Session 1 Script

Warm-Up: Brainstorm Favorite Games (5 minutes)

Teacher: “Hi there! Welcome to our first Game Maker Journey session. Today we’re going to start by thinking about games you already love. I have some blank paper and colored markers right here. In the next five minutes, I’d like you to draw or list your top three favorite games—board games, card games, video games, any games you enjoy. Ready? Set… go!”

(After 2 minutes)
Teacher: “Nice work so far! If you haven’t gotten to three games yet, try adding one more really quick.”

(After 1 more minute)
Teacher: “One minute left—finish up your last game!”

(When time’s up)
Teacher: “Time’s up! Show me what you made. Tell me one game on your list and why you picked it.”

Introduction & Goals (5 minutes)

Teacher: “Great job! I love seeing games you enjoy. Now, let me tell you about our Game Maker Journey. Over six sessions, you will come up with a game idea, pick your own rules, design the pieces or cards, and test it out. By the end, you’ll have a playable prototype and be able to explain how it works.”

Teacher: “Why do you enjoy playing games? What’s fun about them for you?”

—Wait for response—

Teacher (follow-up): “That’s awesome! I hear you like [student’s answer]. We’ll make sure your game has that quality.”

Teacher: “What sounds exciting about making your own game?”

—Wait for response—

Teacher (follow-up): “Exactly—when you design it, everything is up to you!”

Idea Generation Activity (10 minutes)

Teacher: “Alright, let’s fill out this Idea Generation Worksheet. It has three parts:

1. Theme – What your game looks and feels like (pirates, space, sports, etc.)
2. Mechanic – How players take turns or win points (roll dice, draw cards, answer questions)
3. Win Condition – How someone wins (be the first to 5 points, collect all cards, reach the finish line)

I’ll give you three minutes to write or draw three theme ideas.”

(After 3 minutes)

Teacher: “Great! Now pick your favorite of those three themes and circle it.”

Teacher: “Next, let’s spend three minutes on three mechanic ideas. Ready, set, go!”

(After 3 minutes)

Teacher: “Nice! Circle the mechanic you think would be the most fun.”

Teacher: “Finally, let’s spend three minutes on three win condition ideas. Go!”

(After 3 minutes)

Teacher: “Awesome. Circle the win condition you like best.”

Discussion & Selection (5 minutes)

Teacher: “Let’s talk through what you picked. Your theme is [student’s chosen theme]—tell me why you chose that.”

—Wait & acknowledge response—

Teacher: “Your mechanic is [student’s chosen mechanic]. How do you imagine players using that mechanic?”

—Wait & prompt: “Can you show me with your hand or a doodle?”—

Teacher: “Your win condition is [student’s chosen win condition]. That sounds exciting! Which part of your idea do you think will be the most fun?”

Teacher: “Fantastic—those three choices could make a really cool game. You’ve just picked the core of your design!”

Cool-Down & Next Steps (5 minutes)

Teacher: “You did an amazing job today coming up with your game’s theme, mechanic, and win condition. Next time, we’ll take your favorite idea and start making game pieces or cards, and write clear rules so people can play.”

Teacher: “For homework, spend five minutes thinking more about one of these ideas. Maybe sketch how the board looks or imagine what the cards might say. Bring that sketch to Session 2.”

Teacher: “You rocked it today—I can’t wait to see where your creativity takes you! See you next session.”

Idea Generation Worksheet

1. Theme Ideas

Think of three possible themes for your game. Write or draw each one below.

1. Theme Idea #1: ____________________________
   
   
   
2. Theme Idea #2: ____________________________
   
   
   
3. Theme Idea #3: ____________________________
   
   
   

Circle your favorite theme: ____________________________

2. Mechanic Ideas

Now come up with three different ways players might play the game (mechanics). Write or draw each idea.

1. Mechanic Idea #1: ____________________________
   
   
   
2. Mechanic Idea #2: ____________________________
   
   
   
3. Mechanic Idea #3: ____________________________
   
   
   

Circle your favorite mechanic: ____________________________

3. Win Condition Ideas

Finally, think of three ways someone could win the game. Write or draw each win condition.

1. Win Condition #1: ____________________________
   
   
   
2. Win Condition #2: ____________________________
   
   
   
3. Win Condition #3: ____________________________
   
   
   

Circle your favorite win condition: ____________________________

Your Top Picks

Write your final three choices here:

• Theme: ____________________________



• Mechanic: ____________________________



• Win Condition: ____________________________

Great work! We’ll use these ideas in the next session to build your game prototype.

Session 1 Warm-Up: Favorite Games

Let’s get our creativity flowing by thinking about games you already love.

Instructions:
• Grab a blank sheet of paper and some colored markers.
• In the next 5 minutes, draw or list your top three favorite games—board games, card games, video games, any games you enjoy.
• Be quick and have fun—no overthinking!

Your Favorite Games

1. Game #1: ____________________________
   
   
   
2. Game #2: ____________________________
   
   
   
3. Game #3: ____________________________
   
   
   

Share One Game & Why You Picked It
Game: ____________________________



Reason: ____________________________________________________________

Great start! We’ll use these ideas to fuel our game-making journey.

Session 1 Discussion

Purpose: Debrief today’s activities, deepen the student’s understanding of their own preferences, and check motivation for next steps. Use short, clear prompts and lots of praise to maintain engagement.

1. Reflect on Favorite Games (5 minutes)

Question: Which game from your top three was your very favorite, and why?

• Prompt: “Tell me one reason you love that game.”
• Follow-up: “What part of that game would you like to use in your own design?”
• Strategy: If stuck, offer two quick options: “Was it because of the pictures? The challenge? The story?”

Possible Student Response: “I like drawing cards with pictures, because it’s colorful.”

2. Review Your Theme Choice (5 minutes)

Question: You picked [student’s chosen theme]—what makes that theme exciting to you?

• Prompt: “Can you show me a doodle or act out a scene from that theme?”
• Follow-up: “How do you imagine the game board or cards would look in that theme?”
• Strategy: Have a quick sketchpad ready so the student can draw instead of talking.

3. Talk Through Your Mechanic & Win Condition (8 minutes)

Mechanic Prompt: “Your mechanic is [student’s chosen mechanic]. What will players do on their turn?”

• Follow-up: “Can you demonstrate with your hand or markers?”

Win Condition Prompt: “Your win condition is [student’s chosen win condition]. How will someone know they’ve won?”

• Follow-up: “What makes that moment feel exciting?”

Strategy: Keep each discussion under 2 minutes—use a timer beep to move on.

4. Engagement & Enjoyment Check (5 minutes)

Quick Poll: “On a scale of 1–5, how fun was today’s activity?”
• If 4–5: Celebrate (“That’s awesome!”)
• If 1–3: Ask “What part was trickiest? How can we make it more fun next time?”

Choice Point: “Next session we’ll start making pieces or cards. Which would you rather design first—game cards or a game board?”

5. Preview & Positive Wrap-Up (2 minutes)

• Preview: “In Session 2, we’ll use these ideas to make something you can hold—cards, a board, or tokens.”
• Affirmation: “You did amazing brainstorming today—your ideas have real power. I can’t wait to build them together!”
• Next Steps: Remind the student to sketch one part of their favorite idea at home and bring it in.

Teacher Tips:
• Celebrate small wins with stickers or high-fives.
• Use visuals or props to illustrate questions.
• Keep talk segments under 2 minutes—move on if attention drifts.
• Offer choices whenever possible to boost ownership.
• Provide immediate, specific praise (“Great explanation of your win condition!”).

Session 1 Game Activity: Quick Turn Race

Objective:

• Experience a simple turn-taking mechanic
• See how rolling dice and moving pieces creates fun gameplay
• Identify the core mechanic (roll & move) and win condition (first to finish)

Materials:

• Blank paper
• Colored markers or pencils
• One six-sided die (or spinner 1–6)
• Two tokens (coins, buttons, or small paper cutouts)
• Timer (optional)

1. Setup Your Race Track (3 minutes)

1. On your blank paper, draw a straight line of 10 boxes in a row.
2. Label the first box Start and the last box Finish.
3. Color-code the boxes if you like—make turns more exciting!

(Take 3 minutes to draw and decorate your track.)
 
 

2. Choose Your Tokens & Decide First Player (1 minute)

• Pick two distinct tokens (for example, a red coin and a blue button).
• Place both tokens on Start.
• Flip a coin or roll the die: higher side goes first.
 
 

3. Play the Race (5–7 minutes)

1. On your turn, roll the die and move your token forward that many boxes.
2. Then it’s the other player’s turn to roll and move.
3. First token to land exactly on Finish wins!
4. If you roll too high (for example, you’re on space 9 and roll a 3), stay in place and end your turn.

(Play until someone finishes. Use a timer if you’d like to keep a 5-minute limit.)
 
 

4. Debrief: What Did You Notice? (5 minutes)

1. What mechanic did we use in this game?
   Circle one: roll & move / draw cards / answer questions
2. What was the win condition?
   Circle one: first to Finish / highest points / last man standing
3. How did taking turns feel?

1. What would you add or change to make this race more exciting?

• Add an obstacle (e.g., skip turn on space 5)
• Add a shortcut (e.g., land on space 7 → jump to space 10)
• Change the track length

Your idea: ____________________________

Next Steps:

• We’ll use this roll & move mechanic in Session 2 to build on your own game idea.
• Think about how you might theme this race (space, pirates, sports) and bring one sketch next time.

Great job exploring a quick game—you now know how turns and win conditions work in action!

Game Maker Journey: Project Guide

Program Overview

In this 6-session, one-on-one program, a fifth-grade student with severe ADHD, autism, and dyslexia will plan, design, and test a custom tabletop or card game of their own rules. Each 30-minute session uses high-interest, choice-driven activities to build literacy, executive functioning, and social-emotional skills through game creation. By the end, the student will have a playable prototype and the confidence to explain their design.

Key Components per Session:

• Warm-Up: Brief, engaging prompt to focus attention
• Lesson Plan: Step-by-step guide for the session’s objective
• Slide Deck: Visual supports and choice prompts
• Script: Teacher wording and check-in cues
• Activity/Game: Hands-on exploration or practice
• Discussion: Debrief questions to deepen understanding
• Cool-Down: Preview next steps and affirm progress

Materials Across Sessions:
Paper, markers, game-making supplies (cards, tokens, board paper), dice/spinners, timer/stopwatch, printed worksheets, and digital slide decks.

Session Sequence

Session 1: Idea Generation

Objective: Understand the goal of making a game and generate at least three game ideas.
Components & Links:

• Session 1 Warm-Up
• Session 1 Plan
• Session 1 Deck
• Session 1 Script
• Idea Generation Worksheet
• Session 1 Game Activity
• Session 1 Discussion
• Cool-Down: Assign at-home sketch of one idea
   
   

Session 2: Component Prototyping

Objective: Translate chosen idea into initial game pieces—cards, tokens, or board layout.
Components & Links:

• Session 2 Plan
• Session 2 Deck
• Session 2 Script
• Session 2 Worksheet
• Session 2 Game Activity
• Session 2 Discussion
• Warm-Up & Cool-Down routines
   
   

Session 3: Rules Writing & Trial Play

Objective: Write clear rules for gameplay and conduct a guided playthrough.
Components & Links:

• Session 3 Plan
• Session 3 Deck
• Session 3 Script
• Session 3 Worksheet
• Session 3 Game Activity
• Session 3 Discussion
• Warm-Up & Cool-Down routines
   
   

Session 4: Playtesting & Feedback

Objective: Test the prototype with a peer or teacher, gather feedback, and identify improvement areas.
Components & Links:

• Session 4 Plan
• Session 4 Deck
• Session 4 Script
• Session 4 Worksheet
• Session 4 Game Activity
• Session 4 Discussion
• Warm-Up & Cool-Down routines
   
   

Session 5: Iteration & Refinement

Objective: Incorporate feedback to refine mechanics, rules, and components for smoother gameplay.
Components & Links:

• Session 5 Plan
• Session 5 Deck
• Session 5 Script
• Session 5 Worksheet
• Session 5 Game Activity
• Session 5 Discussion
• Warm-Up & Cool-Down routines
   
   

Session 6: Final Presentation & Celebration

Objective: Present the polished game prototype, explain rules and design choices, and celebrate success.
Components & Links:

• Session 6 Plan
• Session 6 Deck
• Session 6 Script
• Session 6 Worksheet
• Session 6 Game Activity
• Session 6 Discussion
• Celebration & next steps
   
   

Final Deliverable

By program end, the student will have:

1. A playable prototype (board or card game) with custom rules and components.
2. A clear presentation explaining theme, mechanics, and win condition.
3. Enhanced skills in executive function, literacy, and social-emotional growth.

Use this guide to navigate each session, ensure consistency, and foster the student’s ownership and engagement throughout their Game Maker Journey!

Session 1 Cool-Down: Recap & Next Steps

1. Recap Your Choices

• Theme: ____________________________
  
  
• Mechanic: ____________________________
  
  
• Win Condition: ____________________________
  
  

2. Preview of Session 2

• We’ll use your favorite idea to make real game pieces (cards, tokens, or board) and start writing clear rules.

3. At-Home Task

• Spend 5 minutes sketching part of your chosen idea (a board layout, card design, or token).
• Bring that sketch to Session 2.
  
  

4. Positive Affirmation
You did an amazing job today! Your creativity and choices are the heart of this game. Can’t wait to keep building together—see you next time!