http://www.dosomething.org/news/5-addictive-games-teachers-should-allow-class
5 Addictive Games Teachers Should Allow in Class
Usually teachers are out of the loop, using outdated slang and textbooks that look centuries old. Yet one awesome teacher in Atlanta is tapping into a modern craze to make physics more interesting.
Nine-grade physics teacher John Burk at the Westminster Schools challenged his students to explain the elements of physics in Angry Birds, the popular game that requires a player to catapult birds into the sky with a sling shot. According to Burk's blog, the students quickly identified the examples of velocity and acceleration within the game.
Burk's technique got us thinking about what other popular games could make school more interesting. For example:
Call of Duty: Black Ops. History has never been so action packed as this best-selling game. The player controls a special forces operative (and at times a CIA agent) during the cold war. The game introduces vital historical figures and key places (the Soviet Union, Cuba, Laos, and Vietnam) within the cold war era. There's even a feature that lets four players fight zombies as John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Robert McNamara, and Fidel Castro.
Farmville. If your school can't afford a greenhouse, your science teacher can show you the challenges of growing plants with this agriculturally-focused game. Despite the fact that plants grow a lot faster virtually, the players will face plant-growth challenges.
Scrabble. Word-puzzle games such as this one can help you improve your vocabulary in a creative way. Perhaps a teacher could restrict the game exclusively to SAT vocabulary.
Mario Kart. We're waiting for a driver's ed teacher to use this popular car-racing game to show the importance of keeping one's eyes on the road. We all know Luigi has the speed, but Donkey Kong's superior traction and slow and steady method can also win the race.
The Sims. A home-ec teacher's dream, this second-life type game challenges the user to balance a budget, to properly feed and supervise children, and to check-in on each Sim's mental health.
Nine-grade physics teacher John Burk at the Westminster Schools challenged his students to explain the elements of physics in Angry Birds, the popular game that requires a player to catapult birds into the sky with a sling shot. According to Burk's blog, the students quickly identified the examples of velocity and acceleration within the game.
Burk's technique got us thinking about what other popular games could make school more interesting. For example:
Call of Duty: Black Ops. History has never been so action packed as this best-selling game. The player controls a special forces operative (and at times a CIA agent) during the cold war. The game introduces vital historical figures and key places (the Soviet Union, Cuba, Laos, and Vietnam) within the cold war era. There's even a feature that lets four players fight zombies as John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Robert McNamara, and Fidel Castro.
Farmville. If your school can't afford a greenhouse, your science teacher can show you the challenges of growing plants with this agriculturally-focused game. Despite the fact that plants grow a lot faster virtually, the players will face plant-growth challenges.
Scrabble. Word-puzzle games such as this one can help you improve your vocabulary in a creative way. Perhaps a teacher could restrict the game exclusively to SAT vocabulary.
Mario Kart. We're waiting for a driver's ed teacher to use this popular car-racing game to show the importance of keeping one's eyes on the road. We all know Luigi has the speed, but Donkey Kong's superior traction and slow and steady method can also win the race.
The Sims. A home-ec teacher's dream, this second-life type game challenges the user to balance a budget, to properly feed and supervise children, and to check-in on each Sim's mental health.
I really like the idea of the scrabble game with SAT vocab...thank you great post!
ReplyDeleteAside from Scrabble, I've been playing "Words With Friends." They are pretty similar, but found more students were already on WWF. Cool Post!
ReplyDelete