The series is a set of immersive
literacy learning games and curriculum designed to middle school Common Core
State Standards in reading and writing.
Both Serious Games immerse players in a
personalized workplace experience in which students must think critically and
use evidence to solve real-world problems, all while balancing the hectic
demands of an exciting workplace.
Off-game, students work together to analyze
their workplace decisions, improving problem-solving and collaboration
competencies.
Community in Crisis is designed
around three target ELA Common Core State Standards that call on 4th-6th
grade students to use foundational skills for reading informational text, while
After the Storm targets 6th-8th
grade.
Community in Crisis Game
Following a hurricane that hits the fictional
city of Port Douglas, the community steps up to help – that's where you come in.
In the game, players take on the role as
Director of Common Ground Community Center, a local organization responding to
the effects of a major hurricane.
As the Director, players must focus on providing services to the
community with the help of their support staff by deciding how best to respond
to daily challenges by making critical decisions based on information gathered
through various sources in the game. As players navigate through the life of a
working professional, they learn how to be critical thinkers, tackle real life
problems, become strong decision makers and hone valuable literacy skills.
The game’s timeline runs parallel to After the Storm, the first literacy learning game in the series.
After the Storm Game
In the game, students take on the role of
editor-in-chief of an online community magazine—The Daily Byte—the day after a
major hurricane has hit the local community and must work through various
challenges of being the boss in a time of crisis.
As editor, the student works with reporters,
photographers, and the IT team to get the right information out to the
community while also juggling the complex issues that confront leaders in the
workplace.
Players must read and write their way to
success while juggling the storm's aftereffects, the needs of their staff, and
the demands of a professional environment. Embedded assessment activities are
designed around skill-based learning activities focused on examining textual
evidence, building vocabulary, and integrating multimedia information.
About Classroom, Inc.
Classroom,
Inc. is a nonprofit that helps students in high-poverty communities develop
literacy and leadership skills. By creating Serious Games and curriculum set in
the professional world and supporting educators in creating student-centered
classrooms, Classroom, Inc. invites students to take charge of their learning.
The essential ingredients of its blended
learning model include Personalized
Learning Through Literacy Games, Workplace Connection and Project-based Activities.
Classroom, Inc. believes that simulated
workplace experiences grounded in reading standards connect school to career. It
also believes that when students make this connection, they begin to build
stronger academic identities by understanding how success in school sets them
up for success in life.