Why not allow students to showcase their understandings through gaming?
Create a simple game by using an app called Sketch Nation Studio. It is free on the app store. It has a step by step tutorial allowing you and your students to create easy to advanced games. Link your game to learning or start with a theme/unit topic. There are endless possibilities to what games you could create. Be creative!
The game I have created is called Learning About Gardening. My main character/player is a happy little gnome who likes to tend to the garden.
I chose the Up gaming scenario, where the aim of the game is to ensure the character keeps going up and does not encounter any enemies or miss any platforms along the way. And of course, the aim is to get the highest score possible. The next part of the game is to create platforms where the gnome will bounce on. I found some decent clip art. Sketch Nation is brilliant as the gamer can sketch their own images on paper and use them or use the drawing app.
The gamer can choose power ups and also enemies too. Below is a list of my game scenario.
Background – blue skies to represent a lovely day in the garden
Character – garden gnome
Platforms (items to support a growing garden) – flowering bush, flowering pot plant, gardening tools, sun and rain
Power up – bee for pollination
Enemies – dandelion and cactus (it can hurt the gardener if they are not careful