Seeking teachers to pilot test biology education video game.
Salmon Run is an educational game for middle school students that uses digital evolution technology to provide an evolutionary sandbox that nurtures their natural curiosity and stimulates interest in science and engineering career paths. Salmon Run is a twist on the tower defense strategy genre; instead of placing defensive towers to block or killing off streams of attackers, the goal is to help the population of salmon thrive by manipulating factors that affect their survival. Tied to NGSS standards, Salmon Run provides teachers with an engaging and active way to help their students learn about (1) salmon biology, (2) evolution and its genetic basis in relation to ecology and environment, (3) scientific and engineering methods and practices, such as data collection, graphing, and analysis, (4) environmental engineering in relation to environmental resource management, (5) STEM-based careers, and (6) scientific values and virtues such as curiosity, honesty, and humility to evidence that are the basis of the scientific mindset. Our project team can assist you in developing a lesson plan and assignment that will fit the goals and age range of your class. We are also able to join your classroom virtually to help ensure the pilot of this game goes smoothly. One previous pilot instructor said this about use of the game: “As I went around during the Salmon Run lesson, I literally I think I only saw two kids who were not into it. So, I had a massive uptick in our participation and engagement. I was pleasantly surprised that the simulation was so appealing to my hardest-to-reach students.” Curious about this opportunity? Contact us at pennock5@msu.edu to learn more. If you would like to explore Salmon Run for yourself to see if it is a good fit for your class, the link below will take you to a recent version of the game.
