AzTech: The Beginning Teacher Guide

Everything you need to know to use in your classroom

• Game overview
• Standards taught
• Get the Game
• Student Log-Ins
• HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
• Answer keys for in-game questions
  • What fraction of the days did you do homework?
  • Bonus problem 1: How far from Spain to the American coast?
  • On average, how long does Jose’s route take?
  • History terms pop quiz
  • Hangman history terms
  • How much time do I have before Mr. Gonzalez returns from the principal’s office?
• How to Play: Cheat Sheet
• Accessing Student Progress Reports

Game Overview

Learn fractions, basic statistics and Latin American history, in this bilingual game, Spanish and English, that’s also an adventure!

NOTE: This game is an updated version of AzTech: The Story Begins. If you have the older game installed, don’t worry, everything here still applies

The average number of students in Mr. Gonzalez’ classes has been going down. Where did they go? More importantly, will they be able to use their knowledge of math and history to make it back? AzTech: The Beginning teaches math as well as incorporates social studies and language arts – because real life isn’t broken down by subject. Making it twice as nice, it can be played in English or as a bilingual English/Spanish experience.

Each math problem has a hint button that provides help in Spanish or English, in both text and audio.

Get the Game

Click either of the buttons below or, on the web, instruct students to select AzTech: The Beginning from the Games Portal for Kids page.

Student Log-Ins

Each school operates differently. If you have not received student logins from your school, students may select their own (not recommended) or you can assign each student a username and password to use when they log in for the first time. This can be the same username and password they use for other applications at your school. We recommend the teacher or other school staff assign the usernames and passwords because students WILL forget and if they assigned their own, you’ll have no way of retrieving it.

You may receive individual logins generated for each student. These logins will either be:

• Generated by 7 Generation Games and feature a combination of your school or teacher name and a number;
• A student login your school has previously assigned to each student (usually, this is a school assigned student ID number).

You want to make sure that no logins are duplicated as the game uses the login to pick up on where the user left off.

We are able to identify user data based on on the login, but we at no time will be able to identify who the individual user is. As a result, it is imperative on your end that your site maintains a list of the user logins and student names.

For example, we’ve had it come up in the past where a student can’t remember his/her login. On our end, we don’t know what login the school assigned any individual student.

Knowing what login is assigned to each student is also important for reading the student data reports, you will need to be able to reference the student’s assigned logins so that you can pair up each student with his/her data

HOW TO PLAY THE GAME

Most of AzTech: The Beginning involves simple point and click interactions which follow the game’s story. Throughout the game there will be a few instances where the player is asked math questions. There is also a hang-man game and a history “pop quiz” where students click on a highlighted word and then click on which of the definitions that pop up is correct.

For these questions, the player must input his answers in specified text boxes and click an ANSWER button to submit. In the first question in AzTech: The Beginning, there is a hint and an explain button.

Answering In-Game Math Questions

The EXPLAIN button explains how to solve the problem. The HINT button gives a hint on solving and also instructs the students to enter numerator at the top, denominator at the bottom and then click the ANSWER button.

Every question in AzTech: The Beginning has an EXPLAIN button and the explanation is available in both English and Spanish.

Answer Key for In-game questions

To win the game, students must correctly answer Problems 1-3 , the history terms pop quiz and the history terms hangman game. There are two bonus problems students can choose to answer to earn gold coins. Those gold coins can be used to play bonus mini-games at the end.

Problem 1: What fraction of the days did you do homework?

Add up the number of days you did something other than homework and subtract the total from 31, which is the number of days in May.

31 – (8+ 2 +5) = 16

That is the numerator. The denominator is 31, so the answer is 16/31

Bonus Problem 1

In the same ships, going 41 miles per hour, it took 4 days to get to the American coast near what is now New York City.How many miles is Spain from the American coast? 

(4x 24 )* 41 = 3,936 miles

Problem 2: On average, how long does Jose’s route take

Add up how long it took him each time he took this route, and divide by the number of times he ran it, which was five times.

( 30 + 45 + 60 + 45 + 75) / 5 = 51

Pop quiz: History terms with correct answer

• Ancient – from a long time ago
• Indigenous – native to a place
• Masters of – people in charge
• Empire – a group of nations ruled by one government

Hangman: Social Studies terms

The Hangman game answers are selected randomly. Students will be given one of the clues below with the following answer.

• Clue: Farming, including cultivating soil, growing crops and raising animals
• Answer: agriculture

• Clue: A document or artifact from someone who lived during that time or witnessed a historical event
• Answer: primary source

• Clue: The system by which a community, state or country is ruled or governed
• Answer: government

• Clue: An organized society with a defined culture, cities, system of government and social structure
• Answer: civilization

• Clue: Someone who has studied and researched history
• Answer: Historian

Problem 3: How much time before Mr. Gonzalez gets back from the principal’s office?

Going to the principal’s office would take Mr. Gonzalez 45 seconds each way. He would be in the office for one minute. Mr.Gonzalez had already been gone for 2 minutes. How much time do I have before he returns?

( (2 x 45) + 60) – (2-60). = 150 – 120 = 30 seconds

Bonus Problem 2: What is the average number of students in Mr. Gonzalez class

There is something strange about Mr. Gonzalez’ classes. Answer the next two problems to figure out what.

Bonus Problem 2a

Here is the number of students in his classes at the beginning of the year:
1st Period : 15
2nd Period : 17
3rd Period : 13
4th Period : 15

On the average, how many students were in his classes at the beginning of the year?

(15+17 + 13 + 15)/ 4 = 15

Bonus Problem 2B

Here is the number of students in his classes at the END of the year:
1st Period : 15
2nd Period : 14
3rd Period : 13
4th Period : 10

On the average, how many students were in his classes at the END of the year?

(15 + 14 + 13 + 10) /4 = 13

AzTech: The Beginning: Mini-games Cheat Sheet

There are various mini-games in AzTech in which the student can control a character. There will be instructions provided in-game and we know you told your students to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. However, because we know students don’t always do exactly what you tell them, we will also present the instructions for each here.

ROOM SEARCH

Click on the items to find. If you have forgotten what you are supposed to find, click the HINT button. To see the items you are supposed to find in Spanish, click the ESPAÑOL button.

Items to find

• homework
•  4 books
• computer
• phone
• glasses
• 2 pencils
• gold coin

SCHOOL BUS CROSSING

This game begins with asking the player for the difficulty they would like to play. The instructions are presented on the next screen, as shown below. The arrow keys are used to move up, down, right or left.

If you die trying to cross the street, you can always choose an easier level the next time.

CROSSING THE BASKETBALL COURT

On iPAD – swipe in the direction you want to move, right, left, up or down.

HINT: If you have trouble getting across the basketball court using both hands, try swiping with one finger, you might find that easier.

Playing on Chromebook or other computer

Use the arrow keys to move. Hold down the shift key and an arrow key at the same time to move faster in that direction.

Classroom Maze game

This game is the same both on iPad and Chromebook. Click on the on-screen arrows to go right, left, backward or forward. The jump button (the middle button with the person jumping) will jump UP, that is, toward the top of the screen. If you keep losing at this game, you are forgetting to jump. Also, you only have 40 seconds to get to the front of the room. (The math problem says 30 seconds but the game actually gives you a few seconds to get started.)

Bonus Mini-Games

Players can solve two math problems to earn 5 gold coins. They can use those coins to play one of three mini-games.

JUNGLE FRUIT COLLECTOR

This game begins with asking the player for the difficulty they would like to play. The instructions are presented on the next screen.

Whether playing on an iPad or computer, at the top of the screen, players can see how many of each items they need to collect and how many they have already collected.

Spanish Ships Game

Get the Spanish ships to the coast. On a computer, use the arrow keys or arrows on the screen to move. Avoid storm clouds and don’t run into any islands.

Climb the Pyramid Game

Directions are shown in text and with voice over.

• Use arrow keys to move.
• Eat to keep up strength.
• Howler monkeys will throw you off the pyramid
• Leave gold coins to bribe servants

Student Progress Reports

VIEW STUDENT PROGRESS

A key feature of Growing Math is the ability to access student data that is tracked while the game is played in your classrooms.

This data will allow you to see how your students are progressing. Because each level covers specific Common Core items, you will be able to view student progress in – and gauge mastery of or struggles with — these clearly identifiable concept areas.

When a student passes a level, he/she has demonstrated sufficient proficiency over the items covered. Prolonged time spent at a level indicates the student likely needs additional instruction and/or attention with regard to these math concepts.

Once students have completed the game, the data report will provide you with a breakdown that includes pre- and post-test data so you can easily analyze student improvement.

The data reports will allow you to immediately assess strengths and weaknesses of individual students areas as well as the entire class.

HOW TO ACCESS

All school users have access to automated reports on student progress including answers to problems, number of correct answers, quiz results and pre-test / post-test results.

Reports are available on-line. You will need a username and password to access the site. If your IT specialist has not given you access, or if you ARE the IT specialist, simply email growingmath@7generationgames.com with your name, school name and title (fourth-grade teacher or IT specialist, for example).