Video Games in Science

NPR did a story on the video game Crayon Physics Deluxe. While the game appears simple at the start you quickly realize the power behind it. You create crayon drawings that behave according to the laws of physics. The potential here is huge in a physics or science class. See the video demonstration below.



Here are some free web based games that use physics in the same way Crayon Physics Deluxe does.
Miniclip has a game called Magic Pen which is a simple version of Crayon Physics Deluxe.
Fantastic Contraption acts as a physics emulator.
Line Rider looks like you are drawing on a sketchpad with a pencil. Physics are applied and a cult following is on You Tube sharing game clips.

These games led me to some other video games that might be useful in science.
While Crayon Physics is only for PC currently Phun Physics is available for both PC and Mac. The big difference between Phun Physics and Crayon Physics is Phun is a "sandbox" where you have a blank canvass to experiment. Crayon makes you complete the levels to use the "sandbox" feature.



Little Big Planet is for Playstation 3, you are a sock trying get through levels of the giant planet around you. This game is more collaborative than the physics games above. Multiple players need to help each other complete the levels. The laws of physics apply to the world you are in as well as the interactions of the teammates. The game has both a game mode and "sandbox" mode. Any level you create in the "sandbox" mode can be shared.



In this video the developers talk about the features within the game.



Crazy Machines is similar to Incredible Machines it gives the student (scientist) an objective and supplies which are used to create a solution.



Crayon Physics will become an App on the iPhone but until that happens check out the Trace App on the iPhone, Physics in your pocket.

Video Games providing 21st Century Skills?
Problem-solving
Communication
Higher-order thinking
Creativity
Collaboration

The above games deal with physics but if you are teaching oceanography you need to check out Endless Ocean for Wii. You scuba dive through the ocean finding and archiving different types of fish.

Supreme Court Video Game

"Sandra Day O’Connor’s Plan for Joystick Justice"
78 year old Justice O'Connor wants to lead the way in learning civics, ethics, and character development using video games. She is helping to develop a game which has an issue brought to the court and argued by different players.

Spore

Spore is the highly anticipated release from video game maker EA. In the game you can nurture a creature through the 5 stages of evolution. From an educational perspective I am more interested in the Creature Creator. You can design your own creature from scratch. You can have students accurately create an animal they learn about in Science class. I teach proportions by looking at the long necks or short arms of dinosaurs, why not have my students create creatures with a arm to body proportion of 10:3.

Math Games that are Wii Compatible

Arcademic Skill Builder has great online games for math and english learning. What sets this game site apart from the others is that the games are compatible with the Nintendo Wii.

Multiplication Tables

Timez Attack from bigbrainz.com is like flash cards on steroids. The player can only advance through levels by multiplying their way through enemies. The graphics are impressive rivalling some popular video games.

Algebra through Video Games

Dimension M (http://www.dimensionm.com/) offers different Algebra video games for students to show off their Algebra skills and save the Universe.