From Paper to Play: Inside Epic Game Design

Walk into the Epic classroom at Westwood Intermediate and Middle School and you’ll immediately feel the energy. Paper balls fly through the air. Students huddle in groups, debating rules. Others scribble instructions, fold origami or test games with classmates. It’s loud, creative, collaborative - and full of learning.

This is Epic 8, a hands-on game design course where students explore creativity, teamwork, problem-solving and future career paths in technology and design, all while having fun.

Epic Game Design is part of Westwood’s Career and College Pathways-aligned learning opportunities. The Westwood courses lead into the Technology, Engineering and Design pathway at Spring Lake Park High School.

Offered as a full-year course in seventh and eighth grade, Epic 7 and Epic 8, the program introduces students to game design through hands-on projects that blend coding, art, design and collaboration. Along the way, students learn how to manage tasks, communicate clearly, give meaningful feedback and design with an audience in mind - skills that extend far beyond gaming.

“In Epic, we’re not just making games,” says teacher Michael Packingham. “We’re learning how to work together, how to take an idea and improve it and how to be comfortable trying something that might not work the first time. Those soft skills are just as important as the technical ones and are super helpful for future careers."

That philosophy was on full display during a recent Epic 8 class, where students dove into the “No-Board” Game Design Challenge. The fast-paced, team-based project asked students to create a playable game using simple materials.

Challenge of the Day: The “No-Board” Game

On a recent day in Epic 8 and part of their current unit, Team Game Jam, students tackled the “No-Board” Game Design Challenge. The task? Design a fully playable game using only paper, pencils, rulers and scissors.

In just one class period, teams designed games for 2-4 players with clear rules, a defined way to win, a playtime of five minutes or less and instructions simple enough to explain in under a minute. Students worked in assigned roles: Builder, Rule Writer, Tester and Facilitator, learning how each person contributes to a successful team.

One group - Lucy, Riley, Vivi, and Lediana - created Fortune Finder, inspired by a childhood favorite, the paper fortune teller. Players started with five tokens and revealed hidden shapes inside origami flaps. Match a shape and stay in the game; miss and lose a token. Once your tokens are gone, you’re out.

Each student played a key role: Riley built four fortune tellers in record time, Lucy wrote and refined the rules, Vivi kept the group moving and Lediana tested the game for consistency.

“I’m really into art and drawing, so I enjoy that part of the class,” remarked Riley as she built the fortune tellers. “I came in because I wanted to design, and it’s been fun."

Across the room, another group created Corn Ball, a tossing game inspired by Skee-Ball and basketball. Players aimed paper balls at drawn hoops for points, with the highest score winning. Oscar, who designed the game, laughed as he missed a 100-point shot alongside teammate Henry.

“It was fun working with my friends and trying to design the game so it was easy for others to play,” says Oscar.

Learning the Game and Beyond

While students are busy building and testing games, they’re also developing skills that extend far beyond the classroom. Michael explains that the current Team Game Jam unit focuses less on perfecting the final product and more on how students collaborate along the way.

“We’re learning how to work together, be respectful, communicate clearly and improve ideas,” says Michael. “Right now, I’m really paying attention to how students contribute to their teams - not just what they create.”

Epic 7, offered in seventh grade, focuses on introducing game design as a whole and explores the basics of games including cards, dice and video games. Epic 8 dives deeper into design principles, teamwork and industry-style roles. Students also learn about the “eight types of fun,” helping them understand how games are designed to create different experiences, from challenge and discovery to fantasy and expression.

Many of the course goals mirror what industry leader said are key skills they look for when they are hiring employees: reliability, collaboration, task-management and understanding an audience.

“The ‘No-Board’ Game challenge hits so many of those skills at once,” says Michael. “The students had their individual role, but they needed to work together as a team and follow the directions in order to be successful."

Connecting to High School Pathways

Epic 7 and 8 also prepare students for future Career and College Pathways opportunities at Spring Lake Park High School. Students who complete Epic 8 can skip the Introduction to Coding class and move directly into AP Computer Science Principles within the Technology, Engineering, and Design Pathway.

New for next year, the high school will also offer Machine and Technology Essentials, an introductory course in technology careers covering coding, cybersecurity, IT and mechatronics. The course also supports interests beyond design and coding including business, entrepreneurship, art and marketing.

“Students who take Epic Game Design at Westwood need an option that makes sense as a next step,” says Karen Kutz, Innovative and Personalized Learning Specialist. “This intro class gives them a chance to explore different technology paths and find their niche.”

As part of the team that is designing the future of Career and College Pathways, Michael is working to expand opportunities at Westwood.

"While we are working to enhance and expand opportunities at Westwood, I am purposeful in letting kids know that no matter what parts of the class they enjoy - from coding to marketing to drawing - there are all sorts of options available to them at the high school," says Michael. "I love the idea of middle to early high school being very exploratory and hope students try a little bit of everything to see what works for them."

Lucy is already thinking ahead to high school and plans to explore construction courses in the Technology, Engineering and Design pathway.

“We’ve been learning about Career and College Pathways during registration,” she said. “They’re good for people who want to get a feel for careers. I’ve heard good things about construction, so I want to try it.”

Learning through passion and failing forward

At the end of the day, it’s the blend of individual passions and hands-on learning that makes Epic enjoyable for students - and their teacher. Whether they come in for video games, design, coding, art or more, students dive deeper into their interests while gaining valuable skills along the way.

“As someone with a lot of passions, I’m interested in hearing and developing those interests for my students,” says Michael.

The courses don’t come without challenges. From learning coding to giving meaningful feedback, students encounter failure... and learn to embrace it.

Failure is actually encouraged in my classes. If something doesn’t work, I want students to keep trying or pivot to a different approach. There are usually infinite ways to solve or approach things, so I don’t teach just one way. Learning what works and what doesn’t from the beginning sets them up for success later in the year. Michael Packingham, teacher

For Michael, the ability for students to fail forward starts with building solid relationships.

“I’ve found that if I get to know my students and develop those relationships,” he says, “they’re more willing to dig deeper and put in extra effort - just because of the connection we have.”

There are currently three Career and College Pathways at Spring Lake Park High school that represent the predicted need for future jobs. There are 37 pathways courses offering a variety of ways for students to explore careers, gain hands-on experience, and often, earn college credit. Explore all high school courses currently offered at any time at our Course Registration hub.