Cosi: Center of Science and Industry Website
http://www.cosi.org/adapt.php?parent1=onlineExhibits&page=farm&fl=1
Description:
Bet the Farm is a farming game where students are asked questions to set up their own farm. They make choices that will change how much money they make, and how much they go into debt. The choices that they make also have environmental impact, and impact on their crops.
pros
This website has no advertisements, and includes a fun farming game for kids to play to learn about making farming choices. It is basic enough to use with as early as 3rd grade students and expandable to use with students in middle school.
critique
This is a quick game that a teacher should to elaborate on in more detail to tie it to other areas of study. Also, educators should be sure to add a reflection with the activity or additional support materials to situate this game in current learning.
The Great Plant Escape
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/gpe/index.html
Description:
This website uses a mystery game to teach students about plant life. It includes lots of information about a plants life cycle, different types of plants and all aspects of plants lives.
pros
This is a university website that like the one above does not have advertisements. The sight is also available in Spanish which would be great for Spanish speaking students.
critique:
This website includes lot of vocabulary and takes students into in-depth activities containing lots of vocabulary and new information. Without the proper scaffolding this website could be overwhelming for students and just bombard them with too much factual information.
National Zoological Park
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/WebCams/default.cfm
Description:
This website is provided by the Smithsonian National Zoological Park and provides live web cams to over twenty animals located at the park. Students can click on the webcam for the animals and be directed to the live footage.
Pros:
This website has no adverstisments and is somewhat easily accessible to students with basic reading levels because small pictures accompany the text. The live footage is a great way for the students to connect to the animals.
Critique:
The text accompanied with the web cam is high level. It would be a bit more difficult for younger students to read the text so if the students are interested, the teacher should provide age appropriate information for them.
The Brookfield Zoo: In search of The Ways of Knowing Trail
http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/pagegen/wok/ways_index.html
Description:
This website provided by the Brookfield Zoo lets students take part in a role playing adventure where they travel to Apulu Central Africa to discover the Ways of Knowing Trail.
Pros:
This is a very fun and exicting website where the students really get to interact with the game. The students get to explore the environment, African languages, animals and cartography in a very interactive way.
Critique:
This interactive game takes a bit of time to play so the teacher should be ready to allow the students plenty of time to play. Its also important for teachers to note that this game should also be accompanied by real life examples of life in African or a clear description that the game is fiction so students to not essentialize.
Burarra Gathering
http://burarra.questacon.edu.au/home.html
Description:
This interactive game is for students with a higher literacy level probably grades 3 and older. Through playing this game students learn about the ecology and way of life of some people that live Arhem Land, Northern Australia.
Pro:
This game is extremely fun, interactive and educational. It takes students through many different ecological activities and even includes a new language.
Critique:
This interactive game takes a bit of time to play so the teacher should be ready to allow the students plenty of time to play. Its also important for teachers to note that this game should also be accompanied by real life examples of life in African or a clear description that the game is fiction so students to not essentialize.
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