Game Maker · Lesson 1
Lesson 1: Lotería Toss
Students explore how data is created through play in a Lotería-inspired tossing game that combines identity, culture, movement, and chance.
Student Objectives
I can…
- ✓ I can generate and collect data through gameplay.
- ✓ I can notice patterns, clusters, and repetition in data.
- ✓ I can reflect on how design choices influence data results.
- ✓ I can practice curiosity by asking questions and noticing patterns in data.
At a Glance
Total: about 45 minutes| Section | Time | Slides | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch — connect to SEL and Data Habits of Mind | 5 min | 3–7 | Introduce the lesson and begin with an SEL check-in — "Which game represents how you are entering this space?" Describe the lesson flow, review classroom agreements, and connect to the Data Habit of Mind: curiosity. |
| Engage — connect to games and data | 3 min | 8–10 | Invite students to think about their favorite analog game. Share the lesson's driving question — "How does play create data, and how do game design choices shape the results?" |
| Context — connect to culture and identity | 6 min | 11–13 | Introduce traditional and modern versions of Lotería. Invite students to discuss words and images that stand out and how games can reflect culture and identity. |
| Create — make a class Lotería deck | 10 min | 14–18 | Introduce a new game variation (Lotería Toss). Students create their Custom Lotería Card using a meaningful noun and an image, then choose numbers (from 1 to the number of students in class) to make My Lotería Grid. |
| Prepare — set up to play Lotería Toss | 3–5 min | 19–21 | Set up the game board (a grid of Custom Lotería Cards) so students can gather around. Show how to collect data and track the frequency of numbers from the toss. Invite students to share their chosen words and images with the class. |
| Collect data — play Lotería Toss and chart frequency | 10 min | 22 | Have students take turns tossing an object (such as a bean bag) onto the Lotería game board. The class records outcomes on a physical poster or a shared digital poster. |
| Reflect — connect game design and data, identify Data Habits of Mind | 5–8 min | 23–24 | Students reflect on patterns in the data, possible causes, fairness, and how changing game design elements could create different outcomes. Discuss how curiosity showed up in the lesson. |
| Close — check on emotions | 2 min | 25–26 | Have students check on their emotions and identify how they feel before they leave. |
Materials & Prep
- Student Handout — Custom Lotería Cards and My Lotería Grid · 1 per studentPrint single-sided, then cut in half. The number of pages should equal the number of students in your class. Blank Lotería cards are included at the end — duplicate as many as needed and write in numbers up to the number of students.
- Lotería Inspiration Images (optional) · 1–2 sheets per groupProvide pre-printed images if creating their own is a barrier for students.
Gather
- Objects to tossFor example, bean bags, masking tape rings, or small paper plates (3–6 total for the class).
- Markers, colored pencils, or crayons
- Sentence starters and visual vocabulary cards (optional)
- Examples of Lotería images (optional)
Digital
- Internet access and a computer with projectorNeeded to show the slides.
Before You Teach
- ☐Decide how materials will be distributed (stations or packets).
- ☐Confirm the number of Lotería Cards matches the exact number of students in your class. Remove extra printed cards if there are too many.
- ☐Set up the classroom space for the Lotería Toss game.
- ☐Locate an open space (approximately 5 x 7 feet for the game grid, plus room for students to gather around).
- ☐Display the Lotería Number Data Tracker (digital poster) or make a similar physical poster marked with numbers from 1 to the number of students in your class.
A note on this lesson
This is the opening lesson of the Game Maker Adventure, and it introduces the big idea that data is created through play. Students participate in an active, Lotería-inspired tossing game that combines identity, culture, movement, and chance. They create personalized word-and-image cards, generate real class data through gameplay, and reflect on how game design choices influence patterns and outcomes.
The Data Habit of Mind for this lesson is curiosity. Throughout the lesson, students practice it by asking questions, noticing patterns, and wondering about the fairness and design of the game.
What to watch for
- Card counts must match your roster. The Lotería Cards and grid numbers run from 1 to the number of students in your class, so confirm the printed cards match exactly and remove any extras before you teach.
- Students who get stuck creating a card. Have the optional Lotería Inspiration Images ready so a blank card doesn’t become a barrier.
- Room setup. The game grid needs roughly a 5 x 7 foot open space, plus room for students to gather around for the toss.
- Curiosity over correctness. The reflection is about noticing patterns, clusters, and fairness — keep the focus on questions students raise, not on a single right answer.
After class
Optionally save and/or photograph the Lotería Number Data Tracker (the digital or physical frequency poster) so you can show it again in Lesson 2.