In today’s digital age, keeping students engaged in the classroom can be quite a challenge. One way to capture their interest is by incorporating elements from popular video games into lesson plans. Assassin’s Creed, a historical fiction action-adventure video game series, provides an immersive educational experience for students to explore various time periods and civilizations.
Primarily set in beautifully rendered open-world environments, the Assassin’s Creed games allow players to experience famous historical events, explore monuments, and interact with key figures from the past. While the games may contain certain mature themes and content, there are specific aspects that K-12 teachers can employ in their classrooms to supplement their history lessons.
Firstly, each game within the series focuses on a particular time frame and location, spanning from Ancient Egypt to Renaissance Italy, Revolutionary America, French Revolution and more. Instruct your students to research the historical context of the game’s setting and provide appropriate resources for them to dive deeper into that specific time period. They could study architecture styles, clothing trends, and cultural norms to enrich their understanding of the era.
The Assassin’s Creed franchise also offers a feature called ‘Discovery Tour,’ which removes all combat elements and allows free exploration in a visually stimulating environment. This virtual tour can be used as a supplementary material or an alternative learning method to bring history alive for visually inclined learners. As teachers, you can design scavenger hunts or exploration activities based on these virtual environments to further engage your students in the subject matter.
Another teaching opportunity is having students analyze the influence of real-life events and figures represented within the games. Such discussions can foster opportunities for critical thinking when contrasting developers’ creative liberties with actual historical records. Encourage your students to examine influential characters’ biographies and determine which aspects of their lives are historically accurate or fictionalized.
Moreover, collaboration on group projects can span beyond the traditional classroom setting, extending to online forums or even gaming sessions. Let students collaborate in teams, exploring different roles like historians, character analysts, or cultural researchers. This helps them develop crucial teamwork and communication skills.
Lastly, always remember to establish clear guidelines regarding the gaming content in your lessons. Make sure to discuss with parents and school administrators before incorporating Assassins Creed or any other video games into your classroom activities.
By embracing innovative tools like Assassin’s Creed, K-12 teachers can open the doors to immersive learning experiences that foster a deeper interest in history among their students. Who says learning can’t be fun?
