Title screen of First Civilizations

Rise of Empires

First Civilizations

  • Grades 6–7
  • One class period
  • 12 votes
  • Bold moves on a d20

A small band of people settles by a great river. Over four ages the class grows a camp into a city, trades with neighbors, writes laws, and faces floods and raids. A few choices are bold moves, settled by a roll of the die.

Title screen of Ancient Egypt

Rise of Empires

Ancient Egypt

  • Grade 7
  • One class period
  • 12 steps

Pharaoh appoints the class to a royal council just as the Nile arrives dangerously low. Eight decisions, two Royal Commissions, and a flood season to survive. The first moot I built, so it runs without the room tools and bold moves.

Title screen of Ancient Greece

Rise of Empires

Ancient Greece

  • Grade 6
  • One class period
  • 12 votes
  • Bold moves on a d20

The Oracle has spoken. The class builds a Greek city-state and decides the biggest question of all: a king, the few, one strong leader, or rule by the people. Upgrade Councils, bold moves, and a Persian fleet on the horizon.

Title screen of Sparks of Liberty

Road to Revolution

Sparks of Liberty

  • Grade 8
  • One class period
  • 12 votes
  • 1763–1776

The class is the town meeting of a New England harbor town. From the Proclamation line to the Declaration of Independence, it decides how the town answers London: obey, protest, or stand for liberty.

Title screen of The War for Independence

Road to Revolution

The War for Independence

  • Grade 8
  • One class period
  • 12 votes
  • 1776–1783

The class is General Washington’s council of war, from New York to Yorktown. The money loses value every act, allies have their own interests, and a class that played Part 1 brings its own town’s regiment.

Title screen of Stranded: Castaway Island

Survival science

Stranded: Castaway Island

  • Grades 6–8
  • Any class
  • One class period
  • 12 votes

A seaplane goes down on an island that isn’t on any chart. The class is the survivors’ council for sixty days: water, food, shelter, who leads, and how to be seen. Real survival science, and no history needed.

Tip: for the full effect, open a demo on your classroom projector and click Fullscreen. Trying it alone? Choose Just me, trying it out when it asks for voting groups.

Teacher trailers

Watch a whole class run.

Teacher trailer: Rise of Empires: First Civilizations. A full class run, 1 minute 47 seconds, with sound.
Teacher trailer: Rise of Empires: Ancient Greece. A full class run, 2 minutes 26 seconds, with sound.