A new initiative at KET this fall is MISSION US. We are partnering with WNET.ORG in New York and with the Kentucky Department of Education, the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies to introduce a new series of FREE interactive learning resources for American history.

The development team of this groundbreaking initiative includes historians from the American Social History Project (ASHP) at CUNY, researchers from the Education Development Center’s CCT, or Center for Children and Technology (CCT), and game developers from Electric Funstuff. The project was developed as a new way to teach history. Statistics from the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress, “The Nation’s Report Card,” show that only 17% of eighth graders perform at or above the proficient level in American history. The situation is even more dire for underserved students. Mission US aims to stem the tide by reaching today’s tech-savvy kids where they “live,” inviting them to be “players” during pivotal eras in the country’s past. The content helps students understand and appreciate multiple perspectives and gain a more nuanced view of history.

At the heart of MISSION US is an online, student centered series of interactive exploratory experiences. This is what you see when you go to the MISSION US web site.

MISSION US also includes an abundance of teacher materials, including primary source documents, vocabulary activities, and guides to classroom use.

The first mission is “For Crown or Colony,” which immerses players in the world of 1770 Boston before the American Revolution. Players take on the role of 14-year-old Nathaniel Wheeler, an apprentice to the publisher of the pro-Patriot Boston Gazette. As he carries out tasks for his master, players steer Nat’s actions from confronting soldiers that are patrolling the wharves to falling for the niece of a Loyalist. As the stakes rise, the gamers’ knowledge of the period grows through their unique experiences that involve reading primary historical documents, collecting period artifacts, and clicking on vocabulary words, called “Smartwords,” that are embedded in the dialogue. Nat’s fate rests in players’ hands: Should he complete his apprenticeship and support the Patriots’ cause? Should he remain loyal to the crown? or should he leave Boston to take on a new job at sea? No matter what path Nat chooses, he witnesses the events of the Boston Massacre and, ultimately, must decide where his allegiance lies.

While interacting with a variety of people from colonial Boston society, Nat gains different views on British authority and colonial protest.

Some of the characters Nat encounters are real historical figures, like Phillis Wheatley, the first notable African poet in America and the first African-American woman whose writings were published.

Others are fictional. A lot of attention was given to creating a storyline that would draw students in – not just dropping Revolutionary War history into a game setting. For example, Nat finds a romantic interest, Constance Lillie, the beautiful niece of Loyalist shopkeeper Theophilus Lillie. The look of the game was inspired by anime and actually some of the fictional characters were inspired by well-known actors. Can you guess which actress Constance was based on? If need hint: Think Spiderman! [Answer is Kirsten Dunst.]

This is Royce Dillingham, a ropemaker’s apprentice. He can be both friend and foe of Nat’s at different points of the game. He’s eager to take part in any action against the crown – so much so that you wonder is it really for the principles involved or mainly for fun? He too was based on a famous celebrity. And this one may be a little easier! (Tom Cruise)

The action takes place over the course of several days, beginning with a prologue in which Nat leaves his home to go to Boston to become an apprentice to Benjamin Eads, who actually was a printer of the time. Students can play, save, and pick up again where they left off. Playing the game straight through would take about 90 minutes. But that’s probably not what you would have students do, since there is a wide range of activities that are available to enhance each section. There are also vocabulary activities that help students understand what they experience in the game.

At the game’s climax Nat witnesses the “Boston Massacre.” But depending upon the choice he has made and where he is in the square, he will have a different perspective of what happened. Ultimately he must make a decision—remain loyal, join the Patriots, or go off to sea? And it may not be an easy decision. Remember Constance… well she is fiercely loyal to the Crown. If Nat chooses to join the Patriots he must go against his girlfriend…. Or as one of the historians involved put it: This is where history meets puberty!

This is a new and exciting way to engage your students –and here’s some more good news: It’s FREE! It can be used flexibly. You can stream or download and play. Students can stop and start again where they left off. (However unlike some commercial games, it does not take days and weeks to complete all the levels.) There are mechanisms for you to monitor your students’ individual progress in the game. So if you assign students to play level 2 for homework you can see who has actually done that. (Actually in testing the game, the problem was keeping students from going ahead and playing the whole thing! They got that engaged.)

But did they learn?

The answer is yes! WNET conducted a pilot study in 2009. You can read the full results at the MISSION US web site, but here are a few of the findings.

As you can see there were significant student gains on a multiple-choice test on colonial America.

Students made their greatest improvement on content that is core to the game.

And, importantly, they gained understanding of multiple perspectives—that history is messy! People are not strictly villains or heroes—many good people remained loyal for good reasons. And not all Patriots were strictly pure in their motives. No one really knows exactly what happened at the Boston Massacre—students in the game will see the event from a variety of perspectives and have to formulate their own opinions.

The game’s flexible format allows for use in the classroom, at home, in the library or media center, or anywhere there’s a computer with an Internet connection. The game can be played in a one-computer classroom or in a lab setting. Students can work alone or in groups. You can decide just how much classroom time you want to dedicate to gameplay, in-class assignments, and accompanying assignments. The MISSION US web site includes a wide array of activity ideas, vocabulary activities, writing activities, discussion prompts. Your students will gain the most if the gameplay is supported by additional activities guided by your teaching.

Begin by playing the game yourself and decide how to use it. The online teacher guide also includes a detailed teacher ”cheat sheet” that goes through every step of the game and every option.

Then determine how and where you and your students will play the game.

There are roughly four types of activities at the MISSION US site: document-based activities (many based on original source documents) Vocabulary activities (an important aspect of every step of the game) writing prompts Review questions There’s lots to choose from—and you are invited to create your own additional uses!

Integration can be high, medium or low. There’s not right or wrong way to use it.

Additional missions are planned as part of the project.

In Mission 2—scheduled for release in 2011-- players will assume the role of a runaway slave. The lead character will be female and some of the action is in Kentucky!

In Mission 3, the lead character will be an assistant involved in the race to complete the transcontinental railroad.

In Mission 4, students will take on the role of a muckraking journalist in early 20th century New York OR

And Mission 5 will follow the story of an Oklahoma family who migrates to California during the Great Depression.

Kentucky was chosen as one of 10 states from 40 applicants to be part of this fall’s introduction to MISSION US. KET is partnering with the Kentucky Department of Education, the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies. You can take a more in-depth training if you want to. And if you use the game you can also gain recognition as Kentucky’s MISSION US Educator of the Year.

The Kentucky MISSION US Educator of the Year will go on to national competition.

For Crown or Colony has excellent connections to Kentucky core content.

Gain information and tips, ask questions, and share your success stories at the Kentucky MISSION US listserv.

And there are pages at the KET web site with more information, including how to nominate yourself or someone else as Kentucky’s Mission US Educator of the Year.

And if you’re on Facebook and Twitter, please support the project there.

Make students care about history “Move the needle” Address current trends/areas of emphasis in history instruction Provide easy and flexible implementation Project Objectives

www.mission-us/org

Primary Source Collection Guide to Mission Vocabulary Activities Classroom Support Materials

About “For Crown or Colony?”

Parts of the Game

FAQs Free, free, free At home, in class, in lab, or combo play Streaming and downloadable Play, stop, start again where you left off Monitor the progress of students

MISSION US and Learning

Pilot Study Fall 2009 20 urban, suburban and rural educators New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Montana The guinea pigs! Study summary results available on website

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Increased Knowledge of Colonial America Student gains on a multiple-choice test on colonial America (Adapted from NAEP items)

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Increased Knowledge of Colonial America Greatest improvement on items that are core to the game: Defining the terms Loyalist and Patriot Identifying types of colonist protest Identifying why colonists objected to British taxes Chronologically ordering events leading to the Revolution

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Better Historical Thinking Students showed greater historical empathy and perspective-taking ability in: Analysis of Revere engraving of the Boston Massacre Written explanation of Loyalist & Patriot viewpoints More complex classroom talk about motives, causality

Classroom Use A flexible, adaptable teaching tool A platform for vocabulary and literacy learning A support for students of different academic abilities And students like it!

Step 1: Time Consideration Play the game and review the curricular materials Consider the dominant themes of your social studies instruction Make a rough estimate of how much classroom time you’ll dedicate

Step 2: Location, Location, Location Consider available technology In class? Homework? A combination? Determine how and when your students will play different parts of the game

Step 3: Classroom Activities, Discussion, Reflection DBQs, vocabulary, writing prompts, review questions Background information galore Review materials and assess/adapt Pick and choose what works best for you

Step 4: Implementation Adapt to students’ needs and interests Make the game your own Share your successes!

Coming Attractions

Mission 2: Flight to Freedom Slavery & the Abolitionist Movement (1801-1861) Set partly in Kentucky!!!

Mission 3: Race to the Golden Spike Development of the Industrial U.S. (1869-1900)

Mission 4: The Sidewalks of New York Emergence of Modern America (1890-1919)

Mission 5: California or Dust! The Inter-War Years (1919-1940)

MISSION US in Kentucky One of 10 states chosen for the 2010 “For Crown or Colony?” training initiative Kentucky will name a Kentucky Mission US Teacher of the Year for innovative use of the game

Teacher of the Year The Kentucky MISSION US Teacher of the year will go on to national competition. One lucky educator will win a trip to New York City for the 6th Annual Celebration of Teaching and Learning on March 18 & 19, 2011.

Connections to Ky. Core Content 5th grade: SS-05-5.1.1 Use a variety of primary and secondary sources to describe significant events in U.S. history SS -05-5.2.4 Significant historical events in each era (Revolution & New Nation); cause and effect relationships 8th grade: SS-08-5.1.1 Use a variety of tools (primary & secondary sources) to describe and explain historical events; analyze perspectives of different individuals and groups SS-08-5.2.2 Explain and give examples of how the ideals of equality and personality liberty (individual rights, economic freedoms, religious diversity) during the colonial period were motivations for the American Revolution …

Find Out More Join the Kentucky MISSION US listserv for info, tips, and sharing: Send e-mail to imailsrv@lists.ket.org with the following in the e-mail body: subscribe missionus your full name

Find Out More Visit www.ket.org/missionus for video, training schedules, additional resources, and information on nominating yourself or an0ther teacher as Kentucky MISSION US Educator of the Year.

Facebook and Twitter On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MissionUS On Twitter: www.twitter.com/mission_us Or Email: missionus@thirteen.org

Thank You! Funding for Mission US provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding was provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities.