Live "Turn-based" Episode in Class

At the end of last week, I decided to do something special with my Latin I students when they reached Operation LAPIS episode 2.3b (in the villa of M. Maecenas). This is always one of my favorite episodes for the students and it is one that becomes a memorable experience for them as well (often they'll still talk about it as juniors and seniors). I've written about this episode before but this time I ran it "live" in class as a turn-based RPG throw-back. The results were so powerful that I don't think I'll ever not do it this way again.

Setup and "rules" in class:

1. Using a Google Drawing, I imported a copy of the map for episode 2.3 and using simple smiley-face icons to represent the Recentii and the guards in the house, I "moved" them around in real time as the operative-teams controlled their Recentius. You can see the map here: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/164ul9w8CFV2F2rC39fO3WEiPxzJKj3Ys5n4ExZmzXX4/edit?usp=sharing
2. Using random.org to roll dice to determine order, we established the sequence in which the characters would move.
3. Operative teams were allowed to make one "action" per term (i.e., Bellator ambulat ad latrinam or Octaviana capit stolam.)
4. Operative teams were given two minutes to discuss what their action would be. When they were ready, one member of the team called out "Bellator movet!" and all the other groups would immediately fall silent and pay attention to the team whose turn it was to act. (This worked unbelievably well!)
5. One member of the team would say what they were planning to do while simultaneously posting it to the Edmodo thread for the episode.
6. Me (acting as the TSTT) would then post a response to their action. Some replies were on the fly, others came from stock descriptions provided for Agents in the Episode Guide (i.e., the room descriptions, etc).
7. As a class we would read the character's action and the TSTT reply together, checking for understanding.
8. Next team would then be on the clock to move.

Initial Thoughts:

• Engagement was through the roof. In between actions, I was walking around the classroom monitoring discussions. Through both periods that we ran this episode, there wasn't a single time when a single student was "off task." They were focused and plugged in. I attribute a great deal of this to the immersive qualities of the game-based learning environment. 
• Operative teams paid very close attention to what their allies were doing. When it was a team's time to move, the rest of the class was listening intently and looking for additional clues.
• There was an incredible amount of comprehensible Latin in both periods. This included the Latin that the students read, but also what they produced. Remember, output by one operative team became input for the three other teams. I'm becoming more and more convinced of the power that meaningful and relevant output by peers has on other students' ability to acquire more ability in the language. Hearing me speaking, reading things I've written is one thing -- it's something else entirely when it's done by a peer.
• Lots of repetitions with structures. It is so important to provide ample opportunity for modeling correct usage and for the students to see structures, words, and phrases repeated. Running the episode in this format, in class, with the limit of actions allowed for lots of practice with various structures even at this early stage in their Latin careers.
• The learning objectives for this episode (rooms and functions of a typical Roman villa) are now situated in context for the students. They were "moving" in and around the rooms, interacting with objects contained within. This experience becomes far more powerful for them and their ability to retain the information as opposed to simply reading about the rooms in a culture section of a typical textbook.
• I want to take a look at additional episodes throughout Operation LAPIS to see how I can replicate a similar experience at various other points throughout the year.

Transcript of the Episode:

(2.3.b)
>Vīlla of Marcus Maecēnās, Pompēiī, 79 CE<

tū in ātrium intrās. tū larārium dextrā vidēs. larārium est malīgnum. tū quoque lectum geniāle vidēs. ātrium est dēsertum. clāmōrem ē peristyliō in trīclīniō audīs.

Prompt: find the volūmen in vīllā of M. Maecēnās. You are free to explore any area of the house that you wish, but be on the lookout for Marcus and his guards.

Codex Link: http://lapis.practomime.com/index.php/104-hud023

Live Map: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/164ul9w8CFV2F2rC39fO3WEiPxzJKj3Ys5n4ExZmzXX4/edit?usp=sharing

Bellator said Oct 16, 2014: Bellator festinat clam to ad Locum V

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Bellator ambulat ad locum V (tablinum) sed conspicit (catches sight) custodem extra (outside of) ianuam. custos non videt Bellatorem. revenit ad Recentiōs in ātrium. 

Octaviana said Oct 16, 2014: Octaviana clam ambulat ad cubiculum. 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Octaviana ambulat ad cubiculum. in cubiculō est lectus. tunica et toga in lectō iacent. cista quoque est in cubiculō. cista est clausa. clāvem nōn habēs. aliquid nitidum sub lectō cēlat. 

Priscus said Oct 16, 2014: Priscus intrat in different cublicum, priscus quaerit est volumen 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Priscus ambulat ad alium cubulicum. in cubiculō est lectus. stolla in lectō iacet. 

Tulliana said Oct 16, 2014: Tulliana ambulat ad peristylum et clam spectat around a column. 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Tulliana ambulat at peristylum. lūna in peristyliō lūcet. via est in mediō peristyliō. frutex in viā est. lūmen ē trīclīniō venit. clāmor ē trīclīniō venit. custōs in iānuā stat. custōs tē nōn vidēt. aliquid nitidum prope fruiticum latet. 

Bellator said Oct 16, 2014: Bellator ambulat clam to ad locum VII 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Bellator ambulat ad latrinam. in lātrīnā est multum stercoris. cavum est in mediā lātrīnā. aliquid nitidum prope cavum in lutō cēlat. 

Octaviana said Oct 16, 2014: Octaviana nitidum sub lecto capit. 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Octaviana quaerit sub lectō. sub lectō est rōbīginōsus gladius. Octaviana capit gladium robignosum. 

Priscus said Oct 16, 2014: priscus valde quaerit sub lecto et in cubiculo 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Priscus quaerit sub lectō. eheu! est nihil sub lectō in hōc cubiculō. 

Tulliana said Oct 16, 2014: Tulliana ambulat ad fruticem et capit aliquid nitidum. 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Tulliana capit aliquid nitidum. ecce! est stola fulva! Tulliana ponit stollam in suō saccō. 

Bellator said Oct 16, 2014: Bellator quarit ad cavum for ad nitidum 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: in stercore Bellator invenit clavem! est sordidus. bellator capit clavem et ponit in suō saccō. 

Octaviana said Oct 16, 2014: Octaviana ambulat ad tablinum cum robiginosus gladius. 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Octaviana ambulat ad tablinum. habet gladium in suā manū. custōs videt Octavianam. custos nunc est iratus. custōs capit gladium ā Octavianā. dicit, "hic gladius est mihi! custos vocat alium custodem quī ducit Octavianam ad ianuam. 

Priscus said Oct 16, 2014: priscus clam intrat in another cubilicum 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: in cubiculō est lectus. tunica et toga in lectō iacent. cista quoque est in cubiculō. cista est clausa. clāvem nōn habēs 

Priscus said Oct 16, 2014: priscus capit tunicam 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Priscus capit tunicam et ponit tunicam in suō saccō. 

Tulliana said Oct 16, 2014: Tulliana ambulat ad columnam prope tablinum. Tulliana videt custodem in ianua of tablinum 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Tulliana spectat custodem. custos ambulat in tablinō. via ad culinam est vacua! 

Tulliana said Oct 16, 2014: Tulliana ambulat ad culinam et spectat in culina 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: Tulliana ambulat ad culinam. mēnsa est in mediā culīnā. in mēnsā est cēna optima. ecce! coquus est in sellā. coquus tamen in sellā dormit. prope coquum est mappa ōrnāta. litterae “SP” in mappā sunt. 

Octaviana said Oct 16, 2014: (two actions at once since their similar and so you dont need to type more) Octaviana atrium quaerit et Octaviana lararium quaerit. 

TSTT said Oct 16, 2014: In the corner of the atrium stands the Larārium.
larārium Marcī est malīgnum et antīquum. statua in larariō est frācta. statua lapidem in manū tenet. statua gladium in aliā manū tenet.

Octaviana quoque quaerit lectum genialis. lectus geniālis est in ātriō. lectus est līgneus et imāginem Iūnōnis habet. litterae ‘SP’ in lectō sunt. strāgulum in lectō iacet. aliquid nitidum sub pulvīnō cēlat. 

Bellator said Oct 16, 2014: (Also 2 actions) Bellator festinat clam to ad locum III. Bellator aperit cistam with the key. 

Tulliana said Oct 17, 2014: Tulliana clam intrat culina et vero tacite capit mappa 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: Bellātor tenet clavem in manu et aperit cistam. *click* Bellator cistam inspectat. in cistā est rōbīginōsa galea. Bellator capit galeam et gerit in capite. 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014Tulliana capit mappam et ponit mappam in suo sacco. coquus movet sed non excitat se. coquus dormit adhuc (still). 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: custos exit ē tablinō et ambulat ad latrinum. tarde. (slowly.) 

Bellator said Oct 17, 2014: Bellator crepit clam to ad other locum III 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: Bellator intrat cubiculum et videt pallium in lectō. 

Tulliana said Oct 17, 2014: Tulliana ambulat ad tablinum. 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: Tulliana ambulat ad tablinum et circumspectat. The tablīnum is empty of people, but full of papers. 

tū in tablīnum intrās. tū mēnsam vidēs in tablīnō. stat mēnsa māgna in tablīnō. in mēnsā est lumen. in mēnsā est tabella. in mēnsā est lapis. in mēnsā est volūmen. 

in tablīnō quoque stat mēnsa parva. 

Priscus said Oct 17, 2014: Priscus clam intrus the final cubuiculum 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: cubiculum est vacuum. mane! (wait) est cera et stylus in cubiculō! 

Octaviana said Oct 17, 2014: Octaviana capit nitidus aliquid sub pulvino. 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: Octaviana quaerit sub lectō et invenit (discovers) multam pecuniam! Octaviana nunc habet quinque (V) denarios! 

Bellator said Oct 17, 2014: Bellator capit pallium 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: Bellātor capit pallium cinereum et gerit pallium in tergo. 

Tulliana said Oct 17, 2014: Tulliana quaerit volumen et tabella. 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: Tulliana legit tabellam. tabella est negotium de equiis (about horses). Tulliana legit volumen. estne volumen verum? 

Link to the volumen: http://links.practomime.com/volumenrg 

Priscus said Oct 17, 2014: Priscus quaerit per cera et capit cera 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: est nihil in cerā. Priscus capit ceram et ponit in suo sacco. 

Octaviana said Oct 17, 2014: octaviana capit lapidem in staue manu 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: Octaviana capit lapidem sed, ecce, non est lapidem. est aquila! Octaviana capit aquilam et ponit in suo sacco. 

Bellator said Oct 17, 2014: Bellator Ambulat to ad locum IV 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: Bellator ambulat ad culinam sed coquus nunc surgit e sellā. Bellator currit ad tablinum et spectat at rimam quod Bellator amat rimās. 

Tulliana said Oct 17, 2014: Tuliana quaerit rimam in muro 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: Priscus currit ad tablinum. Octaviana currit ad tablinum. 

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: Tulliana quaerit rimam et invenit volumen! Tulliana capit volumen! 

Link to volumen: http://links.practomime.com/volumenmarci

TSTT said Oct 17, 2014: quisque Recentius currit per villam et exit. tua persona revenit (returns) ad villam Sexti.