Launch
Students will launch the math game project by exploring real games with adults and older helpers, noticing what makes a game clear and fun, and naming the math ideas games can help friends practice. They will then use an anchor-chart checklist to sort expectations, choose partners, and complete a first game plan review with an adult so they are ready for user research in the next phase.
Days 1 - 2
🎲 Math Game Museum Walk
Launch 45m
🧩 Game Plan Picture Check
Assessment 45m
Research & Empathy
Students will observe real players, practice listening and noticing, gather evidence about what makes a counting game clear and fun, and turn that evidence into an empathy artifact, assumption list, and game-plan checkpoint that prepares them for designing with a real audience in mind.
Days 3 - 8
👀 Player Clues Anchor Chart
Knowledge/Skill Building 40m
🗣️ Buddy Interview Practice Cards
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
🤝 Buddy Game Watch Notes
Community Experience 45m
🧠 Empathy Map Math Players
Research 50m
🔢 Math Need Stations
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
✅ Adult Checkpoint Game Plan
Assessment 45m
Ideate & Prototype
Students will turn research from earlier testing into clear game ideas, choose one promising concept with evidence, build a low-fidelity prototype, and run a first playtest to gather feedback for revision.
Days 9 - 13
🧠 Player Needs Anchor Chart
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
✏️ Three Game Idea Sketches
Project Work 45m
🛠️ Number Cards and Board Build
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
👥 Buddy Playtest Feedback
Project Work 45m
✅ Adult Game Plan Check
Assessment 45m
Test & Present
Students will use playtest evidence, anchor-chart checkpoints, and adult review to improve their partner math games through two revision rounds, then share a short stakeholder presentation that explains how feedback shaped their design choices.
Days 14 - 18
🧭 Anchor Chart Game Check
Knowledge/Skill Building 35m
🎲 Buddy Playtest Feedback
Project Work 45m
✏️ Math Pieces Revision Studio
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
👩‍🏫 Adult Game Plan Review
Assessment 45m
🗣️ Design Journey Share-Out
Deliverable 45m
Showcase
Students will showcase their partner-designed math games with an authentic audience, explain how the games help players practice key kindergarten math skills, gather final user feedback, and complete a simple reflection using class anchor-chart checkpoints.
Days 19 - 20
🎲 Buddy Math Game Day
Community Experience 45m
⭐ Game Reflection Checkpoint
Assessment 45m