Go, Go, Gadget...

I've moved onto another part of developing the game of Physical Science.  Another element of the game comes in the form of "items." Since we're going with an Inspector Gadget theme, I'm calling them "gadgets."

Students earn these gadgets several different ways.  I wanted to make finishing homework extra rewarding. If students earn their badge for successfully completing the work for every chapter in a unit, then they get a mini-spy glass gadget (which is a 2 x 3 inch card).  This allows them to bring an index card of information with them to the unit test.  If they do a superb job on an assignment from each chapter and therefore get a star on each badge in that unit, they get a mega-spy glass gadget. Then they may use their entire notebook for the test.

The rest of the gadgets will be given for soft skills I want to encourage in the class. I think it's so valuable to be able to work well in a group, to stay engaged through an entire task, and to do their best work. I'm sure there will be other things I want to encourage and will add them as I go.  At the end of the class, I plan to pick the group (called squads) that worked together best and each will get to pick a gadget card.  The group who scored the most points the week before will each get to draw a card.  I'll also pull them out when someone does an exceptional job with a task.

There are cards to help a group during review games, to help individually on a test, to allow them to break some rules of the game, and to get a little treat occasionally.  Many will be valuable to their group, and I'm aiming for some peer pressure from group members to make sure each of them are keeping up with the class.

Students will be allowed to trade cards at certain times and will hopefully encourage the social gamers.  There is also a card I give them all to start with.  If they ever don't complete their work, they have to hand that card in.  Without that card, they can't trade or use any of the other cards they have.

To hold earned cards, there will be a baseball card holder taped into the front cover of their composition notebook with clear mailing tape. Since it's a little bit too big for that area, the top will be folded over and fastened in place with Velcro.  I am a little nervous about the cards falling out of the top row.  My 7th grader suggested a little bit of washi tape over those three openings. I may let students decide how they'll secure the top row.

Here are the names of the gadgets, what the gadgets allow, and how they are earned.

Gadgets

Item	Power	How to Earn
Mini spy glass	Bring index card during test	Earn all badges for that unit by completing all normal case work with a passing grade
Mega spy glass	Use notebook during test	Earn stars on all badges for unit by doing exceptional work on normal or special cases for each chapter
PI badge	Allows trading, allows use of all other gadgets.	Given, lost if normal case load isn’t completed, returned when caught up
Steps retracer	May complete more than one special case for a chapter	These are given to the group who has earned the most points in a week, to a group who has demonstrated exceptional collaborative skills, or has done exceptional work in class on a project, or to a person finding an Easter egg.
Time machine	May complete a special case from a past unit
Sweet Stock	Pick from the candy supply
Loot lifter	Pick from small items
Doubler	Holder may take two prizes, or a large one if at level 2
Interrogation Minimizer	On multiple choice test questions, holder may ask teacher to eliminate 2 incorrect choices.
Executive Pardon	Allows holder to submit work 1 week late without penalty.
Spring Shoes	Allows user to skip another groups’ turn during a review game.
Secret Storage	Allows user to place more than one card of the same type in the same slot of the gadget holder.
Software Update	Allows user to trade a card with the teacher. (once at level 3, can ask for a specific card, under level 3 has to pick randomly)
Flash Bang	Allows user to double the value of a review question for their group.
Super Sonic Ears	Allows user to ask for a hint on a test question.

I used google drawings to make the cards.  Each student will have a baseball card holder in his/her notebook to store the cards earned. The cards are divided into two files.  Gadget Cards 1 and Gadget Cards 2 and there is also a template.