End-of-unit projects are a great way to get your primary learners working collaboratively in groups or independently, so they can show you what they have learnt in a way that suits them. In this article, Peter Wiggins shares instructions and templates for ‘The Launch Game’, an adaptable lesson activity to enhance learners’ focus and engagement through multiple stages of a project or challenge.
Peter Wiggins is a Computer Engineer and Design & Innovation Teacher at the Pan American School of Bahia, Brazil. He spent five years training other teachers and developing creative ideas to integrate educational technology into the classroom, before taking on his current role.
What is the Launch Game?
The Launch Game is an activity in which learners will navigate through stages of a project to reach a final objective. This objective could be a presentation, a written conclusion, or the assembly of a prototype or model. The template for the game is fully editable and can be applied to any subject, so you can adapt it to suit the exact requirements of your educational context and the needs of your learners.
How does it work?
The game is set out on a map/route with progressive stages, going from ‘Level 1’ through to ‘Level 4’ and finally to ‘Launch’. Each stage of the map represents a separate stage of the project. You decide what each of the stages will involve depending on the objective and theme of the project. Learners work in teams and select a badge to represent them on the map. The aim of the game is to reach the launch of their project first, by successfully completing all of the stages.
You might choose to print the map, display it on a projector, or move the badges virtually on-screen in front of the class. Learners can also have access to move their badge along the stages, providing them with full autonomy over tracking their progress.
Ready-made examples for you to try!
We have put together some ready-made templates for you based on projects from our Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary resources. We’d love to see how you get on with these activities in your classrooms. You can tag us on social media @CambridgeInt to share your feedback, as well as any ideas you have put together for your own projects!
Cambridge Primary Science
Cambridge Primary Science Stage 5: Seasons and adaptations
Animals at risk
In this project, learners research an animal that is at risk because people are destroying its environment. For example, ‘plastic pollution is killing seabirds, dolphins and fish’, or ‘rapid growth of cities is taking away the environment where animals live’. Learners work in pairs to collect information and prepare a three-minute presentation to share their findings with the rest of the class.
Download the template for this project here.
The stages of The Launch Game include:
Level 1 – Brainstorm
Teams consider different animals they could research and decide which one to focus on
Level 2 – Research
Learners work together to research and collect information on their chosen animal
Level 3 – Questions
– Using their research, learners answer the project questions:
– Describe the natural environment of the animal
– Is the animal a predator? If so, what is its prey?
– Is the animal a prey? If so, what is its predator?
– What negative effects are people causing to make this animal at risk?
– Describe how the animal is at risk
– Suggest how people can change their behaviour to make the animal safe again
Level 4 – Preparation
Teams organise the information they have gathered and practice their final presentation
Launch – Presentation
Teams present their findings to the rest of the class
Cambridge Primary English
Cambridge Primary English Stage 4: Exploring Earth
World Environment Day
In this project, learners hold an exhibition for World Environment Day to encourage people to make our world a better place. Learners work as a group to make up a story, song or poem to perform and use audio-visuals to send a message about looking after our world.
Download the template for this project here.
The stages of The Launch Game include:
Level 1 – Planning
In groups, learners decide on the focus of their exhibition and start to collect information. How are they going to encourage people to make the world a better place?
Level 2 – Writing
Learners work together to make up a story, song or poem and write it down
Level 3 – Preparation
With the written piece completed, learners prepare the audio-visuals for their performance
Level 4 – Practice
Teams decide who will be doing what and practice their final performance
Launch – Performance
Teams perform their story, song or poem to the rest of the class
Cambridge Global English
Cambridge Global English Stage 3: Make a ‘Memories’ scrapbook or slideshow
Families
In this project, learners work in groups to produce a scrapbook or slideshow to showcase a favourite memory.
Download the template for this project here.
The stages of The Launch Game include:
Level 1 – Theme
As a team, learners choose between three subjects – family holidays, special days of the year or grandparents.
Level 2 – Writing
Each member of the group brings in a photo or draws a picture of a memory, writing a few sentences about it.
Level 3 – Sharing
The teams spend some time sharing their chosen memories with each other and reading their sentences aloud to check each other’s work.
Level 4 – Creating
The groups then create a scrapbook or slideshow by scanning the pictures and typing up the sentences, or by stapling pages together with paper.
Level 5 – Presentation
Finally, learners share their work with the class.
Have fun putting together your own projects with ‘The Launch Game’ or use our examples! Access the instructions and blank template with the link below or download our example templates for each activity above.
