Review by Jenny Bristol, Common Sense Education | Updated October 2017

Lifeboat to Mars

Name: Lifeboat to Mars
Item: Lifeboat to Mars
Rating: 3
Author: Jenny Bristol

Ecosystem sim still educational, but has seen better days

Subjects & skills

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.

5–8

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Players can choose between Microworld and Ecoland, learning about microbes or ecosystems, respectively.

Shopping for organism traits at the Micromart

Players work their way through the different games and levels.

Managing plant and animal populations in Ecoland

Pros: Takes kids on a guided and interactive tour of an ecosystem, from its microbial producers to its animal consumers.

Cons: Much of the functionality is broken and higher levels can be difficult, which might frustrate some kids.

Bottom Line: This biology game continues to teach about single-celled organisms and ecosystem balance, but it hasn't been at all maintained.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Lifeboat to Mars could be used as a free supplement to a biology unit on ecosystems, food webs, or single-celled organisms. Students must apply what they learn from the game's readings to make interactive decisions. For example, they'll read that certain plants thrive closer to water, and in the Ecoland sim, they might choose to place those plants ... closer to water! Though many parts of the game no longer work, it can still be an engaging and rewarding way to get the whole class involved and interested in one of the softer sciences. There are also some teacher's guides with lesson plans and worksheets to get you started.

What Is It?

Lifeboat to Mars, an ecosystem simulator hosted by PBS Kids Go!, was developed by Red Hill Studios with the support of the National Science Foundation. In it, an interplanetary ark transports microbes, plants, and animals from Earth to Mars to create an ecosystem capable of supporting terrestrial life. Students are lifeboat trainees, and the Onboard Robot Trainee (ORT) teaches them to manage organisms.

The game's menu is split into tutorials (Lifeboat Games) and missions (Lifeboat Missions), which are further split into Microworld and Ecoland levels. The tutorials are accessible and playable, but the site hasn't been maintained, and players don't seem to be able to progress to the missions. In Microworld, kids guide microbes through obstacle- and predator-laden mazes. They get tokens for completing mazes and use them to buy new parts, such as extra cilia or chloroplasts, for their microbes. In Ecoland, kids learn how to balance the needs of competing organisms to sustain populations of producers, consumers, and predators. The Lifeboat Games take place while the ship is docked at a space station; Lifeboat Missions are supposed to take place en route to Mars to rebuild the population of organisms after an explosion happens on the ORT's watch. Students and teachers both play for free, but the site's login system isn't currently functioning, so it isn't possible to save your progress. The extensive modding options are inaccessible as well.

Is It Good for Learning?

Students will definitely pick up on the basics of organisms and ecosystems by playing this game, but more in-depth knowledge must be found elsewhere. The more advanced portions of the game are no longer functional, but what's there is still worth completing. As they play, students earn Ecopoints to spend on tools in the microbe world or ecosystem, for Microworld and Ecoland, respectively. Microworld feels quick-paced and a bit like a video game, but sometimes its movement controls feel jerky. Ecoland captures the essence of ecosystem management, balancing plants, herbivores, and carnivores in a system that must sustain itself.

Unfortunately, the built-in modding system for students and teachers to design their own levels doesn't seem to be functional any longer. Still, the levels that are there do teach the concept basics, and some levels can be quite challenging to win. There isn't a lot of constructive feedback, however, so students may have to experiment and try new strategies.

Rating Details

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?

Lifeboat to Mars is an interesting and interactive way for students to learn about single-celled organisms and ecosystems. The interface has not aged well, however, with some broken functionality and outdated graphics.

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?

The game delivers solid biology content through game-based learning. The few available levels increase in difficulty gradually, but there's still some trial and error required on the part of the students.

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?

Visual and heavily-accented audio cues support text-based instructions, and the game's levels start out easy and gradually ramp up. The site includes some teacher guides, but teacher and student logins and modification are nonfunctional.

Common Sense Reviewer

Jenny Bristol Other

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Teacher Reviews

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Featured review by
Elaine G. , Classroom teacher

Classroom teacher

Henry World School
Denver, United States

Fun way to review food chain lessons.

The microbe games need to be played on individual computers with keyboards, but the Ecoland games can be played on the Promethean touch screen and reviewed as a whole class.

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