Argubot Academy

Mars Generation One: Argubot AcademyDeveloped by GlassLab in collaboration with NASA and the National Writing Project

Argubot Academy was developed in collaboration with NASA and the National

Writing Project.

Put your powers of persuasion to the ultimate test, on a whole new planet!

How It Fits the Curriculum

Reading Informational Text

RI.6.8, RI.7.8Trace 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.8.8Delineate 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.1Read 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.8Delineate 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.

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

Standards AlignmentELA Common Core

21st Century Skills

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

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!

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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.

Through their game play, three out of every four students were able to successfully master three core aspects of argumentation:

Improves Learning Outcomes


Game at a GlanceTOPIC: ELA ArgumentationGRADES: 6-8LENGTH: 5 class periods when using supporting instructional resourcesFORMAT: iPad APP STORE PRICE: $2.99K-12 PRICE: Free! with Playfully.org

Game Activities

Construct Claim Cores & Equip ArgubotsEach 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.

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.


-- Reina Cabezas, Engineering Teacher, EPIC Charter

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.

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!

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.

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!

ARGUBOT: Special robots used by the kids in Argubot Academy. They're powered by a claim core and represent an argument in argubot duels.

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.

Crash Course in Argubot Academy Argot

-- Elyse Eidman-Aadahl, Executive Director, National Writing Project

[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.

Matt Farber, Social Studies Teacher, Valleyview Middle School

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.

Meet the ArgubotsThere 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

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

COMPARADROIDComparadroids 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

SupportersGlassLab is made possible through the generous support of The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Partners

www.glasslabgames.org

Education

Argubot Academy