STEM | News
Filament Launches Game-Based Science Curriculum
Filament Learning, a division of
Filament Games, has released the first collection of its new game-based
science curriculum series, PLEx (play, learn, experiment).
According to the company, PLEx is an integrated curriculum that is aligned to
Common Core State Standards,
Benchmarks for Science
Literacy and Next Generation
Science Standards (NGSS). The first suite,
PLEx Life Science, is available now, and two more suites for physical and earth sciences are in the
works.
PLEx Life Science includes units for teaching about cells, heredity, plants
and diversity. Each unit includes interactive labs and "real-life" exercises for
students, as well as tools for teachers, such as warm-up discussion suggestions,
end-of-lesson activities and assessments. The Life Science suite includes six
games, one associated with each unit, plus two bonus games.
PLEx Life Science games include:
- Cell Command, which lets students navigate a cell ship through the human
body and complete cellular function missions related to the cell membrane,
mitochondria, golgi complex, ribosomes and DNA duplication;
- Crazy Plant Shop, which lets students breed "crazy" plants to learn
about dominant and recessive traits and how genetic traits get passed from
one generation to the next;
- Reach for the Sun, which lets students defend a plant from insects as it
develops through the full life cycle;
- Fossil Forensics, in which students become virtual prehistoric experts
examining a collection of ancient fossils to assist the curator of a museum;
- GUTS!, a bonus game that lets students assist Dr. Guts to conduct
experiments on human organs; and
- You Make Me Sick!, a bonus game the lets students take on the role of a
pathogen to infect hosts with bacteria and viruses.
Further information about the PLEx Life Science suite can be found on
Filament Learning's
site.
About the Author
Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at leilameyer@gmail.com.