This fall, I built DBQ Guild: Questline I for my AP Modern World students around a simple premise: break the DBQ into discrete, teachable skills and allow students to practice each one intentionally. It was an exciting project. And it worked with my students. Students received targeted feedback while working, revised in real time and resubmitted within the same class period. Watching the system function the way I imagined (with a few hiccups, of course) was one of those rare “oh wow, this is working!” moments.

(I wrote about the experience and shared the project in a previous post.)

I jokingly called it DBQ Guild: Questline I, half-imagining that there might someday be a sequel. (Like the “…to be continued” at the end of Back to the Future before they actually made sequels.) But when we finished, I realized that students would not need to revisit every element of the DBQ again. A sequel couldn’t just be a copy of Questline I with newer content. So I tucked the idea of a follow-up away for a bit.

Then I had an idea. 

Oh, I do love the moment when an idea percolates. 

What if there was something smaller and more focused?  Something where I could say – You need to sharpen your thesis skills. Or you need to work on evidence and analysis. Not every student needs the same skills developed…could I make something like that?

That question led to DBQ Guild: The Lost Levels. (Yes, the title is an homage to a Mario Brothers sequel.)

How It Works

Similar to Questline I, I assign the Lost Levels Google Sheet through Google Classroom, making a copy for each student and connecting it to my central tracker. Once connected, the tracker becomes the command center of the system. I can monitor student progress, jump directly into student pages when they request approval, and designate which skills each student should prioritize.

Using prior DBQ rubric data, I select 2-3 skills per student on the Class Tracker and click “Sync Focus Areas.” Stars then appear automatically on each student’s sheet, highlighting the skills I’ve chosen for them (see images above & below). Technically, I could assign all six skills, but that defeats the purpose. The goal is targeted refinement.

All students complete three quests.  If they’ve already demonstrated strength in most of the skills, they have flexibility in what to pursue next. The content for this version is centered on Unit 5: Revolutions, so the practice also functions as structured review.

[I have included links below of the project, the tracker, and a setup guide.]

The Levels

The structure is somewhat similar to Questline I.

Level I remains familiar. Students examine the rubric, analyze examples, and determine which responses best meet the criteria. Once they answer enough questions correctly, they unlock the next stage.

Level II shifts from recognition to short, skill-specific writing. Students complete applied multiple-choice analysis before drafting their own examples based on that skill. Their responses then move forward to Level III for reflection. (In Questline I, this level required teacher sign-off; this version shifts that approval checkpoint.)

Level III is the demonstration level. Students revisit their writing from Level II.  They analyze an exemplar and either revise or evaluate their submission. Then they apply the targeted skill to a full OER document set. This is not a full essay rewrite, just focused demonstration of one move: thesis, contextualization, evidence, analysis, or complexity. Like with Questline I, OER (www.oerproject.com) was an amazing resource as they make high-quality openly licensed materials (which are all credited throughout).

When students signal readiness for Level 3, their work populates automatically on my tracker. I can approve, provide feedback, or request revision. The “Revise & Resubmit” option was added specifically for The Lost Levels to provide clearer feedback cycles for students.

I also added a feature that tracks how many times a student resubmits before approval. The resubmission counter isn’t there to penalize anyone. It’s there so I can actually see revision patterns instead of trying to remember afterward. It is something I wished I could have had during Questline I.

Because students move through different skill paths, I wanted their success to reflect that. When students successfully completed a skill set, they get awarded a fancy new title. Demonstrate proficiency in thesis, and you become a Claimwright. Claimwright might be my favorite.  One of the best nights working on this project was coming up with the titles – Master of Framing (context), Archivist of Proof (evidence), Scholar of the Wider Record (outside evidence)!

And of course, once students completed their three required questlines, those titles appeared on their certificate. Currently, the highest earned number of titles in my class is 5.

The Practical Side

Like Questline I, the Lost Levels live inside a robust Google Sheet rather than a standalone website. A website would allow smoother navigation. It could be prettier. It could feel more polished.

But there are trade-offs.

Google Sheets lives inside the ecosystem my students already use. It integrates seamlessly with Google Classroom and automatically saves student work. It allows the tracker to sync without logins, passwords, or additional infrastructure. For now, it is the right tool for the right job.

As with Questline I, I worked with ChatGPT while building the tracker and troubleshooting logic issues within Google Sheets. The structure and instructional design decisions were mine, but AI significantly accelerated the technical process, especially as the tracker grew more complex than the original version.

Setup mirrors the original Questline: post in Classroom, make copies for students, link the Classroom folder to the tracker, select focus areas (this part is new), and sync. From there, students begin immediately. [I included more specific setup information below.]

It isn’t flashy. But it works. 

Although…maybe it is a bit flashy, I mean, stars do magically appear on the student copies!

I am still so very excited about this project. 

Building something that gives me the ability to individually help students develop their skills was exhilarating. (About as exciting as remembering the h in exhilarating.)  The first time I got those stars to appear on another Google Sheet – let’s just say that while there wasn’t a victory dance, there may have been a victory curse.

Is it perfect? Of course not!

Right now, I am puzzling out why the auto-refresh isn’t working the way that it should. For now, I’ve relied on manually clicking “Refresh All Statuses” rather than full automation – but I still want the automation to work. I will probably update some more language prior to the next deployment. Some features – like revision tracking – will likely make their way into Questline I next year.

Once I do that, is it over? A trequel?

I honestly don’t know.

There is currently a subfolder labeled “Unit 7” sitting quietly in my DBQ Guild Chronicles folder. For now, it’s mostly a shell.

I’ve been wondering what something like this might look like beyond the AP DBQ. The concept could be adapted for writing in my U.S. History I class. I have just started  reading The Writing Revolution and am starting to get some ideas…

For now, though, I’m content.

But if there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that I do love a project.

Project Links

Everything linked below is shared openly so teachers can explore, make copies, and use the materials with their own students. Adapt prompts, tasks, and pacing to fit your classroom.

The Class Tracker includes custom Apps Script code that powers the feedback and progress system. The tracker is designed to function with the Lost Levels system, so I recommend using it as provided rather than modifying the underlying script. If you’re interested in extending or adapting the system, I’d genuinely welcome a conversation.

More details about setup are included in the Teacher’s Guide.

If you use it, I’d love to hear how it works in your classroom.

The Project Itself: DBQ Guild ⚔️ The Lost Levels v1.3 Unit 5 Public

The Tracker for the Project: DBQ Guild: Lost Levels Class Tracker v1.4 – Public

A Teacher’s Guide: DBQ Guild ⚔️  Lost Levels- Teacher’s Guide

Student Intro Presentation: DBQ Guild Lost Levels Intro Public [feel free to adapt!]