Argubot Academy

1. Mars Generation One:
Argubot Academy
Developed by GlassLab in collaboration with NASA and the National Writing Project

2. Put your powers
of persuasion to
the ultimate test,
on a whole new
planet!
Mars Generation One: Argubot Academy is an engaging
futuristic adventure game for iOS tablets. Aligned to the
Common Core State Standards, the game brings STEM
content into the English Language Arts classroom, and
helps middle schoolers develop persuasion and
reasoning skills.
In Argubot Academy, players take on the persona
of a new student at Argubot Academy, the city’s
middle school. There, each player will have to
make very adult decisions about the building and
governance of the city, for example: What type of
food should the citizens cultivate?
Players have to build sound arguments for every
choice they make – but in this city on Mars, people
settle their differences by equipping their robot
assistants, called argubots, with claims and evidence,
culminating in a robot battle of wits!
Argubot Academy was developed in
collaboration with NASA and the National
Writing Project.
How It Fits the Curriculum
Standards Alignment
ELA Common Core
Reading Informational Text
RI.6.8, RI.7.8
Trace and evaluate the argument and specific
claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are
supported by reasons and evidence from
claims that are not.
RI.8.8
Delineate and evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text, assessing whether
the reasoning is sound and the evidence is
relevant and sufficient; recognize when
irrelevant evidence is introduced.
College and Career Readiness
CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says
explicitly and to make logical inferences from
it; cite specific textual evidence when writing
or speaking to support conclusions drawn
from the text.
CCRA.R.8
Delineate and evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text, including the validity
of the reasoning as well as the relevance and
sufficiency of the evidence.
21st Century Skills
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Reason Effectively
Use various types of reasoning (inductive,
deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the
situation.
Making Judgments and Decisions
Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence,
arguments, claims and beliefs
Analyze and evaluate major alternative
points of view
Synthesize and make connections
between information and arguments
Interpret information and draw
conclusions based on the best analysis
Addresses critical Common Core standards in
persuasion and reasoned thinking – a cornerstone of
the standards for English Language Arts
Promotes interest in STEM content while developing
the literacy and leadership skills that are essential for
any 21st century career
With input from experts in literacy at the National
Writing Project, works well to introduce norms for
classroom discussions, persuasive writing, and
expository writing
Brings games into the ELA classroom to support
Common Core Reading and Writing so that educators
can make the most of their tablet hardware
www.glasslabgames.org ©2014 GlassLab, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. Improves Learning Outcomes
Through their game play, three out of every four
students were able to successfully master three
core aspects of argumentation:
1. matching evidence to claims;
2. identifying argument schemes; and
3. evaluating and critiquing others’ arguments.
Game at a Glance
TOPIC: ELA Argumentation
GRADES: 6-8
LENGTH: 5 class periods when using
supporting instructional resources
FORMAT: iPad
APP STORE PRICE: $2.99
K-12 PRICE: Free! with Playfully.org
Game Activities
Explore and Find Evidence
Argubot Academy comes to life in a series of
engaging futuristic environments that use
hidden object game mechanics to allow players
to explore, talk to characters, and locate
evidence to support their arguments.
Construct Claim Cores & Equip
Argubots
Each argubot is powered by a claim core. Without a
fused claim core, the argubot has no power. Players
build cores by collecting claims from characters in the
game and evidence from the environment, then pairing
them together inside the argubot.
Battle!
Missions are completed and conflicts are resolved through
argubot duels. Players face off against an opponent. First
they make their opening statement, a combined form of
their three matching claim-evidence pairs, and then battle
begins. This is the ultimate demonstration of students’
understanding of constructing a reasoned and logical
argument.
www.glasslabgames.org ©2014 GlassLab, Inc. All rights reserved.

4. Digital games help me meet students where they are at,
making it easier for me to hook their interest into
important content knowledge. Games also give students
and teachers the opportunity to simulate 'what if'
scenarios otherwise trapped in our imaginations.
-- Reina Cabezas, Engineering Teacher, EPIC Charter
Crash Course in Argubot Academy Argot
ARGUBOT:
Special robots used by the kids in
Argubot Academy. They're
powered by a claim core and
represent an argument in argubot
duels.
CRITICAL QUESTIONS:
An advanced attack used against
an argubot that has a related and
supporting claim core. When the
core is solid, students need to go
to critical question attacks!
EVO-1: Argubots start out life as
Evo-1 bots. They're powered by a
claim core but can't carry critical
question attacks or shields. Level
them up and they might evolve to
Evo-2!
CLAIM CORE: The core powers the
argubot. It's made of up of a claim
-- a position taken in an argument.
And evidence -- the thing that
supports a claim. Without a claim
core, an argubot won't power up!
ARGU-MECH: A super-argubot,
this argu-mech doesn't have just
one claim core, but many! It's built
to make complex arguments with
multiple claims and multiple pieces
of evidence.
EVO-2: Is the next level in an
argubot's life. Evo-2 argubots have
claim cores that can be protected
by critical question shields -- that's
a shield made up of backing.
[Argubot Academy] teaches moves in argumentation
like moves in Karate. ... [We] love that this also
introduces a social practice and structure in a positive
frame around ‘argumentation’ which provides a
significant social learning impact.
-- Elyse Eidman-Aadahl, Executive Director, National Writing Project
www.glasslabgames.org ©2014 GlassLab, Inc. All rights reserved.

5. CONSEBOT
Consebots are powered
by what will happen or
has happened --the
consequence of an
event. Consebots are
super logical because
they're always paying
attention to what
Game-based learning is more than just playing and fun.
GlassLab's games help teachers engage their students
in conversations about decisions made in authentic
problem solving spaces.
Matt Farber, Social Studies Teacher, Valleyview Middle School
Meet the Argubots
There are 4 kinds of argubots in Argubot
Academy, each representing a specific
type of argumentation scheme. The
player can collect these bots, build
argument cores for them, and take them
into battle. Here’s the line up!
AUTHORITRON
Authoritrons are
powered by expert
testimony -- that means
the opinion of an expert.
Authoritrons are super
confident because
they're powered by
expert opinions. Comparadroid
COMPARADROID
Comparadroids are
powered by how two
things are similar -- what
can be compared.
Comparadroids are
super creative because
they're always making
connections between
things that might seem
different at first.
Authoritron
OBSERVATRON
Observatrons are
powered by what you
can see in the world --
what is observed.
Observatrons have
super senses and
observe everything that
happens around them.
Consebot
Observatron
GlassLab brings together
leaders in commercial games
and experts in learning and
assessment.
Last updated: 08/20/2014
Partners
Supporters
GlassLab is made possible through the generous
support of The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
www.glasslabgames.org