Science+Pirates

Make sure you download the Science Pirates game at @http://sciencepirates.com/. It takes about two hours to play, but you can save your game. toc

This is assigned to the 4th and 5th grade class. After playing the game if some questions appropriate to the age level could be ask to recap the knowledge gained in the game.


 * //Science Pirates: The Curse of Captain Brownbeard//** is a multi-part game that can be played in or outside of the classroom to help middle school students better understand science and food safety concepts. The game addresses both national science process standards and educational objectives through engaging gameplay.

=SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES=

Model:

 * 1) Exposed to concept, but without vocabulary/terminology
 * 2) Assignment of terminology/process to example
 * 3) Put into practice, or report


 * ~ Vocabulary ||
 * Through engagement in our science games, students will be able to: ||
 * **Define an experiment as** a formal process that tests an idea under controlled situations. ||
 * **Define a hypothesis as** a prediction of the relationship between independent and dependent variables that can be tested in an experiment. ||
 * **Define an independent variable as** one of two types of variables in an experiment, and the one that is manipulated for the experiment. ||
 * **Define a dependent variable as** one of two types of variables in an experiment, and the one that is expected to change in the experiment. ||
 * **Define control in experiments as** a standard comparison or baseline by which dependent variables can be measured. ||
 * ~ Conceptual knowledge ||
 * Through engagement in our science games, students will be able to: ||
 * **Explain the importance of having only one independent variable** in an experiment as necessity in identifying which variable caused changes in the dependent variable. ||
 * **Identify experiments as only one type of scientific process,** and give examples of other types of research that could be done by observation and description and testing models. ||
 * ~ Specific scientific knowledge ||
 * Through engagement in our science games, students will be able to: ||
 * **Give examples of how a control can be used** as a baseline for measuring against. ||
 * **Determine if a given assertion is a testable hypothesis.** ||
 * **Write a complete hypothesis** to include the independent variable, dependent variable, and circumstances for experiment. ||
 * **Identify in a proposed experiment the** dependent and independent variables. ||
 * **List specific components that should be included in reporting scientific information, including** hypothesis, rationale for hypothesis, methods, results, and discussion. ||

=Table 6 .9. Content Standards, Grades 5 - 8=

Science As Inquiry
The content standards call for understanding scientific inquiry and developing the ability to inquire. As in understanding the natural world, understanding and doing inquiry are contingent on knowing concepts, principles,laws, and theories of the physical, life, and earth sciences. Inquiry also requires reasoning capabilities and skills in manipulating laboratory or field equipment.
 * Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
 * Understandings about scientific inquiry

Science As Inquiry Standards
In the vision presented by the Standards, inquiry is a step beyond “science as a process,” in which students learn skills, such as observation, inference, and experimentation. The new vision includes the “processes of science” and requires that students combine processes and scientific knowledge as they use scientific reasoning and critical thinking to develop their understanding of science. Engaging students in inquiry helps students develop Science as inquiry is basic to science education and a controlling principle in the ultimate organization and selection of students’ activities. The standards on inquiry highlight the ability to conduct inquiry and develop understanding about scientific inquiry. Students at all grade levels and in every domain of science should have the opportunity to use scientific inquiry and develop the ability to think and act in ways associated with inquiry, including asking questions, planning and conducting investigations, using appropriate tools and techniques to gather data, thinking critically and logically about relationships between evidence and explanations, constructing and analyzing alternative explanations, and communicating scientific arguments. Table 6.1 shows the standards for inquiry. The science as inquiry standards are described in terms of activities resulting in student development of certain abilities and in terms of student understanding of inquiry.
 * Understanding of scientific concepts.
 * An appreciation of “how we know” what we know in science.
 * Understanding of the nature of science.
 * Skills necessary to become independent inquirers about the natural world.
 * The dispositions to use the skills ,abilities, and attitudes associated with science.

=About the Pirate Science project:=

The USDA awarded NMSU a grant to develop interactive games that help mid-school youth learn about food safety procedures, such as hand washing, cooking food to the proper temperature, keeping raw meat and cooked food separate, and washing surfaces. NMSU's Media Productions unit has a strong history in developing food safety materials, including an effective games site for younger children in 3rd — 5th grades, "The Food Detectives Fight BAC!®". Original game design called for online gaming simulations through which youth would design their own experiments, draw conclusions and make recommendations in all areas of food safety. However, early testing of prototypes revealed the lack of experience youth have in conducting experiment design, and the instructional challenge of preparing students to adequately perform this important science process. Thus, the educational goal of Pirate Science shifted from one of understanding food safety issues through science processes, to one of understanding science processes to better change food safety behavior. That meant the educational focus became more centered on scientific understanding and processes, with the end result being a game that leads students through science processes as recommended through national science standards, while giving gamers a culminating activity of experiment design to lead them to better understanding of hand washing. Specifically, learners will
 * //Science Pirates: The Curse of Brownbeard//** is a 3D educational computer game that communicates food safety knowledge in an environment of scientific exploration.

For any feedback, bug reports, recommendations and concerns please send them to the PI for the project, Barbara Chamberlin. 575-646-2848 bchamber@nmsu.edu
 * observe hand washing behavior on the Isle of Misfortune
 * predict possible solutions
 * understand hypothesis formation, and how it differs from research questions
 * engage in testing one variable at a time in experiments
 * participate in a new approach to independent and dependent variable identification
 * draft a hypothesis
 * design an experiment
 * draw conclusions
 * publish findings
 * make recommendations for hand washing behavior