I once set my Year 8 Geography class a homework task of writing the ending to a short story about a plane crash in a remote tropical rainforest. The students were gripped. They couldn’t wait to start. They later handed in pages and pages of writing, full of creativity and wild decision making. It was, in fact, the best KS3 homework turnout of my career so far.
There was just one problem: not one student mentioned the drip-tip leaves, lianas or buttress roots we had learned about. Rainforest climate? Nutrient cycles? Animal adaptations? Nowhere to be found. Instead, I read about survivors turning to cannibalism, slaughtering sloths for their fur or rewiring the plane’s engine. Hours of reading later, I admitted defeat: little to no geographical knowledge had been consolidated
The task had been brilliant for creativity and decision-making, but as a geography homework, it was a disaster. That experience made me realise how much we need homework that combines engagement with genuine consolidation of learning.
Research from the Cambridge Assessment Summit of Education 2019 into gamification, game-based learning and play-based approaches showed that interactive, decision-focused tasks can increase motivation and encourage participation. These approaches can help students to actively construct knowledge rather than passively absorb it, creating more purposeful engagement with learning. When applied to homework, tasks that blend play, creativity and problem-solving can support transferable skills such as critical thinking and teamwork, while also helping students consolidate curriculum knowledge in an engaging and meaningful way.
That’s exactly why, years later, I now use BBC Bitesize’s Planet Planners on Roblox as part of my KS3 homework repertoire. Planet Planners from BBC Bitesize on Roblox is a free, curriculum-aligned, interactive game on Roblox that allows students to explore realistic global environments and make decisions relating to human and physical geography topics. For example, students can choose which coastal management strategies to implement, how to mitigate natural hazards or how to manage population and resource challenges. Students can see the consequences of their decisions reflected in tangible social, economic and environmental metrics. The game also taps into the kind of digital gameplay students are familiar with. So, doing homework feel less like a chore and more like an immersive, interactive experience.
For my classes, I assign specific scenarios linked to recent lessons and ask students to download the end-of-scenario report when they are done. This provides both evidence of completion and an immediate insight into their understanding and decision-making without requiring marking. To make things even more engaging, I introduce a bit of friendly competition: students can try to beat each other’s scores or compete in teams of up to four. I often also complete the scenario myself so they can attempt to beat my score too. This approach encourages thoughtful engagement, reflection on choices and consolidation of geography knowledge, all while keeping the experience fun and game-like. A far cry from writing about cannibalistic plane crash survivors.
Planet Planners from BBC Bitesize on Roblox demonstrates that homework can be both educational and enjoyable. It’s a great new way to extend classroom learning with an assignment that students actually want to complete.
To access Planet Planners from BBC Bitesize on Roblox, visit: www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z3tf239
Charlton Wilson is Head of Geography (TikTok: @thegeographyteacheruk)
