Our question for the First Lego League World Class challenge is:
"How can we improve the way people learn about natural disasters for a geography exam?"
We chose this question because some of us have already taken the iGCSE geography exam
and others are currently taking it. We were disappointed by the resources available for the course.
The current method of teaching is usually a teacher reading from a book and the students taking notes. Many students don't learn this way and it is easy to switch off and not pay attention.
Our solution is a game that is fun and educational. It is a game similar to SimCity where the player is looking down on a city. In the game players must buy, place and upgrade defenses against natural disasters e.g. tsunamis and earthquakes.
This game will help people learn geography without even realizing it.
When you hover over a defense it will tell you what it is and what the good and bad points of it are. E.g.:
"artificial levees are small walls placed by the side of rivers to stop water flooding the surrounding area if the river overflows. They are visually unappealing, not very effective, but are cheap."
At the end of each level there is a damage report that shows you everything that went wrong.
This info (e.g. the levees were breached and water flooded some of the village) can help students learn about natural disasters for geography exams.
"How can we improve the way people learn about natural disasters for a geography exam?"
We chose this question because some of us have already taken the iGCSE geography exam
and others are currently taking it. We were disappointed by the resources available for the course.
The current method of teaching is usually a teacher reading from a book and the students taking notes. Many students don't learn this way and it is easy to switch off and not pay attention.
Our solution is a game that is fun and educational. It is a game similar to SimCity where the player is looking down on a city. In the game players must buy, place and upgrade defenses against natural disasters e.g. tsunamis and earthquakes.
This game will help people learn geography without even realizing it.
When you hover over a defense it will tell you what it is and what the good and bad points of it are. E.g.:
"artificial levees are small walls placed by the side of rivers to stop water flooding the surrounding area if the river overflows. They are visually unappealing, not very effective, but are cheap."
At the end of each level there is a damage report that shows you everything that went wrong.
This info (e.g. the levees were breached and water flooded some of the village) can help students learn about natural disasters for geography exams.
sample screenshot of the game
We have shared our idea with Matthew O'neil a games design lecturer at Basingstoke College of Technology and a geography teacher and her class. We are also going to spread the word on relevant forums and keep people up-to-date on Facebook and Twitter.
We have made a prototype of the game and will be continuing to work on it over the coming months.
We have made a prototype of the game and will be continuing to work on it over the coming months.