Game+Scenarios

Here we will place the ideas for the game content. Feel free to change. Included are the first draft ideas for the game.

Explanation: When teaching ESL to young kids, they are happy to say anything or talk about anything in another language as 1) they are inhibited about making mistakes and 2) if what they are learning is fun, they will be motivated to try and say new things. The basic idea for this first game is to teach children the names for different types of animals, recognize the animal and be able to say if the like or dislike that particular animal. This game will work on reading comprehension, grammar and recognition. Design: Should be simple and inviting as the main audience will be children. Something too complex or cluttered will distract them. Kids respond to inviting colors like blues and greens very well. Bright colors basically are important! Title: My Favorite Animal Voiceover: Hello! Welcome to “My Favorite Animal”. Look, listen and learn about different animal names and express your interest in them. Screen 2 (voiceover): What’s your favorite animal? Screen 3 (voiceover): I like cats. Screen 4-5 (voiceover): Dog Cat Duck Rabbit Chicken Screen 6: Mini-game to cover animals. A picture of one of the animals is given and the students are shown choices (multiple choices) to select. Basically a matching game. Example: A cow is shown. The students’ choices are: Duck, Cow, Dog, and Chicken. They must choose the correct word in English. If wrong, just a nice voiceover stating: “Oops! Try again!” would be optimal. Sort of like how if you misclick in Alice, the tutorial states that you must have missed something. This continues until all animals are covered (possible). Screen 10 (estimate): “We Like ___________.” Will be introduced. Screen 10 (con’t): “Jane look. Is that a sheep?” (Picture of dog shown) -Child has choice between: Yes and No. - If “Yes” selected: “Oh no. I don’t think that is a sheep”. -Action: Student is prompted to select again. - If “No” is selected: “That’s right. That is a dog”. -Continues a couple of more times for practice. Screen 12 (estimate): What is your favorite animal? Child is prompted to select from choices on screen* “I like _________. “ is presented. Note: Above should repeat until all animals cycled thought.
 * This leads into a screen showing various animals (3-4 per screen so as to not overwhelm them). Each animal chosen will have a voiceover pronouncing that word for the student (2x). If possible, sounds that represent each animal would be good to include when introduced on screen. Examples are below. Repeat option should be included for students.**

ALICE/SECOND LIFE SCENARIO GAME: Scenario 2: Social Studies Lesson (FLES type lesson) FLES: It is a second language program presented as a distinct subject, like science, math, social studies, health, etc., The below example is of a possible interactive lesson. This scenario was written with Second Life as the software used to create this interactive game. Language: English for text and sound. Language choice should be given as to whether text or voice. Spanish might be easier, but if you want more in-depth use of the language, I can do Japanese voice and write text if needed for this. Set-Up. Students are led through a science/weather area where they will learn about different types of weather, temperatures (depending on if it is raining, cold, etc.,), and weather vocabulary. AIM: Students will learn about weather (Science lesson).

SL Intro: “Learning about weather” SL 1 (text/voiceover): What is weather? Weather is the state of the atmosphere (the air) around us in regards to heat, cloudiness, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain and so on. Press here to see and example (Student is directed towards button located on a screen showing different types of weather. They should be directed towards the screen showing “Blue skies with clouds”. Maybe area changes according to button pressed). -“See? This is a cloudy day. The sky is blue and there are clouds. It is cloudy”. Part 2: On another screen: “On Earth, common weather patterns include wind, clouds, rain, snow, fog and dust storms (show picture of each one in a cycle). Part 3: “Here, we will identify the different types of wind such as breeze, gale or hurricanes. -Action: Student clicks a button. Each button will execute a different type of w Wind pattern. Perhaps have leaves, or some object also around so they can See visually the differences in the strength of the wind. -Breeze: a breeze is a gentle to moderate wind. Typically, it is not enough to Cause any damage. It can be very pleasant. - Gale: a gale is a very strong wind. It can move at speeds of 39-54 miles per hour. It can cause serious wind damage. - Hurricane: a hurricane is a storm that can produce violent winds and heavy rains more than 74 miles per hour. Students click “Off” button to turn off wind simulator. Part 4 (text/voiceover): Temperature expresses how hot or cold a place is. Thermometers are used to measure the temperature. Most of the world uses the Celsius scale C for temperature measurements. Few countries, like the United States, use the Fahrenheit scale. -Perhaps allow students to use a thermometer to watch how the world around the reacts. For example, an area can be created within this part where there are crops. Raising the temperature would cause the fake sun to get bigger, crops to wither and the people to look very uncomfortable (think Pocket God if you played the game on your iPhone/iPod. If not, please look it up on YouTube! J ). Change the temperature to a lower scale, and the exactly opposite will occur: cold. -“As you can see, temperature is very important for humanity. If it gets too cold or too hot, plants and people will not be able to live there.” Part 5: Precipitation: is the product of condensation from the atmosphere. Examples of precipitation are rain, snow, sleet, and hail. (Same thing occurs as with the wind section). - Rain: Rain is liquid precipitation. Rain requires or needs to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth’ surface to occur. It can be light or heavy. - Snow: Snow is a more solid form of precipitation within the Earth’s atmosphere in the form of crystalized water ice. - Sleet: Sleet is a rain and snow mixed precipitation that partially melts as it falls to the Earth. o Sometimes sleet can become ice pellets, which is the combination of snow and freezing rain. - Hail: Hail is a form of solid precipitation, which is made up of balls or irregular forms of ice. Hail can cause damage to cars, houses, and windows and can be a great danger to you if you are outside during a hailstorm. (Note: Took out cloud idea as it looked too complex).

//**Natural Disasters Scenario**// Idea: Kids need to be prepared for dangerous weather and need to know how to react if such a dire situation occurs. People (kids/adults/everyone) who are non-native speakers of English may not know what to do or where to go if they cannot understand English well (written or spoken). So an instructional game focused around dealing with natural disasters could be beneficial. I will only include one disaster for now.  The game will be divided into two sections. First will be the educational/instructional part where the children will learn about natural disasters. After this, they will be led to a game where they take the role of a child who has to make choices and survive a disaster. Now since we are using Alice, it can only be a linear story, however, we can convey that the final project will expand more and include more choices and a variety of endings. Just like Oregon Trial! o(^__^)y Screen 1: **Natural Disasters and You: How can you prepare?** Screen 2-? (Voiceover and text): Natural Disasters can occur in many ways. When most people think of natural disasters, they first think about the weather. Things like hurricanes, tornados and floods are examples of natural disasters. They can also be scary too. But we are going to learn how to deal with these disasters so you will know what to do if it happens to you. Screen 3: After this you will complete an interactive role-play where you use the information you learned to help you and your family gets through that natural disaster. Screen 4 (estimate/voiceover and text): Select a category to get started! -In a real game, the student would be given options (Floods, Hurricanes, Tornados, Tsunamis, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Wildfires and Winter Storms). For this prototype, only one version can be followed as we are using Alice, so for this example, we will use Earthquakes. Winter Storms is possible as a lot this information is covered in the Weather section. Screen 5: Earthquakes. What is an earthquake? Answer: Earthquakes occur when there is a sudden shaking, rolling or shock upon the earth’s surface. Earthquakes occur along fault lines in the earth’s crust. Earthquakes typically last less than a minute, but they can be felt over large areas and cause a lot of damage. -Action: Perhaps ground shaking, or a building crumbling. Screen 6: If you are in an Earthquake, you may notice that hanging plants sway, shelve rattle and wobble or you will lose your balance. -Action: Child/figure falling down. Screen 7: The intensity of an earthquake can be measured using a Richter scale. Use the scale to adjust the intensity of the earthquake. Action: Richter scale appears on left of screen. If user brings arrow down below 4.0 on the Richter scale, nothing will happen. However once they go above 4.0 the shaking will gradually become more intense. Design idea: Perhaps have objects around to visually see the difference as well as have the character on screen (possible?) to fall down. Screen 7/8: As you can see, the higher the number on the Richter scale, the stronger and more dangerous the earthquake will be. Screen 9-13: Action: The below advice comes onto the screen. If you want to have a simple design accompany it that would be cool! Remember: 1. When indoors keep calm and take cover under a heavy table or desk. 2. Stay away from windows, glass and anything that could fall and hurt you. 3. If you are in a crowded place, do NOT rush towards the doors, as everyone will be doing that. Take cover under something heavy. Do not enter elevators. 4. Be prepared for aftershocks. Aftershocks are following up to earthquakes. 5. Make sure you have shoes on after an earthquake, as there could be broken glass on the ground that may hurt you. Screen 14: Let’s check our knowledge! In the next few screens you will use what you just learned to navigate through an earthquake disaster. Stay calm and choose wisely!

Role-play will allow 3-4 choices. Alice will only follow one linear example, however. Screen 15: Action: You are in your family’s dinning room doing your homework when suddenly your house starts shaking. You hear things falling and breaking. You are the only one in your house. You: 1. Panic and run out of the house. 2. Run towards to window to look outside 3. Stay calm and take cover under the dinning room table. Action 1: End of Game. State “Oh no! That wasn’t right. Click “Return” and try again”. Game will start at beginning.* Of course we should take the all-correct answers avenue* Action 2: Same as 1. Action 3: Great job! Remember it is better to be calm and take cover under something that can protect you from falling items. Screen 16: The earthquake seems to be over. You: 1. Stay undercover for a few more minutes. 2. Go out from undercover immediately and run outside Action (1): Good idea. There could be aftershocks right after the earthquake. Screen 18: After you wait a couple of more minutes, you decide to get up and see if there was any major damage and to find an adult. As you make your way towards to door, you hear a hissing sound coming from the kitchen, do you: 1. Investigate the sound. 2. Exit the house immediately. 3. Ignore the sound and go search the house some more. Action: (2): Right. Leave now. The house could have a gas leak that could lead to fire or an explosion. Screen 20: You exit the house and see your neighbor coming towards you asking if you are all right. You respond yes. She tells you that they have just stated the earthquake was a 6.8 on the Richter scale. The damage wasn’t so bad where you lived, but there is a major tsunami (tidal wave) warning in effect and you need to head to higher ground. You do live close to the ocean and emergency crews seem to be warning people to take shelter. You… 1. Ignore the warning and go back to your house 2. Go to the ocean to see if a tidal wave is really coming. 3. Take caution and follow the emergency staff. Action: A 6.8 earthquake is pretty strong. If you live near the ocean, then you do risk the chance of a tidal wave occurring. It is advise that you should go to high ground for safety. Staying at sea level while near the ocean is not a good idea. You could be injured or worse if a tidal wave occurs if you do not move to safety, (Note: Other questions could be made. The above are just examples) Screen 22: Disasters can happen anywhere at anytime, so you must take precautions like creating an emergency kit! Ask your parents or guardian to help you take action to protect your family! Screen 23: Items like flashlights, batteries, radios, food and a first aid kit are a few ideas as to how you can prepare! What are some other items you can add to your kit to make you feel safer? Screen 24: Good job! You have learned a bit about Earthquakes. Click on the “Main Menu” button to return to the starting screen and learn about another natural disaster! **END**