A couple of weeks ago on the podcast, I reviewed Quinn Rollins' Play Like a Pirate. I believe the first thing out of my mouth was "if I ever wrote a book, this would be it." Rollins speaks to so many amazing ideas and things to incorporate, that I never thought of, but they are definitely in my wheelhouse.
As someone who is both a massive collector and massive nerd I already bring those passions into my classroom. I have plenty of in and out of box Funko Pops, action figures (Turtles, WWE/WWF, and random ones kids have brought in), and some lego sets either I've put together during a planning period or conference, or left out for kids to put together (like a puzzle table, but with legos)! I've also got extra pieces for kids to just build whatever they wish too.
However, my ideas on incorporating these into actual content, and not just a playful distraction or de-stressor never really existed until I read this book (I've had kids do a Funko-Framer project and that's it).
However, Rollins' book got me to think about the variety of ways that the use of an action figure can be incorporated into learning routines to display content mastery. Here's what I have come up with!
1. Designing Figures and Packaging to Check for Understanding
This is a suggestion which comes directly from Play Like a Pirate. Rollins suggests how you can incorporate the design of both figures and packaging to assess student knowledge of a concept, or for a medium of presenting new information. So, in my AP US and AP Comparative Government courses, we recently created action figures and packages to learn about Russian Political Parties and the U.S. Bureaucracy. You can find the lesson and templates here!
You can see the variety of items students generated, and based on each of these, we were able to successfully identify things they did which were successful, some struggles, and most importantly, how I can refine the instructions for better products in the future!
(I'm working on turning PDF submissions into JPEG for more Russia examples)
This is something both groups of students said they enjoyed, because not only did they like displaying their research this way, but they also enjoyed playing with a variety of AI image generations creating the perfect prompt to get the output we desired, which is something I think is an amazing new skill that students should learn (in the same way I had to learn Boolean search logic).
2. SEL Payoffs with Action Figures
A second great benefits of using action figures in the classroom is that they can facilitate social interactions among students. By engaging in collaborative play with action figures, students can practice important social skills such as teamwork, communication, and negotiation. They can work together to create shared storylines and problem-solve as a group. This not only enhances their interpersonal skills but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and cooperation within the classroom. Some students find it hard to role play in different scenarios. However if you tell them that they have to communicate through their action figure as an avatar, that is a simple enough mask to prompt a shift.
I have also been looking for small action figure sets I can put together as representative characters in different problem-solution scenarios. The goal is for students to explore different perspectives and emotions. They can put themselves in the shoes of their action figures and understand their feelings and motivations as characters in a setting. This helps them develop a greater understanding of others and learn how to manage their own emotions in a safe and supportive environment. This is something I'm definitely working on building a broader use of, and if you have any suggestions, I'm all ears!!!
3. Physicality and Knowledge Retention
I remember reading a lot about concept formation, language, and memory in all of my collegiate communication classes. Several landmark communication theories heavily lean into the idea that language shapes our perception of reality through the anchors we create to understand the concepts we interact with. This is why I believe using action figures to visually represent complex ideas or concepts makes students more likely to retain information and make connections between different topics. The tactile nature of playing with action figures helps students create a lasting memory of the subject matter, making it easier for them to recall information during exams or discussions.
This approach allows for a deeper level of understanding and comprehension, as students can physically manipulate the action figures to explore different scenarios and visualize abstract concepts. Plus, interacting with these toys ignites their imagination and boosts their enthusiasm for learning. It's incredible how something as simple as an action figure can make such a significant impact on academic achievement.
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