Class Information
Grade: 9 (students must be 13 or older to participate in this class)
Lesson timeframe: 3–5 hours, depending on student familiarity with Fortnite Creative
Featured tool: Fortnite Creative
Class / learning environment: A Fortnite-capable device with a one-to-one device-to-student ratio, and with internet connectivity. A computer lab or mobile laptop cart should provide the ideal environment.
This activity can be done as either an individual assignment or a group assignment. The lesson is device agnostic, meaning it does not matter which Fortnite platform is used.
Author Contact
Author: Mike Washburn
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @misterwashburn
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwashburn1979
Lesson Overview
What if Franz Ferdinand’s car had not stalled in the streets of Sarajevo on June 28, 1914? Have you ever thought about what would happen if different choices or actions occurred with regards to historical events? Choices matter, and when it comes to history, they are sometimes the difference between success and failure, the start of war, economic downfall, and even life and death. What would have happened if different choices were made? How would these new choices have changed the course of history?
Choices matter, and when it comes to history, they are sometimes the difference between success and failure, life and death. But what would have happened if different choices were made? How would these new choices have changed the course of history?
In this lesson, students will be asked to present a counterfactual history. They will select a story or period relevant to their learning, consider alternative scenarios for that story, write a script, and present an alternative reality in Fortnite for their story to unfold. Extension activities abound in this lesson, with the opportunity to use video and audio to take their stories to the next level in game.
Let’s rewrite history!
Essential Questions/Big Ideas
By understanding the context of the situation and the person making the choices, we might be able to rebuild a world living with the consequences of that choice. Encourage students to consider big questions that changed the course of history: What if we didn’t drop atom bombs on Japan? What if JFK had not been assassinated? By creating this counterfactual history, we can make an informed opinion about the choice that was actually made and whether it was a wise choice.
Learning Outcomes/Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Explain in some detail a critical decision made in world history.
Describe the context and questions asked relating to this important decision.
Detail alternative paths that could have been taken.
Demonstrate the outcome of an alternative path.
Use a digital medium (Fortnite) to create a world that reflects the alternative path.
Learning Activities
Lesson 1: Community and Community Living
Hook: 15 minutes
Following up on prior lessons that explored an event in history, engage students in a discussion about what key decisions surrounded that event, and how they may have changed the entire outcome. For example, what if Franz Ferdinand’s car had not stalled in the streets of Sarajevo on June 28th, 1914?)
Following the discussion, explain that by examining the alternative options and choices, we learn more about the choice made and the context surrounding it. These alternative outcomes are called counterfactuals.
Brainstorming: 15 minutes
Have students select a situation or choice related to the period they are studying, and brainstorm possible alternative scenarios.
Have students create a short synopsis of their situation, decision, and the counterfactual they will examine.
Have them also begin to brainstorm how they can demonstrate that counterfactual visually in Fortnite.
Planning: 30 minutes
Have students use a tool of their choice to create a scene or storyboard for their counterfactual as a means of planning their Fortnite creation. Review the plans with the students prior to moving them forward to in-game production as a formative assessment, and to ensure they are thinking through the context and decisions, and demonstrating a grasp of the context involved.
Lesson 2: Constructing and Documenting
Getting Started: 15 minutes
Have students refer back to their notes and storyboard for their counterfactual.
You should not spend a lot of time teaching students how to build in Fortnite Creative. Instead, refer students to the Fortnite Creative documentation for help.
Construction Phase: 1–4 60-minute periods
Students will use this phase of the project for building their counterfactual world.
Every student is different, and some may need more time than others. Build in extra time for students who are a little slower. During this time, students who are ahead should be encouraged to help others and guide their classmates.
Circulate around the class, offering help and guidance as needed. Ask questions to confirm understanding of prior learning.
By the end of this lesson, students will have a world that shows their counterfactual. As part of this world students will have:
Buildings and other architectural features.
Walkways and paths to guide the viewer.
A clear demonstration of the narrative through the visuals.
The ability to walk a player through their world and explain how their building ties to their counterfactual.
Lesson 3: Demonstrating and Sharing
Documentation: 30 minutes
Have students document their creation and the process in some way. Options could include:
Writing a blog or a note in a notebook.
Take screenshots and annotate them using a note-taking application.
If possible, have students record their Creative island codes so they can be explored at another time or reviewed for assessment.
If that is not possible, encourage students to create short screen-capture videos of their world as they are creating it. These videos can then be embedded in a documentation platform to add depth to their journaling.
If possible, have students record their Creative island codes so they can be explored at another time or reviewed for assessment.
If that is not possible, encourage students to create short screen-capture videos of their world as they are creating it. These videos can then be embedded in a documentation platform to add depth to their journalling.
Gallery Walk: 30 mins
Have students circulate around the room, spending 3–4 minutes exploring another student’s creation. Encourage students to ask questions and provide feedback.
Teachers should also circulate around the room, spending time with each creation, asking questions and providing encouragement.
Interdisciplinary and 21st-Century Connections
Students are encouraged to collaborate throughout the planning phase of this lesson. Teachers should also encourage students to help and encourage each other throughout the building process as well.
There will be students who excel at building in Fortnite. Those students should be encouraged to be class leaders who provide their expertise to students who struggle with building.
Students should be pushed to express themselves creatively. Fortnite Creative is a powerful building tool with incredible potential for amazing designs. Students who are creative will do amazing things.
Modifications and Accommodations
Students who excel at the building aspects of Fortnite and finish quickly can also be given the opportunity to screen capture a walkthrough of their community in game, and provide voiceover for their video.
Extra time or guidance should be provided for students who have never played Fortnite in order to allow them some time to become accustomed to the controls.
Be flexible. Students may need an extra class to complete their city.
Provide game controllers or adaptive controllers, based on individual student needs.
Assessments
Through conversation and interaction, students will demonstrate their understanding.
Throughout the building process, students will document their learning in a portfolio style of their choosing to provide formative evidence of understanding.
They will create their world in Fortnite Creative as a way of showing a summative grasp of the topic.
They will also disseminate what they know to their peers and teachers verbally as part of a demonstration either in person or through video.
Use the downloadable rubric associated with this lesson to evaluate the student work.