SideQuests: Introducing Geography of the Week

As part of gamifying my classroom, I decided to include sidequests.

My understanding of sidequests is that they are an optional part of the game that are not directly connected or necessary for the main part of the game.  These give students opportunities to advance in the game while advancing their learning.

I’m not sure I know exactly how sidequests will take shape in my classroom.  I did determine, however, that I wanted some to be standing sidequests.  They would not be extensions of a particular lesson. Instead, they would be able to remain throughout the year.

The first sidequest I have put into my course is a Geography of the Week challenge.  Students do it as homework, but it is optional.  They earn experience points for our game which will help them advance in the game and on the leaderboard.  This sidequest, however, also expands their general knowledge of the world.  They get multiple chances over the week to answer the challenge question correctly.

If they don’t get it correct, their understanding of the standards won’t suffer.  They enhance their knowledge and make gains within the game. It's a simple, engaging way to keep the students immersed in the game outside of class while tugging a bit at their curiosity.

Soon, I plan to incorporate another standing sidequest, along with another that is directly related to the content that students are working within the class.  I also hope to develop some hidden sidequests that students will uncover, giving the game a dose of chance and excitement.

As we build the game throughout the year, I envision that both the students and I will get more and more excited to discover sidequests.

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If you have good stategies for sidequests in a gamified classroom or, if this post has generated some thoughts of your own, please share in the comments. I would appreciate hearing from you.