There are currently four missions available with a fifth
based on the Great Depression due to be released later this year. Here’s an
excerpt from www.mission-us.org about
each of the missions available:
In Mission 2: “Flight to Freedom,” players take on the role of Lucy, a 14-year-old enslaved in Kentucky. As they navigate her escape and journey to Ohio, they discover that life in the “free” North is dangerous and difficult. In 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act threatens all African Americans in the North and brings new urgency to the anti-slavery movement.
In Mission 3: “A Cheyenne Odyssey,” players become Little Fox, a Northern Cheyenne boy whose life is changed by the encroachment of white settlers, railroads, and U.S. military expeditions. As buffalo diminish and the U.S. expands westward, players experience the Cheyenne's persistence through conflict and national transformation.
In Mission 4: “City of Immigrants,” players navigate New York’s Lower East Side as Lena, a young Jewish immigrant from Russia. Trying to save money to bring her parents to America, she works long hours in a factory for little money and gets caught up in the growing labor movement.”
Our initial play led us into the American Revolution as an
apprentice. It was easy to navigate and gave options that were realistic to the
character. In addition, vocabulary for the era is presented in context and allows students to ask more about it within the game. Time period setting and objects
are also part of the play, offering learning in a very simple and ingrained
kind of way. All of this is the result of countless studies and testing by
multiple universities, as well as input from teachers, parents, and students
themselves.
We highly recommend pairing this interactive learning option
with some of our products. Mission 1 will emerge students into the world
covered in either of our American Revolution bundles or beside this
power point about the events that lead to it.
For 6, 7, & 8 grades. |
For 4 & 5 grades. |
Mission
2 is a great peep into the unrest that eventually lead to the civil war and
builds empathy for the slaves and how they were unfairly treated, so we
recommend using this mission to teach with our Civil
War Bundle or Worlds
of North and South Pre-Civil War Bundle.
Mission 3 offers a unique, Native American boy's
perspective of the railroad and "white man's takeover" of the United States and would connect
with our Westward
Expansion Bundle and Indian
Removal Investigative Activity.
Even if you don’t pair them up, consider adding Mission US
to your classroom plan. The website offers educator guides to help spark
discussion and learning post-play. Be sure to create a list of your student’s
usernames and passwords so you can monitor their completion of the levels for grading.
Have you used www.mission-us.org in your classroom and had success? Would
you be interested in adding this type of serious play into your class periods?
Please comment below and be sure to check out their website and our offerings
on Teachers Pay Teachers by clicking the button in the top right corner!
Hi Tony,
ReplyDeleteI happened to chance upon your blog and found it very interesting!
We have recently launched a science app that uses augmented reality to enhance classroom teaching. I thought you might want to check it out and may be review it on your blog, if possible.
It is a paid app(with a few models free) but in case you are interested in trying it out I will be happy to provide you with a free copy.
The link to the app is:
iPhone/iPad
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/augmenter-augmented-reality/id997354409?ls=1&mt=8
android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.augmented.android
You can also search for the app on the app store as 'Augmenter'.
Do let me know if you would be interested. I am really Looking forward to your response.
happy teaching!
Antara
http://augmenterapp.com/