Disaster Hero
Fun way to teach FEMA disaster guidelines
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Disaster Hero
Pros: The authoritative FEMA guidelines coupled with a fun sci-fi setting, makes this free game a winner.
Cons: Disaster Hero isn't good for playing as a group and its learning isn't as baked in as it could be.
Bottom Line: This sci-fi-themed online game makes learning disaster preparedness fun through a series of missions and mini-games.
If there is a scheduled tornado drill or other form of disaster drill, teachers can prepare kids first by letting them play through this game. Teachers could require their students to complete all the missions and print out the certificate, which they could then take home. Additionally, for teachers who have a weather unit or curricula that include talking about previous natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes, Disaster Hero can augment that discussion to give kids a sense of what they can do if something similar ever happens where they live.
The first thing kids will do in this game is create their own avatar hero. They are then whisked away to a futuristic game show-style setting where the valiant leader, Dante Shields, instructs them to complete all the different missions. Each mission is connected to a specific tyle of disaster. For example, in one mission, players are shown two versions of the same room and must find which room is missing the appropriate disaster preparedness items (e.g., an emergency kit, extra food for their pets, a list of emergency contact numbers). Other missions have gameplay that is slightly disconnected from the learning content. One mission involves clicking on objects that appear on the screen. After clicking an object, a multiple-choice question about disaster preparedness appears. As they progress through the missions, they are constantly encouraged by Dante and rewarded with various badges for their performance. After kids complete every mission, they receive a printable certificate that denotes them as a "Disaster Hero."
This game was developed in partnership with the US Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The content and learnings come directly from FEMA's federally approved guidelines for disaster preparedness and response. For the purpose of teaching this specific information to kids, this game does a successful job. The graphics are crisp and high-resolution, and the science fiction setting makes it appealing as a game. While the connection between the gameplay and the learning material is not always well constructed, this game provides a fun and interesting way to learn these important skills and tips.
Learning Rating
Community Rating
Game-based Interactive Emergency Preparedness
I really liked that the script is narrated so that it could be read to students who struggle with decoding. It also some great features where students can play games and also learn through multiple choice questions. The website also promotes game-based learning through badges so students can feel as though they are earning their way up through the different levels.
I think that middle school kids may find this to be to scripted and the narration to be too lengthy. Upper elementary kids may enjoy this and have more take away, however, some of the vocabulary seems high even though it can be read to them.
This won't be completed in one setting, instead, it may take a few sessions.
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