Eighth graders at Mahopac Middle School are diving deeper into history this year thanks to a creative, custom-designed card game developed by social studies teacher David Gordon. Inspired by popular collectible card games like Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon, Gordon created an interactive learning experience called the “Battle for History Game,” designed to help students study, strategize and connect with historical content in a whole new way.
An experienced card game player, eighth grader Landon Gardner said he enjoyed playing the card game and is learning a lot about history along the way.
“This game is fun, and I like that you have to apply the knowledge you have learned about history to the game,” Gardner said. “There is a ‘Compulsory Education Card’ that is especially powerful against my opponents because if I select one of their cards and they aren’t familiar with the historical significance of that card, it will be discarded. I’m really learning a lot about history, and I even use the cards to study like you would flash cards.”
The game is made up of more than 400 cards, all designed by Gordon, which cover the curriculum for the entire year as well as additional interesting historical facts. Each card falls into one of three categories: characters (people), lands (places), and items or artifacts (things).
“In short, they’re nouns,” Gordon explained. “Students can build their own decks, blending content from different units of study or even playing one period of history against another. The cards are designed with abilities that mirror their significance in history. The hope is that students will immerse themselves in history as they play.”
Students can use the game in multiple ways, playing competitively, studying independently or collaborating with classmates to build the most strategic deck. In each case, they’re engaging with the material through creativity, critical thinking and hands-on learning.
Gordon said the idea grew from a desire to spark genuine interest and curiosity in historical topics. “I wanted something that wasn’t just informational but also fun and immersive,” he said.
The “Battle for History Game” has quickly become a hit among students, transforming social studies review sessions into lively, strategic battles and making history come alive.
