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Review by Dana Villamagna, Common Sense Education | Updated January 2013

Ansel and Clair: Paul Revere's Ride

Charming play brings American Revolution to life in ways that stick

Subjects & skills
Subjects
  • Social Studies
Skills
  • Character & SEL
  • Critical Thinking
Grades This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.
1–5
Common Sense says (See details)
Teachers say (1 Review)
Privacy rating (How we rate)
Not yet rated
Platforms:  iPad

Take a look inside

5 images
Up to four players can create accounts on one device.
Ansel and Clair look to land in America in 1775.
Kids must assemble a puzzle map of the 13 colonies.
Ansel and Clair meet Paul Revere.
Real historic images and detailed illustrations provide visuals.

Pros: Clever interactivity helps kids relate to historic figures and events.

Cons: Locked progress arrows keep kids from advancing if they get stuck or miss something.

Bottom Line: History lessons package content with style and interactivity to help kids connect with Paul Revere's story.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

As a fun way to collectively experience the app, have students use the class whiteboard, blackboard, or projector as a place to record historical figures, terms, facts, and dates. Tell students to write information on the board as they come across it and to build on what others have written. Afterward, facilitate a discussion using the collaborative notes, letting students teach the content.

When students finish with the app, they can use it as a jumping-off point for more in-depth, project-based exploration of something that sparked interest. Encourage kids to follow their interests and design unique ways to demonstrate learning. For example, one student could choose to do a short presentation on William Dawes, while another could create a slideshow sharing with the class what key locations from the app look like today.

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Standards:

Editor's note: Ansel and Clair: Paul Revere's Ride is no longer available for download.

Ansel and Clair: Paul Revere's Ride helps kids learn about the beginnings of the American Revolution and especially about Paul Revere through the adventures of Ansel and Clair, two aliens who come to Earth to learn about this historic time.  Well researched and crafted, it’s an engaging and enriching experience suitable for a wide range of students, from pre-readers through grade 5.

The player first chooses a character and name and plays a tutorial that covers the basics. Afterward the story begins, and quite quickly the first interactive element (a puzzle of the 13 colonies) appears. Once this puzzle is complete, the player meets Paul Revere. Revere teaches brief lessons -- with lots of supplemental images and interactivity -- about life in the time of the American Revolution. The entire game experience will likely take most kids a few play sessions to complete.

This is an excellent way for kids to learn about political events, important figures like Paul Revere, and the daily lives of people during the American Revolution. In the classroom, up to four students can create accounts and group up on one device. As they work through the interactive story, mini-games, maps, illustrations, and more, kids get a solid first look at the main issues and people that led to the revolution. Peppered throughout the story are words related to the time period and government ("taxation without representation"), helping kids learn relevant vocabulary.

Puzzles and mini-games -- such as matching the 13 colonies on a map by their shapes or dragging bags of tax money away from angry colonists and toward King George –- explain life in the colonies and help kids recognize the important people of the time. For writing practice, kids can also take photos of things they see in the scenes and write their observations in a journal. Multiple-choice quizzes help kids and teachers assess retention and understanding.

Overall Rating
Engagement Would it motivate students and hold their interest? Is it visually appealing? Would it inspire teachers to try something new or change their instruction?

Ansel and Clair guide kids through beautifully designed scenes that explore many aspects of Paul Revere and the American Revolution. Interactive elements throughout keep kids' attention using well-crafted gameplay and learning.

Pedagogy Does the tool help teachers promote a more student-centered experience? Will students gain conceptual understanding or think critically? Does it deepen teachers’ pedagogical thinking?

Historically accurate information is presented in kid-friendly ways. Subject-specific vocabulary paired with interesting related visuals helps kids understand what they're hearing and seeing.

Support Can students and teachers get assistance when they need it? Is it created with people of different abilities and backgrounds in mind? Is learning reinforced and extended beyond the digital experience?

An excellent tutorial and table of contents can be accessed from the main screen. Ansel and Clair's voice instructions help kids figure out what to do next.

Common Sense Reviewer
Dana Villamagna Classroom teacher
About our ratings and privacy evaluation.

Key Standards Supported

Language

  • L.1.6

    Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships (e.g., because).

  • L.2.6

    Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g., When other kids are happy that makes me happy).

  • L.3.6

    Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them).

Writing

  • W.1.6

    With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

  • W.2.6

    With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

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Teacher Reviews

Featured review by
Elizabeth K. , Media specialist/librarian
Media specialist/librarian
York Elementary School
York, United States
My favorite history app!
This is my favorite history app to use with elementary students because it feels so much like a game they don't even realize they are learning! I wish that they could have one for the rest of american history, that way the students could just move to the next app as they are learning about the next time period.
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