Teaching Romeo and Juliet? 

We’re looking for Grade 10 English teachers to embark on a pilot program to explore and teach interactive storytelling using with our software StoryStylus.

This is an opportunity for students to integrate their learning of Shakespeare in a way that is meaningful to them in the most prevalent art form – video games. Have your students develop alternate endings to the play, create side stories or quest-lines based on material from one of the Bard’s most well known works. While creating their own short, playable story-based video game, they’ll still need to study the text in-depth. Not only will they be studying for English, they’ll be integrating media (sound files, art/photographs) and learning basic coding skills.

We’ve taught students as young as 10 years old how to use our software and create short, playable games within a week-long course. This includes time to learn the software and create the content. We’d like to marry StoryStylus and Shakespeare, to bring new life to a story that ends in death.

What’s possible?

• Create alternate endings
• Create a game based on Rosaline or Tybalt or any of the lesser characters ala Rosencrantz and Gildenstern Are Dead
• Focus on 1 scene and create a game narrative
  • For example, the balcony scene or the visit to the apothecary
    • Creating character profiles for Romeo, Juliet, Nurse
    • How do each of their interactions impact their relationships? Learn about rapport, consequences
    • What if Romeo can’t make it up the balcony because he’s just not that clever or determined?
    • What if Juliet doesn’t want to be rescued?
    • What would the characters say to each other?
    • What is the logic of the scene as a narrative? Can we create obstacles to change the outcome?

You are…

• teaching Romeo and Juliet in Spring 2017
• interested in interactive storytelling and/or video game design
• somewhat some technically proficient (i.e. teaching kids software doesn’t scare the bajeezus outta you)
• willing to be part of an online group of educators to help us refine the curriculum

And of course, you have internet access and computers in the classroom.

We’ll take care of the

• year’s subscription to our software StoryStylus at NO cost to your students or school
• curriculum that integrates basic game design principles
  • looking at narrative design, game-flow documents
  • examining character dialogue, choice/consequence of character behaviour
  • how we can apply principles of game design to R&J
• video tutorials on how to use the software – can be used in the classroom
• teacher-only discussion group on Facebook
• Skype consultations to assist you with questions
• One or two Skype in-class conversations

Who are we?

We’re accidental educators, English grads (one of us is a reformed medievalist), gaming geeks and software engineers who have been working with storytellers as young as 10 years old to create narrative-based video games. Through our intensive summer camps, we’ve helped students develop short, playable story-games and learn to code. We’re passionate about storytelling. For more information, visit About Us page.

Drop us a line at play@onemorestorygames.com and tell us about you, your class and why you want to be part of our pilot program for Games in Ye Olde Classroom.