It used to be that whenever you talked about Games Based Learning you would always have to start with justifying why you were including games in the classroom context. Thankfully, the need for that is less and less and you would actually have a hard time justifying why you are NOT using Games Based Learning in an authentic 21st Century Classroom.At Kellett, games continue to have a major influence on our work with recent examples in Literacy with Guitar Hero, Samarost and Moshi Monsters. Next term sees a new initiative for us as we seek to build upon the work carried out in Scotland using Nintendo DS consoles. More news on that later.
Year 4 have also had the opportunity to study a simulation game in their ICT lessons based upon preparing for a natural disaster, in this case, a tsunami. These so-called 'serious games' allow users to use traditional game play techniques whilst allowing them to reflect on some aspect or issue. We've only just started this module but a number of parents mentioned the game during our recent parents evening so the link for the game is below. It also has a variety of other disaster scenarios, including a sadly quite topical one on earthquakes.
The site can be found here.
36 comments:
The stop disasters game helped me realize that things like this actually happen in real life and helped me understand how to prevent it. Though it was also fun to play, I thought if you looked at what the game is trying to tell you it makes more sense.
The game it self was also interesting because during the game you are in charge and everything that happens to these people in the game is your responsibility and at the end you were told how well you did e.g. how many people died, and how much the damage bills cost. I also thought it is a good way to get peoples attention and to make them realize how to prevent natrual disasters.
Kendall
I learned playing this game how to protect countries that get tsunamis. It is a good game for kids to learn about tsunami plus the children don’t get bored. If your going to learn how to buy but not to spend to much money its also quiet good for that. The game was a bit hard to understand the first time but it gets to you after a while. The game is suitable for children older then 7. I thought the game is very good and fun to play and I hope other people enjoy it to.
By Ben W
When I played Stopdisasters.org, I realized that we need to prepare a lot if there’s going to be a tsunami. I also learned that before the big tide comes rushing in, we need to prepare more shelter/homes/hotels and more defenses along the beach. But when I played, I could only build one hospital.
Playing the game helped me understand because I got to experience what I needed to do and what to use to defend and I got to be the person who decided what to build, but I also needed to protect the environment.
The game was fantastic because they only gave you warnings and what you should build and then it was all up to me. It was also really good because there were levels of easy, [which has a small map] and medium, and hard. I think that Stopdisastersgame.org is one of the best games that I ever played.
I discovered that playing the game is as fun as any other game and at the same time it is education and I learnt that playing the game could actually happen in real life but a lot more dangerous and stopdisasters.com actually helps you if you have a real problem like that you would be prepared and I learned that from the game.
The game helped me understand that these things actually happen in the world and that so many people die after all these disasters and it is all real, the game also tells you what you will need for saving the island.
I thought that playing the game was really fun compared to any other games on the internet and that I don’t believe how they make the animations and that it is based on something that important for everyone in the world and they also do other types of disasters like hurricane instead of Tsunami.
Kareem
I think that stopdisastersgame is really good because it is teaching you what you would do if it actually happened in real life. You would have to make defenses to break the water for e.g. coconut trees or sand dunes and you had to develop places like a hospital or a school. Unfortunately I never did that well because when they gave the results I always got fail
Jack
This game helps people in continents who don’t know what it is like in tsunami so that’s why them made this game it shows you how to defend your land from different kinds of disasters and do upgrades build houses and set up drills for people to use. This game helped us to save peoples lives and think what it would be like in real life to be in a tsunami we tried to save the environment for the land. At the last lesson we under standard the game so it was very us useful to us. I think it was a really good game fore disasrers.Comment by Taiga
I learned a lot about tsunamis in our two lessons on stop disasters game it was good fun the game it taught us how to defend ourselves and stop tsunamis from breaking into a village. It told us we needed hospitals, school, hotels and houses. We also thought it helped us learn about the tsunami on that day. I also thought the game play and graphics were good but not amazing and the way it was made was quite good, I also did understand how it happened and the problems that could happen if you didn’t have a hospital or defense’s so the game helped me realize what it would be like in that tsunami.
And over all I thought it was.
Wilson
I learned that playing the game stop disaster can tall you what a Tsunami is and what it looks like and I learned that if you put more house and hotels more people live but if there are no house or hotels then people won’t have house to live in and they will die.
If you put building on big rocks the water wouldn’t reach the building so people wouldn’t get hurt. Children would like the game so they can play and learn at the same time and they wouldn’t get bored and its so much fun.
By Hannah T
Justin
Tsunami is a gigantic wave made by an earthquake underwater and it is a type of disaster. It can even go to the city and kill people. It can easily destroy 10~15 houses. WE had learnt about tsunami by playing a game. It was called ‘stop the disasters`. WE had to build houses and defences to protect people. If there is a tsunami in any place, it must be on news and only 250~300 people will survive. If the house is very strong, the tsunami may not be able to destroy it.
Julia
Tsunami is a type of wave that towers over buildings and houses. It’s very easy to drown in the wave. It can damage most of the Island or Village. A tsunami can only happen after an earthquake, it’s because an earthquake also crakes the water like the earth.
I learnt this in a game. Its name is stop disasters. I also learnt that planting trees helps stop the water getting through to the town. Playing the game was really fun, I got the hang of it quite easily and quickly. I was also quite good at it, only a few people died and got hurt.
I learnt that in the game we played (stopdisasters.org) that tsunamis can be very strong and kill a lot of people. I also learnt you need to make sure that the people in the game need to have hotels, houses and defenses, so they don’t get killed. But you can only have one hospital! I also learnt that it can be quite a tricky game.
The game helped me understand that what sort of problems they have when there is a Tsunami in places like Thailand. Also, I understood that how many people get injured or killed in a Tsunami.
The game was really exiting and your heart pounding when the disaster starts you feel so scared of whats going to happen, but it is still a great game!
Harriette E
Matthew
Tsunami is a big wave that can damage a big city to a small village, it only can happen
after an earthquake. It is really hard to stop it because it is so strong .I learnt this in a really cool game. If a tsunami comes to a village it could destroy the village. But you could stop a bit of it by putting a wall but if you do that you would stop people coming.
I thought the game was I bit easy and a bit hard because it times you and the easy part is all you have to do is build defense
Through playing the game I have learnt what stops the Tsunami from coming into the city and killing people. I also learnt how dangerous a Tsunami can be but I think the game isn’t as dangerous a Tsunami can be. I never know how many people can be killed if there is a Tsunami is coming and the town or city is not safe. I never knew that trees could stop the Tsunami from getting past them briefly.
The stopdisasters game has a fantastic gamely the game is easy to understand, easy to get around the map and easy to buy houses, hotels, hospital, schools and defenses.
By Tom
Well I learnt that tsunami can be very dangerous because they can kill people
And they could injure them very badly they could have a big hole in there leg
And houses could even flood because there are big waves and people don’t know that the tsunami is coming so they just go walking in the street but some people know so they run to there houses but they think that there houses are strong enough but tsunami are stronger then the houses.
Well it help me to understand because you had to put in two hospitals , one school , and one hotel we put a hospital in to help the people that are injured and the school is for learning about the tsunami and the hotel was for keeping people safe.
Relly fun because you learned about tsunamis and we got save people and the world.
victoria
I learnt through playing the game that you shouldn’t put a massive wall in front of the beach because let’s pretend you’re in Thailand you will lose all the tourists that would like to come because your blocking off the lovely view. Tsunamis are massive waves about 60 ft tall that destroy masses of buildings every year in response to earthquakes. I didn’t know until I played this game that planting trees is a good way of stopping the Tsunamis or that you can get evacuation signs or evacuation signals.
Playing the game really helped because before I barely knew what types of defenses would be appropriate in what area.
Edward
Through playing this game I have learned that tsunamis are extremely dangerous by breaking the defenses and destroying homes and people loosing lives because of the tsunami. I have also learned that you need a lot of force to stop from coming into houses and making people loose lives.
When I played this enjoyable game I found the more defenses that I put it broke more of the wave but actually the trees were the strongest, whenever I bought houses on stopdisastersgame I always put them in the woods because all the other trees will cover the houses and that is what I learned.
By Will
Flora
Tsunami is a type of wave that only happens after an earthquake. The wave can cause lots of damage a big city to a small village, in all kinds of ways it is very difficult to stop the tsunami destroying the city.
I learnt that a tsunami can be stopped only by putting lots of sandunes on the beaches, mangrove trees on the beaches too and some coral in the water.
The game helped me understand things because there were special sorts of things that you had to put in and you had to make sure that you didn’t ruin the environment.
The game was quite easy to understand and it helped me understand more things about the tsunamis.
I thought the game was quite easy but in the same way difficult because you didn’t want many people to get injured or die.
I think this game is good because it makes you realize how dangerous a tsunami is and ways you can help stop a tsunami. It is easy to use the game and I learned when a tsunami is coming because of the water level. This game can help teach lots of people about when dangerous disasters could happen. I never knew that trees helped break up a tsunami but I know now from the game. By eimear p
Tsunami is a type of a big huge wave which only comes after an earthquake. The tsunami can do lots of damage on a big city. It is very hard to stop the tsunami coming in and destroying the city.
I learnt that a tsunami can be stopped only by putting lots of sandunes on the beaches, mangrove trees on the beaches too and some coral in the water.
The game helped me understand things because there were special sorts of things that you had to put in and you had to make sure that you didn’t ruin the environment.
The game was quite easy to understand and it helped me understand more things about the tsunami.
Henry
What I learned from the stop disasters game that was a tsunami case. I learned about some items they use to help people not die in a tsunami. It’s extremely interesting.
You can use sand dunes to block the sea from coming in, but it will block some visitor’s view. You should actually look at the sea first to alarm yourself if there is going to be a tsunami because if the sea got dragged back and lots of sea creatures are lying on the sand, there will be a horrible tsunami. Every house should have a radio so then the weather forecasters can tell you. You can also put sensors in the sea so then the people who put the sensors in the sea will know if there is going to be a tsunami. Some houses should be on stilts so when a tsunami strucks, the water won’t flow into the house. Also rebuild your houses so then the water will also not flow in easily.
It was worth playing it because know I know what will happen if there is a tsunami. Other people around the world can play it so they will know what will happen if a tsunami strucks. The game is enjoyable and is very useful for the future if a tsunami strucks.
By Jae Won
When we went on to stop disaster game we learnt about tsunami and how to prepare for a tsunami. If you had to prepare for a tsunami you would have a list of things you could do to help. When there tsunami people don’t just build walls on the beach they would use plants and sand dunes. Lots of people come see countries with beaches and they want to see a nice view not a brick wall so you use plants. You can tell that a tsunami is about to come if all the water goes out and you can see all the sea creatures that is a sign to say a tsunami is about to come.
People want to keep there self safe so they could build strong houses that are off the ground you have to stay on high plat form so you won’t be swept away.
Some people get trained to save every body from dying from the tsunami they can help.
There are lots of ways to help like radio systems, alarms and evacuation signs.
That’s how to help with tsunami and what to use for the sea.
Christina
What I learned about Stop Disasters was that a good way to keep safe while providing homes for everyone is to first build on high ground with the strongest material then start building defenses all around the place you are protecting and not leaving a spot unprotected. Another action I learnt that is useful is the very first you should do is plant, do some training, get evacuation signs and signals and get sensors.
The game tells you how well you did your job, it also tells you risks of your actions. It tells what’s useful or not. It gives you risk maps which are extremely helpful to tell where to build.
I think it’s worth playing especially if you find yourself in the same situation some day.
Zayna
The game was all about to prepare for a tsunami you have to put homes on stilts and give everybody training and make sand dunes and trees. We had to put alarms and sine’s.
Game had some obstacles but it was fun and a good game to play . You can do lots
of different natural deserters.
By hugo
I learnt from stop disaster about how you can stop a tsunami. You can stop the tsunami by putting trees and plants in the way and breakers. It will be a better view than having a big wall on the beach.
The game was very fun but it was also difficult at the same time. My mum would not mine me playing this game.
Annie
I learnt from stopdisasters.com that if the sea goes out really far you should go to higher grounds for protection for example if there was a tsunami then I would buy a helicopter at once and fly up high! Or could put your house on stilts so the water could flow underneath.
It was fun playing the game but quite difficult because when you run out of cash you’re in trouble!
Ben
The Stop disasters game helped me realize that things like tsunamis are real and many people have been in them before and maybe lost a friend or their family. The game was very fun but if you looked at it as a caution sign you realize that this is for your safety.
We learned that you could prepare for a tsunami if you grow some plants and trees which would break up the water. You could put breakwaters or seismic sensors to tell you when the tsunami was coming. Training also helps and radio systems, evacuation signs and alarms which would alert people for when the tsunami comes. Making the houses higher or digging a hole so that the water doesn’t damage the house more. There was a twist at the end when you were really nervous for when the tsunami comes. It was really worth playing.
Anna
I found the game very interesting, I learned that you should build houses on higher ground and build any defenses in front of them. I also learned that trees and plants can also block water. I found out that evacuation signs, radio signals and training is a great way to teach people what to do when a disaster happens. This game really teaches you what to do when any disaster happens.
Matthew
I learnt from stop disaster that when ever there is a tsunami the water will disappear. For protection we should plant trees, build sand dunes and breakers. However we should not build big walls covering the beach because then the visitors who come to the beach won’t have a nice view.
It was great fun playing the game though it was quite difficult. I did not manage to past the test because sadly too many people died. Many of the houses were ruined.
If my mum was to ask me about what I did today I would be happy to tell her all about my lesson at ICT.
Anoushka
I thought the stop disasters game helped me learn about how to stop tsunami’s happening. It was interesting learning about the things that helped save more lives but was most exciting about it, it was a fun and amusing computer game.
You would have a budget of around 50,000 dollars and you could spend it on, houses, defenses and lots of other things to stop people from dying.
I thought the game was extremely useful and helped me learn about tsunami’s.
I learned in stop disaster game other ways to save peoples lives. We had to think of ways to save peoples lives for example evacuation signals make defenses. We also had to make education hospital hotels.
At the end of the game when the tsunami you had results how many people had died and how many people were injured it also tells you if you passed the hotel the hospital and the school. At the end it tells you if you had failed or passed. I think this game is worth playing because you learn and have fun. By Ben M
I learned in the game that tsunamis happen. And that if a tsunami is coming over to where you live; make sure that all the houses are on high ground and made out of the strongest material you have, or else put the houses on stilts. The ways of seeing how a tsunami is coming is to, place some sensors in the water and give the villagers’ some training books of how to evacuate, and also put up a few signs.
The game also shows how to block the tsunamis like what you should use, e.g. trees and plants, sand dunes and breakers. The game is a wonderful game to play, because it gives you the responsibility of not letting any villagers die. At the end it shows you how much people died and how much people are injured. Hannah
Stop Disasters teaches people about tsunami and things like that. You can build sand dunes for protection and you can upgrade also putting houses on stilts so the water can go underneath it unless it is a really big tsunami. There is a good value of playing this game because it teaches you about tsunamis and if there is one that happens you will know what to do.Pia
I learned in the game that tsunamis happen in lots of countries and lots of houses get damaged because of it. If you live where a tsunami is about to happen you should put houses on higher ground and build sand dunes, alarm, breaks, plants and trees and be sure you are not in the water when it happens if you’re not in the water you are safe.
The game also shows you to defend your town by blocking the tsunami with defenses and if your defenses are not good people will get killed and injured by the tsunami.Max
I learned in stop disaster game other ways to save peoples lives. We had to think of ways to save peoples lives for example evacuation signals make defenses. We also had to make education hospital hotels.
At the end of the game when the tsunami you had results how many people had died and how many people were injured it also tells you if you passed the hotel the hospital and the school. At the end it tells you if you had failed or passed. I think this game is worth playing because you learn and have fun. By Ben
I learned that Stop Disasters is a great way to prepare for any disaster in case tsunami or an earthquake and that kind of stuff.
It was quite hard to keep everyone alive but easy to make everyone to die but I really found it fun and it’s good incase of a real tidal wave and if there is you’ll know what to do just incase. By Iwan
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