Tag Archives: Video Games

General, School Media Specialist

AASL Recommended App: STEM: The Foos

the_foosIn June 2016, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced their 25 Best Apps for Teaching and Learning. The apps encourage qualities such as innovation and active participation, and are user-friendly.

The Foos are characters in this app of the same name that follow commands instructing them how to move (jump, walk, etc) which helps to teach kids coding concepts like sequencing, loops, and conditionals.  It’s an interactive game that encourages problem solving, and even has the option for students to design their own games. Teachers are able to download lesson plans as well.

This article from Beyond the Hour of Code gets a little more in-depth with game explanation and the includes a video about teaching using The Foos. You can also check out this evaluation of the game from the site Common Sense Education.

Cost: Free
Level: Elementary
Platforms: iOS and Android

General, School Media Specialist

South Jr. High students learn teamwork, respect from video game creation

teamwork 5How often do you hear about video games having a positive affect on young people?

Well, it definitely had a favorable impact on a group of sixth – eighth graders at South Jr. High School, when they became creators of their own video game. The project was a collaboration involving students and teachers from South Jr. High working with an SCSU professor.

The game is titled “Save My Dragon,” and the students drew all the characters, backgrounds, and items in the game. They took inspiration from trees, clothing, nature in their backyards and the buildings in the Twin Cities. The students even created the soundtrack for the game, using recording sticks and instruments.

The article explores how the students faced challenges when it came to agreeing on artwork, and how the experience taught them to respect the ideas of others and take constructive criticism. The end result was a feeling of school pride, and the feeling that they had accomplished this game creation as a team.

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/mg6qkck, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

 

General, School Media Specialist

AASL Recommended App: Pixel Press Floors

pixelLast June, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) came out with their 25 Best Apps for Teaching & Learning. The apps were chosen because they foster innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration.

This week we highlight the app Pixel Press Floors. This is a social gaming/problem solving app that inspires kids to create, and literally draw their own video games! The best part is they can then share them with their friends to play and critique.

The app is FREE for iOS devices and AASL recommends it for Intermediate and Secondary students. Check out the promo video below:

General

900 vintage video games for fun

Tecnologia - Technology (2)As if you need another thing to distract you from doing your work! Recently the Internet Archive announced that they made 900 vintage video games available to play in your browser. They call it the Internet Arcade and have plans to even make it bigger! At least with these arcade games it won’t cost you a quarter for each time you play!

Tip: Browse to the bottom of the images/marquee to find subjects/keywords!

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/pkdbtf9, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0