For the last few years my narrative has revolved around a year long story about a dystopian future that revolved around a bit of a complicated political drama. It was an original story that I narrated with the help of some students and colleagues. It was fun to write and fun to record but I think I had more fun with it than the students. So I am going to shift up my narrative which will have a major impact on several other facets of my classroom.

My new narrative will focus around a Super Hero vs. Super Villain theme. It sounds light and fluffy but I am hoping to make it a deeper narrative that will center on historic principles. I am still working through the storyline but here are the basics.

  1. On the first day students will sort themselves into one of two meta-guilds – The Sentinels and the Hunters. These two meta-guilds are tentatively “Heroes” (Sentinels) and “Villains” (Hunters).
    1. Students will also be able to select 1 of 7 different super power types. Each super power type will have different assessment powers and powers in the “Skirmishes”, “Clashes”, and “Boss Battles”.
  2. The story will feature the Sentinels acting as world guardians with the Hunters acting as “looking out for their own tribe. My goal is to have less of a good/evil dynamic and rather a differing perspective.
  3. Each of the meta-guilds will be broken into smaller guilds that can complete missions and activities. I think I will call these squads.
  4. I have students for a full year broken into 2 semesters. I plan on having a “Big Bad” for semester 1. This boss will eventually be shown to be working for the 2nd semester boss. Each semester has 4 units. I need to write a story and break it down into unit chunks.
  5. MOTIVATIONS – The Bosses are looking for Primary Sources – Specifically they are hunting down original source artifacts. Each source has an “aura” or a power that can be used to create spells. For example, if the Boss is able to collect the Declaration of Independence they will be able to use that to fuel a powerful spell of some sort. More important sources are more powerful.
    1. Hunters are the “villains”. This guild does not believe that the Big Bad actually has the ability to accomplish their goal and is working with the Big Bad in order to gain enough power to defend their own territory. In their mind they are simply protecting themselves by taking advantage of a blowhard.
    2. Sentinels are the “heroes”. This guild thinks that the Big Bosses are a danger to all of society. They will work hard in order to keep the Hunters from obtaining the enough source energy to create this powerful spell.
  6. I am still working on the motivations. First Semester Boss might be called Ms. Ree or Ms. Arie (Misery?). The second semester boss will be the Boss of Ms. Ree. Again, not sure of motives BUT I believe I have figured out the twist at the end of the first semester. The Hunters and the Sentinels will have to team up to defeat Ms. Ree after the Hunters find out that Ree will be able to pull of the massive spell. The boss fight will be based on the “The Dreadsheets Strike Back: A video guide to the Dreadsheets” model.
    1. I am thinking that “super powers” will be unleashed after Ms. Ree tries to unleash the source power of the Declaration of Independence (or another powerful “Source”). The power is so great that the energy releases the innate powers in the students.
  7. Each Unit will end with a “Clash” between the Sentinels and the Hunters over a Primary Source. This will be similar to the Boss Fights but the two meta-guilds will battle it out. The winner of the battle will receive the Source. Each Class (I have 5) will receive a different source. This will act as a bit of a Hunter/Sentinel leader board and a facsimile will put on a timeline marked as either Hunter or Sentinel.
  8. I am thinking of giving each class a different name; similar to what Marvel does with their different Multi-verses. Instead of 1st block on Monday/Wednesday I will have the Ultimate Universe, 3rd block Monday/Wednesday will be the Amazing Universe, etc. My goal is to have the 2nd semester boss use the collected Primary Sources from the 1st semester to create a spell that will scatter the universes. This will be like a crossover in the Comic Series and will explain why students are in different classes when their schedules change in second semester.
  9. As a formative assessment each class will have am “enthralled skirmish”. The Enthralled are historic figures that the Big Bad has conjured. If the Sentinel guilds defeat an Enthralled character they will release the figure who will become an ally (more on this later). If the Hunters defeat the enthralled it will remain enthralled and serve as an ally to that group. They will get a card with the character to show the victory.
  10. Items will also be based around the “source energy”. As students complete assignments/quests they will earn a “source” that will be linked to the Unit we are studying.

I am sure that there is more to the “world building” that I need to work out. PLEASE HELP! I am very excited about this idea and want to make it AWESOME!