A Project-Based Game Design Course for High Schools
Unlock the secrets of game development with our "Game Design" course, featuring six comprehensive projects powered by Unreal Engine Learning Kits from Epic Games. The material provided aims to give educators everything they need to incorporate game development into their curriculum. Students are equipped with all the tools required to build projects in Unreal Engine through step-by-step projects. The activities and included project files are designed to be done in order from beginning to end, or you can select any single activity to complete individually.
Students will learn to
Understand the basic principles of animation and interactive 3D by practicing the use of tools like Unreal Engine and Sequencer to become a creator of a 3D virtual environment
Identify and describe the characteristics of the real world (lighting, materials, visual angles) that are necessary to create a realistic virtual 3D environment
List and describe a variety of careers which rely on tools like Unreal Engine
Revise and develop a solution to a real-world problem (creating a product advertisement) by breaking the problem down into smaller, more manageable steps that can be solved through computational thinking
Analyze solutions to complex real-world problems by comparing and contrasting different solutions (real-time rendering vs. offline rendering vs. live recreation) and listing the constraints of each
Context of Lesson: no prior knowledge is specifically required to complete this lesson
Meet the Creators
For an engaging introduction to the world of game development, our course is designed by leading educators and industry experts, including the visionary Steven Isaacs, the Education Program Manager at Epic Games, and the innovative Cleverlike Studios.
Steven Isaacs
Steven Isaacs brings over 25 years of experience as an educator to the Game Development course, specializing in Game-Based Learning, Game Design, and Development. As the Education Program Manager at Epic Games, he's dedicated to providing educators and students with access to Industry Standard Interactive 3D tools like Fortnite Creative and Unreal Engine. His work in integrating real-time 3D technology across industries enriches the course's content.
Cleverlike Studios
Cleverlike Studios excels in making education engaging by leveraging popular video games. They have developed and published educational games within Minecraft, Fortnite, and more, that incorporate future-ready skills across various content areas. Their innovative learning materials and custom game worlds aim to simplify technology education, making it accessible and enjoyable.
Available in
English, Spanish
Features
Teacher Instructions
Videos
Surveys
Exams
Assignments
Discussion Boards
Video reviews
Drills
Self-graded Activities
Project-based learning
Gradebook
Grade level
8-12
Length
0.5 credits (90 h)
Format
Teacher Led
Prerequisites
None
Course breakdown
Project 1: Create Your First 3D Game
This project introduces interactive game development using Unreal Engine by Epic Games. It involves detailed lessons on game physics, animation, player interactivity, and UI design using Unreal Engine. It adopts a hands-on approach, guiding students in creating their own game from scratch, from designing game mechanics to packaging the game for sharing.
Project 2: Rube Goldberg Machine
A beginner-friendly project teaches students to use the Unreal Engine interface to build a virtual Rube Goldberg machine. Students gain hands-on experience manipulating various game assets while learning practical physics concepts related to simple machines.
Project 3: Careers in Robotics
Explore the mechanics of virtual robotics and dive into coding and operating simulated robots within Unreal Engine. This course provides a virtual alternative to physical robots, presenting students with challenges like sumo battles and autonomous navigation tasks. Learners will apply engineering and physics principles in a cost-effective, maintenance-free environment, gaining skills transferable to various robotics systems.
Project 4: Careers in Advertising
Discover the world of advertising through this project, which offers a glimpse into the advertising industry's use of interactive 3D tools, blending computer science, design, and physics to solve career-focused problems. Students gain practical experience and industry insights, learning from professionals about the vast opportunities beyond gaming, where their skills can make a real-world impact.
Project 5: Careers in Animation
Enter the animated realms of storytelling to bring characters and stories to life using Unreal Engine's dynamic capabilities. Aspiring animators will create animated scenes using advanced techniques and real-time rendering engines. With insights from professional animators, students will see the evolution from rigid movements to fluid, lifelike animations and from artificial lighting to realistic ambient effects.
Project 6: Careers in Fashion
Step onto the cutting-edge catwalk and translate design visions into digital reality using Unreal Engine. In this project, learners craft their own 3D fashion environment, discovering how game engines are pioneering tools in digital apparel design and marketing. Students will gain insight into the fashion industry's digital transformation, including sustainability in design and production, through hands-on projects and professional interviews.
All this, on Gameplan's
custom interactive platform
Unlock the power of customization on our platform by selecting, mixing, and matching courses and lessons from our extensive library. Additionally, seamlessly upload and incorporate your own content for a truly personalized experience.
What Does a Lesson Plan Include?
The course library on Gameplan provides hundreds of complete lessons with all the resources you need to use them in your classroom. Teachers need minimal time to prepare as all lessons include the following.
Teacher instructions
Every lesson is carefully planned by an experienced educator who will explain the lesson structure and list tips and tricks.
Standards alignment
Each lesson is mapped to a number of different standards depending on the topics covered. Some examples are ISTE, NGSS, CTE, and SEL.
High-quality videos
Videos with animations and examples are used to introduce and explain new concepts. No need to spend time searching through YouTube.
Interactive activities
To make lessons more engaging, they include a number of interactive activities where the students practice and cement their learning.
Discussion boards
Let students interact with each other and discuss ideas through discussion boards that can be used for learning or assessment.
Knowledge assessments
At the end of every lesson, there is typically some kind of assessment. It can be in the form of exams, assignments, journals,
