The 6th Grade Arcade Entrepreneur module is built around three challenges -- Data, Systems, and Design. Each challenge asks students to respond to a Request for Proposal (RFP) from the owner of a struggling arcade, applying what they learn to develop a real business solution.
Students step into the role of market researchers for the owner of Pixel Palace Arcade — a struggling neighborhood arcade losing money. Working in teams, students respond to a Request for Proposals (RFP) by collecting and visualizing class data, calculating cost and profit for each game in the arcade, and writing a recommendation proposal that tells the owner which games to keep, change, or remove.
Duration: ~ 1 Five 60-Minute Class Periods
Students return to Pixel Palace Arcade — the struggling neighborhood arcade they investigated in the Data Challenge — to take on a hands-on engineering problem. Pat “Pac” Manning, the arcade owner, has written a follow-up letter: Storm-the-Castle, the catapult-based game on the Loser list, is hemorrhaging money. Pat wants the team to redesign the landing zone so the game wins back customers without giving away too many big prizes.
Duration: ~ 10 60-Minute Class Periods
After the team’s work on data and the catapult-prize game, Pat wants something brand-new for Pixel Palace: an original arcade game that customers have never seen before. Pat sends the class a Request for Proposals (RFP) inviting design teams to pitch a new game — but with rules. The game has to be fun, fair, safe, buildable, and profitable.
Duration: ~ 11 45~50-Minute Class Periods
