This game is presented as a single-player game. Its application in the classroom would be most applicable in a computer lab or similar setting, where each student can play along on his or her own. Additionally, teachers could encourage kids to play through the game at home, and be prepared to discuss what they learned in class the next day.
Continue readingKids are presented with information about birds, their migration patterns, and general details about their ecosystem, as they play through mini-games that are loosely connected to this material. For example, there is an arcade-style mini-game where kids have to avoid crashing into airplanes and other hazards, which is not exactly a realistic depiction of the typical bird migration practice. However, these mini-games keep kids engaged and focused, which helps when the game interrupts the mini-games to present factual content.
The educational material in this game comes directly from the National Audubon Society, so it can be trusted and used alongside any relevant curriculum. It is not built specifically as a classroom tool, but if kids play through the game on their own, they are likely to learn something about the complex ecosystem and migration patterns of birds. Unfortunately, most of this learning is placed on top of the gaming, instead of being baked into the gameplay.