Interactive crime solving app with science features.

Submitted 10 years ago

Community Review for City of Materials

Crystal D.
Crystal D.
My Rating
Pedagogy
Supports

My Take

I liked the problem solving aspect of the website. It makes the student use deductive reasoning when solving a case. The loading time was an issue, though it is not incredibly slow, it may hinder time in a short class period. After one case, students seemed to lose interest in solving the second and third.

How I Use It

This website incorporates a city based scenario that includes crime cases that need to be solved. One issue I had with the website is that it takes a bit to load each page. Once it loads, it works great. Some of the language used is geared towards upper level high school students. There is a basic crime scene investigator quiz that must be passed before access to the unsolved cases is granted. Teaching law & public safety, this would be a great intro to crime scene investigation or a good starter for a class.

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Ashley K.
Ashley K. STEM Project Manager Nashville, TN
May 5, 2014

Interesting Concept - Great for students who are looking for extra problem-solving practice

This game seems appropriate for higher grades (7-12), but the vocabulary seems to be geared for 10-12th graders. I was very impressed with the visuals, the speed of the game (one click updates a lot of really great pieces), the various forms of communication included (newspaper, cell phone, file, notes, etc). Once my 7th grade students solved the first case (the mayor's missing dog), they were not necessarily interested in solving the other two. I would most likely use this activity for students who have finished their work and are waiting for their classmates to catch up. If I were to use it as a specific lesson, I might pre-teach the vocabulary (inaugural, prominent, delectable, steadfastly...), might discuss parts of a mystery or lab, and pre-teach the tools that a sleuth might need to crack this case. Having an opening tutorial or clearer directions (such as an arrow or image that says "Go Here First") might also be advantageous. A "start here" or a mini-case to solve so that students are aware of the process the game takes might also be beneficial.
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