Several months ago I had been researching geology games to inspire me with some ideas for our upcoming curriculum over we are working on. Searching for free educational games online is a painful process (but I’m working on it….more on that later) and finding anything interactive was hard enough, much less something I’d call a game.
Recently, I came across Shape it Up, which is my favorite geology interactive so far. Players try to make one landscape look like another by choosing a force of nature (volcano, wind, water, glacier) and choosing a time period.
This is a wonderful game for young kids. There are several components that I think can be added or modified in order to make the game more sophisticated for middle school kids. Continue Reading…
Posted 1 year, 1 month ago at 6:31 am. Add a comment
With our energy games mostly planned, I’ve been turning my attention towards thinking about the geology unit we will be starting o n this summer and trying to find some game idea inspirations for that topic. To do this, I’ve been poking around the web to see what is out there. Here are a few websites I uncovered in my exploration:
1) Wild, Wild Climate
It isn’t quite geology but it does what I do love about it is its page on “Junk Science Detection” and a great explanation about the role of peer review. There is a real intellectual crisis when it comes to evaluating data, especially scientific data and having it laid out in such a straightforward manner is welcome and necessary. Too often, we take political opinion as fact.
(from http://wildwildclimate.com)
2) The Interactive RockCycle
I’ve never formally studied geology (along with meteorology it is the only science I’ve really neglected) so I loved how crisp, clear, straightforward and well illustrated this particular interactive was. It is a very elegant piece.
3) Annenberg Media
Now found at learner.org, these are free, on demand, and impeccably produced videos. I cannot believe how readily accessible these gems are. I’m using them to get a crash course in geology.
4) School Yard Geology
This project was apparently inspired by a scientist who taught inmates in a California prison field geology. There are several great ideas for activities, especially for younger grades.
You can see that my approach is to examine a smattering of media. I need video game ideas, but so far I’ve gotten a lot out of movies, interactives, lesson plans, and presentations. Merging ideas from all of these helps me eventually hone in on a game idea. If you have any other geology resources, of know of anything that could make a great geology game, send me a tweet @mchmiel
Posted 1 year, 6 months ago at 1:41 pm. 1 comment