Physics teacher Drew Hutcheson shares his experience and advice using Classcraft to gamify his high school classroom.

1. Presented by Andrew Hutcheson, AP Physics teacher
Using Classcraft In High School
Andrew Hutcheson @ScienceHutch sciencehutch@gmail.com

2. What We’ll Cover:
Setting Up and
Using All Aspects of
Classcraft
in High School
AND
3 Levels of Play!

3. ● H.S. vs. M.S. Students
○ Passionate Spirit
○ Talent Pool
○ The Search for Self
○ The Desire to Belong
○ Volunteering
■ Incentives
Gamification and the High School Student

4. A little intrigue goes a long way.
Consider a staggered roll-out over 2 weeks. https://goo.gl/XxiMDo
Selling It

5. Gamification and the High School Student
● Familiarity with Gaming Terms
○ PVP, PVE, XP, leveling up, RPG, avatars
○ Positive peer pressure exists
○ Create more buy-in by using gaming
words: "unlocks,” "exclusive,” or
"pre-release"
○ Abbreviations are exclusive for your
class: Students feel "in the know"
■ M.A.P., XPOPPs, Spec Ops,
■ Quests: UQs, CQs, VQs

6. Be firm but fair.
This works for class management and for maintaining the rules in
Classcraft. You WILL need to modify the rules, but don't bend them for
whiners. Announce a possible rule change before it drops. Call it an
"update.” And ask for student input when possible so they feel respected.
Becoming the Gamemaster

7. ● Students can earn GP by performing
jobs that help the game/class run on
a day-to-day basis
Student Control & Jobs
● 20+ Job Titles Ideas:
https://goo.gl/Wn3NnH

8. Team Creation Methods
1. Non-random: Take a sorting quest
a. Performance/ability-based: Pretest for your subject
matter… team up the top and bottom scorers
b. Interest-based: Quiz similar to Pottermore's sorting quiz
Here’s the one Hutch uses (Or copy my Google Form)
c. Personality Types: Myers-Briggs test for a more
psychologically sound method
2. Random: The Name Card Method
3. Student testimony: Do not let us choose our teams!
4. Team-building recommended

9. Winning the “Tough Crowd”
● The "Hard Sell" student types:
○ Typically JROTC and athletes
○ Both place value on team mentality
● Treat your class like one big team
○ My "1st period physics team"
● Students unlock team
membership and title
“physicist” at Level 2.
● Create a brand or movement to
be a part of something bigger

10. Size and Balance
● Optimal Size: 7 to 8 Players
○ Allows for:
■ Transfers
■ Non-supportive players
● Balancing the Build:
○ 2 Mages (Powers Exclude Other Mages)
○ 2-3 Warriors
○ 2-3 Healers
● Use “squads” for small group work

11. Parent Accounts
● Big difference between 9th and 11-12th grades
● Most 11th and 12th graders do not use
● Some fake a parent account for the griffons or 15 GP/day
● Solution:
○ Don’t print the invite codes
○ Use a Google Form or have students type their info in on
your teacher computer
○ Use gradebook software to send a canned email to
parents asking them to reply if they want an account

12. 1. “Environmental” - Behavior Management
a. +XP as Positive Reinforcement
b. - HP as Punishment
c. +GP is an Extra Currency
2. “Motivational”
a. +XP from Academic success (Grade Converter)
b. - HP from Events, Boss Battles, PVP games
c. +GP may be used for Positive Reinforcement
3. “Immersive”
a. +XP from all Academic Progress
b. - HP from Events, Boss Battles, PVP games
c. +GP may be connected to items, achievements, spec
ops (“Extras”)
The Level You Choose & Behaviors to Use

13. GP is not a big draw for about ⅓ of my students
UNLESS GP has more uses
Solutions:
● Simple - Store: AP/HP/XP Potions, Single-Use Powers/Respect
● Advanced - Store: Add Items, Use in Random Events
Gold Points in High School

14. Goals for Powers
● Minimum Management Time
○ The game serves the learning
● Mind school rules
● Fit your subject, style, & level
● Hutch’s examples:
○ Level 2: https://goo.gl/UcmRm0
○ Level 3: Slides at end
When creating powers, think:
● The rules of your game are made to be
broken by your powers
Class Powers for Class Periods

16. Finding Order in Chaos:
Random Events
Friday Lottery
Rewards for Behavior
Fill the Last Few Minutes
Not-So-Random Events
as Warm-Ups
Playing at Level 3: Immersion?
Fit Your Story/Theme!

17. Keep it
Interesting ...
Change These
Rules Each
Quarter/Sem.
Scale Difficulty with Game Rules

18. Last 3 Rules
Connect to
Grade Converter
& Your Level of
Play

19. 100%
earns
100 XP

20. 100%
earns
300 XP

21. 100%
earns
500 XP

22. P.o.T.D.
Innovative
Team Review
Class Management

23. Andrew Hutcheson
AP Physics teacher
sciencehutch@gmail.com
facebook.com/sciencehutch
@sciencehutch
classcraft.com
facebook.com/classcraftgame
@classcraftgame
Stay in Touch

24. Extra Credits

25. Team Creation Methods
● Random:
○ Playing cards: suit (4), red vs. black (2), or shuffle-deal

26. Squads
● Small groups within the team
● Roles:
a. Captain/Spokesperson
b. Recorder/Scribe
c. Materials Manager/Scout/Timekeeper
d. Hands-On Expert/Engineer
Squad of 4 Squad of 4
Team of 8

27. Squads, ASSEMBLE!
Assigning Roles
Random
Wheel of Destiny
Non-Random
Team View
Sort by XP
1. Spokesperson
2. Scribe
3. Scout
4. Engineer

28. These Last Settings Depend on
How You Plan to Use Classcraft
What I call your chosen “Level of Play”:
1. “Environmental” - Behavior Management
2. “Motivational” - Doesn’t change the
lessons; like a coat of paint; maybe your
LMS
3. “Immersive” - At the core of your course;
XP may even be connected to grades;
may include storyline/themed units;
Book: EXPlore like a Pirate

29. Powers in High School: Mages

30. Powers in High School: Mages

31. Powers in High School: Mages

32. Powers in High School: Mages

33. Powers in High School: Mages

34. Powers in High School: Warriors

35. Powers in High School: Warriors

36. Powers in High School: Warriors

37. Powers in High School: Warriors

38. Powers in High School: Warriors

39. Powers in High School: Healers

40. Powers in High School: Healers

41. Powers in High School: Healers

42. Powers in High School: Healers

43. Finding Order in Chaos:
Random Events

44. Last 3 Rules
Connect to
Grade
Converter

45. Last 3 Rules
Connect to
Grade
Converter

46. No Google Classroom?
Time Saver!
Consider:
GradeCam.com or
Schoology with Respondus

47. Physicist of the Day
(PoTD)

48. 1. Students’ favorite review game
2. Impressive to admins and other teachers
3. Don’t let it drag:
a. Read and countdown
b. Fewer than 25 questions
4. Watch the XP/GP rewards (Flawless=2X!)
5. PoTD can run it
6. Good for pretest and review
7. Scale up the damage later in the year
8. My main method of dealing damage
9. Only an effective review if you’re strict
10. “Textless” battles (Thanks Martin!)

49. A “textless” battle would say
“Question 1”
here.

50. Game Rules: Character Class Stats
HP + AP = 100
Adjusted for less health, more magic

51. Learn to Interface the Music

52. Learn to Interface the Music