Building Organization Skills: Fallout Shelter and Google Calendar

Building Organization Skills: Using information to make thoughtful choices

Strong organization skills require you to consider different pieces of information before making organizational choices. In this workshop, our expert Gamer Guides introduce LW4K Explorers to a game and an app to practice making different organizational choices based on available information.

Overview

The LW4K Mastering Organization series offers an introduction to using games and apps to discuss and practice critical skills for school and daily life. Organization is the thinking skill that helps a child take a systematic approach to problem-solving by creating order out of disorder. For example, organization is a necessary skill for keeping track of school materials and maintaining progress on longterm projects.

When playing games, players are asked to accumulate and organize objects or money in order to progress. Playing games can help improve a player’s organization skills by practicing this skill while in the midst of a fun and immersive experience.

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Games and Apps Used in this Workshop

Fallout ShelterIn Fallout Shelter, the player is asked to manage an underground vault full of survivors by keeping track of resources like food, water, and electricity. Players must also choose which rooms to place people in and which clothing, weapons, and pets to give each person. Without staying well-organized, survivors will be unhappy, daily bonuses will be lower, and the player will run out of resources.

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Game Downloads

Fallout Shelter Mac/iOS Download

Fallout Shelter Android Download

 

Google Calendar is an online calendar tool for saving schedules to a daily, weekly, or monthly calendar. Users can create color-coded events in correlation with their assignments, appointments, and other important commitments. One great advantage of Google Calendar is its ability to be shared. Organizing tasks in a group for a school project, or simply finding common times to meet for lunch or other activities is made all the easier with Google Calendar.

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Game Downloads

Google Calendar Mac/iOS Download

Google Calendar Android Download

Workshop Schedule

To join the live session, simply select the appropriate date and time below, then click on the Join Live Session button.  If this is your child’s first session, please make sure to view and follow our setup instructions below.

fri26jul6:00 pm6:50 pmBuilding Organization Skills: Fallout Shelter & Google Calendar6:00 pm - 6:50 pm EST

Workshop Activities

The LW4K method to using video games as teaching tools relies on strategic teaching principles and our approach of “Detect, Reflect, and Connect.” The purpose of the Detect, Reflect, and Connect steps is to mold the child into an active learner who becomes aware of, engaged in, and contemplative of what she is learning. These steps can enhance motivation and concentration. They also assist in extending learning beyond a particular game or technology and connecting it to the real world.

  • Detect

    Detect or identify when and where they are using thinking skills in video game play.

    After a brief introduction, it’s time to play! All of our Learning Works For Kids Explorers will be able to hop into their own game and individually explore for about five minutes with the EF Coaches checking in to answer any questions or provide help if it is needed. A discussion will follow focusing on the different strategies individual players used to approach each level. EF Tech Coaches and Explorers will discuss topics such as … What was your experience like? How did you use your Organization skills to complete the task? What was challenging?

  • Reflect

    Reflect or consider how the thinking skills used during gameplay helps them to achieve their goals.

    With these strategies in mind, explorers can return to the game to either refine their strategy or employ a fellow explorer’s method. After a short period of play, we continue with a group discussion to further reflect on the benefits and drawbacks of various strategies used by the group.

  • Connect

    Connect or apply game-based thinking skills to real-world activities.

    The group discussion will move on to how these same strategies can be used for achieving goals outside of the game. Explorers will be posed with questions, such as: What did you learn today? How can you translate your Organization skills to other areas of your life? During the discussion, we will introduce an app that can help explorers improve their Organization skills with school subjects and extracurricular activities.

Follow-Up Activities

Activity #1

Add five items to your google calendar.

  • One item should be an exam or due date.
  • One item should be a study session in preparation for the above
  • One item should be a repeating item like sport or music practice.