Lowell — You’re a Nubian archer navigating ancient Egypt; you’re a Roman gladiatrix traveling the Roman empire; you’re a Viking raider who somehow ends up in medieval India.
No matter your persona, to survive, you must answer the question: Which Roman leader was elected “dictator for life” and is often credited with the fall of the Roman Republic?
You click on “B. Julius Caesar” — the correct answer — and maintain all five of your lives. Your enemy, the Guardian of Rome, loses a life.
‘It’s very much about bringing history to life, making it feel cinematic and adventure-based.’
— Lowell Middle School teacher Drew Struckmeyer
Students in teacher Drew Struckmeyer’s social studies class are learning to navigate the globe as they transport back to 1070 B.C. through A.D. 1868 on History Quest, an online learning tool Struckmeyer has created over the past nine months using content from his seventh-grade classroom instruction.
Eighth-grader Roger Schrauben, who played the game last school year, said it’s a fun way to learn and review topics
“There’s more of a story and it isn’t just answering questions,” he said. “There are … options of where to go and what to do, and there are fun events.”
Eighth-grader Caleb DeWard, who also played last school year, said he enjoyed “conquering” civilizations, one trivia question at a time.
“It felt like it had a story and it was more personalized,” he said. “It was definitely more engaging than (a textbook) because of the battle concept.”
Adventures in History
History Quest is a complement to other learning experiences Struckmeyer leads each school year. Those include hosting Middle School-style Gladiator Games during a unit on ancient Rome and classroom Olympics while studying ancient Greece. The class also participates in a yearlong Ultimate Warrior competition, during which students complete challenges as they learn about the Spartans in Greece, the Samurai in Japan and the knights of Europe.
“It’s very much about bringing history to life, making it feel cinematic and adventure-based,” said Struckmeyer, who decorates his class with items such as swords, shields and Viking helmets.
His goal with History Quest was to create an online component for students to use outside of class for enrichment and review, he said.
The quest covers 15 different civilizations, 75 battles and three eras spanning the seventh-grade curriculum, based on Michigan standards. Each civilization has five trivia questions based on big ideas and concepts.
Struckmeyer said he hopes to get students as excited about history as he is.
“History gets a bad rap —- that it’s just a map, you memorize stuff and that’s it,” he said. “There’s a way to break through to people to show how exciting history can be.”
Struckmeyer is looking for five teachers to pilot the tool this year at no cost and provide feedback for how it works in their classrooms. Those interested can email him at dstruckmeyer@lowellschools.com.
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