Welcome to Stardew Valley, the coziest lil game on this side of the internet! 

In this weekly class, we will come together to play Stardew Valley cooperatively on the teacher’s hosted farm OR play on our individual farms while we chat and socialize. Only those who play on a Nintendo Switch can participate in the co-op farm as the game’s multiplayer option only allows up to 3 players of the same system to join. 

Students will be encouraged to share their game progress, ask questions, and talk about the daily life of their characters. Each week, the teacher will provide a discussion topic and help guide the conversations, however, we will follow the students’ interests and questions primarily. 

Sample guided discussion topics may include:
- Strategies to optimize player progress in Farming, Fishing, Mining & Combat.
- Discussions about various (non-player) characters in Stardew Valley, their backstories, and the relationships you can form with them. 
- Exchanging ideas on how to design and manage your farm effectively. Discuss crop rotation, farm layout, sprinkler placement, and other techniques for maximizing productivity.
- Debate the Pros & Cons of choosing between restoring the Community Center or Supporting Joja Corporation and how that can affect the outcome of the game.
- Chat about our favorite seasonal events that take place during the game year.
- Share our personal goals for our individual and collective farms.
- For those playing in co-op mode, discuss the benefits and challenges of playing with friends. Share stories about cooperative farm projects or memorable multiplayer moments.

Rules for co-op play:
  - If your learner is choosing to participate as a farmer on the teacher-hosted island, choices on how to proceed with the farm’s goals will be discussed and voted on together. 
  - No offensive player names will be allowed.
  - No moving other players' structures. 
  - In-game money sharing will be at the discretion of the host (teacher).

*PLEASE NOTE*  - In order to participate in the Co-Op mode on the teacher's farm, students must privately send the teacher their Nintendo friend code so they can be invited to the farm.   Learners should not share their friend code with other students per Outschool's privacy policy.  Students will also need to own a copy of Stardew Valley for Nintendo Switch and be subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online in order to join the Co-Op.    If any of these items can not be met, your learner is welcome to play on their own console or PC while chatting with us in the classroom. 

This class is inclusive of all learners.