In Expo del Sol:Cardboard Arcade, students dove into the design process, iteration cycles, and construction techniques to build a functional and durable game that was tested, critiqued, and revised through peer critique during two mini-exhibitions. Physics concepts were explored via carnival and arcade games, measuring statistical outcomes, proportions, and applicable skills and how they relate to mathematical relationships. Fieldwork included visiting an arcade to research games and the arcade environment to inform their final exhibition where we hosted an arcade for families to experience their games.
Teacher Reflection
Through this work, we learned that material exploration and iteration reinforced all of the mindsets that we hoped to build and strengthen in project work. Students were engaged and motivated to have their games work and be durable for the final exhibition. It was also a project where teachers and students learned side by side – the final destination – was co-created. If this project was made again, even more time for critique and revision would be helpful, as well as to find a broader audience for the games, both for exhibition and curation of the final games.
—Amber George & Amy Doan
Student Reflections
I’d say honestly my biggest strength on the project was the planning- I was able to figure out what we needed to cut first and figured out what needed to cut out next.
—M.L.
Something I could change during the project was being more of a leader- one of our teammates wasn’t really helping a lot but I could have been more determined to get them on board.
—C.O.
I would do the arcade game project again just because I enjoyed having the freedom to create what I wanted.
—D.A.
