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Included in this product:

• 1 Google Docs Worksheet (2 pages) that will direct student learning while they play through the game to help them focus on what is really important (and will be on the test and EOC/State exam)
• 1 Google Forms Exit Ticket: Quiz to track data and growth of student knowledge on the standards taught from the game experience. Students will also provide their own analysis of the game in terms of how closely the game resembles being the President.
• 1 Google Docs Instruction guide (2 pages) with some recommendations on how to run the activity and what students should be focused on while playing.

I can't say enough great things about Executive Command by iCivics. It is something my students actually play in their free time outside of the elections unit. This activity will have students playing the game from the iCivics website. I used to just ask my students to “Take a screenshot” at the end of the campaign.

I found students were missing questions on their assessments that they ‘should have got’ if they were paying attention during the game.

The game itself takes around 30 minutes (students will finish faster if they’ve played before). How can they spend that much extra time playing a presidential campaign and not understand the president's role as chief legislator?

Not only that but their scores on the assessment were not boosted by the gameplay experience. From my own teaching experience, the most overlooked or missed elements from the game that students should have had a better concept of after playing are:

1. How executive departments help the President execute the law. Department of State, Department of Energy, Department of the Treasury, etc.
2. Addressing the nation in the State of the Union. Pushing forward your agenda.
3. Demonstrating the role as Chief Diplomat. Vetoing and signing legislation.
4. Why the President doesn't have line-item veto. Once one line of the bill is vetoed, the entire bill is vetoed (Maybe the games greatest teaching point.)
5. Demonstrates the limitations of a Presidential term- Not enough time to do everything you want to accomplish.

So, I set to work on creating an activity students could complete while playing the game to DIRECT their focus on the important concepts the game showcases. And then, as a data guy, seeing if I could collect data to showcase their growth in the important areas.

This product will help you do all of these things. You won't feel guilty about having them just 'play a game' as an assignment. You'll collect data to show to your administrators. You'll see improvements in tests scores and state exams. And you may find the end of a rainbow (results will vary... drastically)

Students will answer various questions types from sentence completion to questions requiring more in-depth analysis or their own interpretation. Students will log their election results week to week. Students will consider their political party and how the goals of the party influence the platform of issues they choose.

I find that students retain information at a much higher rate when they get to experience or participate in something first hand, have fun working together or discussing the lesson, and get to stand up and show what they know to their classmates. I hope this activity bundle helps your students retain important standards based information so that they can succeed on their assessments.

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