But what if a completed book was just the beginning of the story? Through tabletop role-playing games, educators are beginning to tinker with traditional works of literature and, in the process, reimagine how writing and character development are taught.
Take, for example, "Fahrenheit " by Ray Bradbury. Students in countless classrooms have read the classic tale of free speech, government censorship and critical thinking. Teachers have assigned book reports, worksheets and discussions. When Kip Glazer taught English at Independence High School Kern High School District last year, she wanted to reimagine the traditional way of teaching "Fahrenheit " by turning the experience of developing English literacy skills into a game.
Then Glazer introduces new situations and characters, charging students to use the gamified book elements to create new narratives.
And, as with any game modification, students must understand the existing story thoroughly before they can start playing its elements. They have to see it. Comedian Stephen Colbert and actor Vin Diesel are avid players. Students prepare by doing research. They read and reread the book, examine the context that inspired the story -- such as the Cold War in the case of "Farenheit " -- discuss their findings and write about them.
Each story element is continually examined through daily writing assignments that push students to reflect on how the different narrative elements build a compelling story. Role-playing games are certainly not traditional, but Glazer says the writing, critical thinking and analysis involved align perfectly with English Language Arts standards. Glazer said her students write about 2, words per week during the game.
