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My Top 10 List of Games for the Classroom

1. Minecraft - https://minecraft.net/en/

Minecraft is a game in which you as a character interact with your environment to either
build structures to survive against various enemies or to build creative structures just for
the sake of building.

In survival mode, your character has to mine resources from the environment in order to
survive. You need to build structures to hide from monsters at night; you need to build
weapons to defend yourself and tools to mine more efficiently. There are caves to explore
in order to find new and better resources and the whole world is open at your fingertips if
your wish is pure exploration. If you become successful enough in your garnering of
resources, you can venture into other realms and defeat more dangerous creatures, the
biggest and baddest being the Ender Dragon found in The End.

In creative mode, you have every resource already at your disposal and the goal is basically
to create the biggest and best structure (Figure 1). You have the freedom and space to
explore and create at your every whim. There are online apps and websites that can help
you create based on elaborate blueprints (Figure 2). It is in this mode that you can use
your limitless imagination to build whatever you want.

Figure 1 - An example of an extremely elaborate minecraft creation found at:

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Figure 2 - An example of a minecraft blueprint found at: https://s-media-cache-

Minecraft would be an excellent teaching tool for any science class, especially physics.
Within the mining world you encounter a variety of materials that behave in different ways.
For example, water flows until otherwise obstructed and sand will collapse if not
supported by a tougher material.

You also have to craft weapons and tools, and this has a certain science to it as well. As
shown by Figure 3, certain recipes will produce different tools. As seen in the image, a
block of wood will produce 4 planks which in turn will create one crafting table. On the
table, you can use the planks to make poles which can be used to create tools when
arranged in different patterns.

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Figure 3 - Crafting in minecraft found at: http://pixelfiendtech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Crafting-

These systems are very methodical and in fact quite logical. Thus playing Minecraft will
help kids to understand and solve mathematical and scientific problems whilst engaging in
play.

Many classrooms have incorporated Minecraft as a tool in their classrooms, having one
universal purchase code for the whole school and using it on the school computers or
laptops. The game itself costs $30, but with the purchase code I believe you can install it on
multiple computers at no extra cost. You would need computers that had sufficient
processing power to run the game. More specific requirements can be found on this
website: https://help.mojang.com/customer/en/portal/articles/325948-minecraft-
system-requirements.


2. Civilization V: http://www.civilization5.com/

Civilization V is a turn based strategy game in which the player progresses a civilization
from its earliest stages through time until victory is achieved. Civilizations are based on
real countries that have existed in history, eg. England, France, Poland, Egypt, etc. The
player will compete with other civilaizations for victory, which can be scientific, cultural,
diplomatic, domination, or time. Each of these is described in detail at this site
http://civilization.wikia.com/wiki/Victory_(Civ5) Throughout the game, the player will
make choices in several areas of research, culture, and development that will influence how
they progress through history. Their civilization will succeed or fail based on the
combination and effects of these decisions. There are so many details to iron out in the full
understanding of the game but in an attempt to summarize, the player will have to advance

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their civilization as best as possible to reach a certain state of advancement before the
other players.

I love the potential of this game in the classroom. While playing the game, students would
learn about distinct advantages that historical civilizations had. For example, the British
have always been renowned for their naval power and progressive sea exploration.
Therefore in the game, Britain has specific advantages with regards to their naval units and
their ability to explore overseas. As their civilizations progress, students will learn the
advantages and disadvantages that certain decisions will have on the way their civilization
grows and progresses. Perhaps the civilization will benefit from a strong military, or this
could turn against them by causing other civilizations to ban together and attack. Maybe a
strong religion will give them a boost in tourism and put their civilization on the map, or
perhaps it will make other civilizations hate them for being too different or for sending too
many missionaries. All these factors will teach students about certain aspects of running a
country, and how certain decisions affect the running of a civilization.

I have to make mention of a very distinct problem with introducing this game into a
classroom, that being the game takes a minimum of 4 hrs to complete. This time constraint
could be manageable by only playing portions of the game. However, it is a factor to be
aware of, as the students may not be able to experience the full extent of the game.

The cost of the game is around $50, and I am unsure as to whether or not the purchase
code is interchangeable between computers. Group efforts would be possible, though
probably only dual partnerships. This arguably could get expensive. The game also requires
a reasonably high level of computer performance to run. More information on system
requirements can be found at this site: http://www.game-
debate.com/games/index.php?g_id=963&game=Civilization%20V


3. The Sims 4 - https://www.thesims.com/

The Sims is an interactive reality game that has been around for a very long time. The idea
behind the game is to create a family, build a home, and interact with other Sims. The way
that you go about living is entirely up to you. You can have a happy Sim that gets married,
settles down, and has a huge family, or alternatively you can have a rather awful Sim who is
mean to everyone and can never hold down a relationship. The game is very versatile, with
differing options for personality, job, and home-life. It offers an immersive experience and
an opportunity to escape into a sort of alternate reality.

There are multiple applications for this game within education, most of which would be for
health class or perhaps social studies. Especially within the most recent installment, Sims 4,
students can learn about emotions, decision-making, and the results of social interaction. If
your Sim is in a bad mood, this will have an effect on how they go about the rest of their
day. They will likely not want to tidy up or repair broken mechanics if they are sad from
not talking to anyone in a while or stressed from a long day at work. Personality will also
effect the Sims, as an athletic Sim will become upset if they dont workout for a while and a

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neat Sim will be happiest when cleaning. Students playing the game can learn how certain
types of people will react to various events in their lives. Social interactions also have
consequences in the game. Sims that flirt a lot will become flirtatious and if they have
multiple interactions, this can lead to a long-term commitment. If a Sim meets someone
else with similar interests or personality traits, they are more likely to get along. There are
consequences to treating a Sim badly or breaking social contracts, such as a relationship
bond. A spouse will hate a cheating Sim, if they find out, and serious consequences may
arise if they do not talk it out. All these factors combined can help a student learn about the
way social interactions work, and can teach them valuable lessons about what makes
people tick.

The game itself costs $40, and I do believe this is transferrable to multiple computers. It
requires a decent amount of processing power to run, but the average computer should be
able to handle the strain. More information can be found at this link:
https://help.ea.com/en-ca/help/the-sims/the-sims-4/the-sims-4-system-requirements/


4. Dualingo - https://www.duolingo.com/

Dualingo is a language game that allows the user to learn a new language through games.
Using achievement points and fun exercises, students can use the app to learn languages
quickly, and in a way that feels like fun. The app is backed by research, and it is said that it
is similar to learning in a classroom setting.

I think this game is very applicable in a classroom setting. It can be used to supplement
teaching so that students can have a brain break to practice their skills in a fun way.
Because it is backed up by so much research, it is a fantastic way to help kids learn
language. I love the comment sections also, because they provide additional information or
answer questions that students may have. Some caution should be used with this though as
there is potential to come across crude language. I have used dualingo myself and it feels
much like any other app. Its an excellent classroom resource.

The app is free to download and all you need is a tablet, computer, or phone, which is
common enough in schools today. This is a very accessible teaching resource!

5. Kodu - http://www.kodugamelab.com/

Kodu is a new program that I discovered during class, and has quickly become a resource
that I am very excited to use in the classroom. Kodu is a game creation program in which
you are given a selection of objects, characters, and environmental features to create your
own video game. You can use the painting tools to make terrain of all sorts, dirt, snow,
grass, etc. You can add hils and spiky landforms and even water to your landscape. Once
the landscape has been created, you can select from a variety of objects to fill the
environment and make it come to life. You can set up huts, castles and factories; you can fill
the world with trees of all sorts and rocks that can be observed. The characters are the
most interesting. Kodu is the most versatile character, and can perform a host of actions.

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You can program this little robot to respond to his environment in a variety of ways such as
eating an apple to gain health or shooting a deadly octopus to win points. The game can be
manipulated to be full of different levels and the maps can be quite large. Kodu game lab is
an extremely versatile and easy to use resource for first time game creation!

As far as the applications in the classroom, there are a large number of ways you could
apply the concepts in Kodu. An obvious one would be in a computer class, teaching basic
programming and how it all maps out. I however would love to use this game to teach
storytelling in English. You could easily study different games that have rich storylines and
help the kids to implement these stories into their own games. It would be a great way to
get kids to be creative with their own story ideas and also to make a game of their very
own.

The game is free to download, although you do need a Windows operating system in order
to run it. Once you have that, it does not require huge amounts of processing power to run
and it is very easy to load and use. More information on the requirements can be found
here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=10056 under system
requirements.

6. Spore - http://www.spore.com/

Spore is a game based all around evolution and civilization. The game involves creating a
creature and evolving them from cell stage all the way to exploring space and terraforming
new planets. The game follows your creature as it learns to walk on land, becomes tribal,
builds civilizations, and explores the universe. It is unbelievably complex and interesting in
the way that it moves through each stage. You have to decide what kind of creature you
want to be, carnivorous, omnivorous, or herbivorous, which can lead to consequences later
as other civilizations may view your carnivorous creature as violent and attack them. In the
space age, you have to manipulate the environment on planets in order to bring new
species there and make them habitable. You have to ward off space pirates and deal with
unfriendly fellow space travellers. The game moves you from battling other cells to winning
space wars; it is truly interesting and fun to play!

The applications of this game are immediately apparent, as it teaches many aspects of
evolution. One feature that does so in the creature stage is that if you choose to be a
carnivore, you only get certain evolutionary characteristics such as strong jaws, highly
offensive claws and horns, etc. If you are a peaceful herbivore, you get the choice of more
docile feature such as a beak meant for singing and good dancing feet. Omnivorous
creatures get a wide selection. Its very interesting to see how previous choices will affect
the later game, so students will learn to make wise decisions based on possible
consequences later on. It is a great way to teach basic civilization tactics such as good tribal
behavior and what buildings make people happy. All in all, a fun game that will teach lots of
interesting lessons about how species evolve over time.

The game itself costs $19.99 to download and is available for both PC and Mac. If you have
an Origin account you can download it on any computer, I am unsure of how transferrable

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it is. More information on system requirements can be found here:
https://www.origin.com/store/spore/spore/standard-edition#requirements

7. Magic School Bus (various) -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_School_Bus_(video_game_series)

The Magic School Bus computer games defined a huge part of my childhood and helped me
learn a lot about the human body, space, rocks, bugs, and animals. These games take you
through many of the MSB adventures firsthand and help you to learn about science in a fun
interactive way. For example, you could learn about the atmospheres of different planets
by trying to find Ms. Frizzle who has gotten lost in space. Travel to all the planets and play
interactive games to learn what the atmosphere is like there. The animals game involved
finding out which animals were in the wrong habitat. Sometimes a lion would be in the
Himalayas or a caribou in the swamp, you had to find them and send them back. These
games were an excellent source of educational fun.

If I could get my hands on these old games, that would be amazing! They have multiple
applications for middle school science and can teach kids a lot in fun ways. You could teach
them about the body by sending them through Arnold (a kid in Ms. Frizzles Class) and
having them explore the different parts of the body. These games taught me a lot, and I
didnt feel like I was learning!

As far as I can see, at least a few of these are available on amazon for anywhere between
$5-$15. As far as I know these old disks install on any computer. I believe any PC computer
can still play them, although this theory is not tested.

8. Portal 2 - http://www.thinkwithportals.com/

Portal is a 1-2 player game that explores the science of portals and offers a series of
interactive levels that are challenging puzzles for you to solve. The game takes you through
Aperture Laboratories through a series of experiments. You have to navigate through the
level using portals in order to move on. Portals are two sided holes in the universe. You
place one on a spot in the wall and the other across the room, and you can pass through
them and cross the room. The levels get progressively complicated and students will have
to work together to solve each one.

This game is a great problem-solving tool that can teach, not only logic, but teamwork as
well. Portal would be a great additive to science classes, especially physics, as portals can
expand on certain aspects high school level physics, such as infinite loops and trajectory.
The game tackles various levels of critical thinking skills, and will allow the students to
explore the world of physics in an engaging way.

I found a site that says that portal is free to download for PC, though I have no way of
confirming that this is a full version. It is available at this website, and system requirements
are also listed. http://oceanofgames.com/portal-2-pc-game-free-download/

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9. No Mans Sky - http://www.no-mans-sky.com/

No Mans Sky is a very interesting space exploration game that allows the player to
discover and investigate new planets, tackling environmental challenges and collecting
resources to build new equipment. The game explores many scientific concepts including
the periodic elements and space exploration technologies. You get money for discovering
and naming new species of plants and animals and for locating different points on the
planet. You can use this money to buy new parts or to buy a new spaceship. The periodic
elements are an essential part of the game, you learn to combine elements to create
spaceship parts and also you learn where each item is located. For example Carbon is found
commonly in plants on every planet and Gold is found in deposits around the planet. Some
elements such as plutonium are in crystalline form. You have a lot of free reign as to where
you explore and what you do but the game provides lots of opportunity for entertainment
and the end goal is to reach the center of the universe.

When I played this game I saw lots of potential use for the classroom. I loved the way that
the game incorporated elements in unexpected ways and used them as a sort of commodity
within the game. I loved the sense of exploration the game evoked and the beauty of the
different planets. In the classroom this could be used as a fun way to explore the elements
and the potentials of space exploration. You could discuss the ethics of relationships with
local aliens and the potential dangers oc collecting resources from other planets. This game
could spark a lot of interesting conversations in the classroom.

Unfortunately, the game is currently quite expensive. It is priced at close to $60, and as far
as know it is not transferrable between multiple devices. This could be detrimental to its
use in the classroom, though some teachers may find ways to incorporate it just for those
students that need help grasping concepts or those that are interested. The game does
require a lot of system power to run, I personally have it on my husband and my PS4.
System requirements are listed at this site:
http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/requirements/no-mans-sky/13130

10. Zoo Tycoon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoo_Tycoon_(series)

Zoo Tycoon is a business strategy game that involves creating and occupying a zoo that
people can come visit. The game centers on providing visitors with a satisfying and
entertaining experience that will prompt more visitors. One of the ways to do this is to
ensure that the animals are properly housed in safe and correct environments. By correct I
mean they have to be the proper habitat for the animal. For example, a lion will need the
proper savannah grass, a certain number of rocks and familiar trees such as the Baobab
tree. The lions will need an appropriately sized sleeping shelter, enough companions to be
happy, and perhaps some toys to keep them occupied. Different animals have different
requirements such as some animals are solitary while others are not. Other factors play in
like the location and availability of food and drink, garbage bins, and staff. Money
management skills are necessary when organizing your zoo so that profit exceeds expense.

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The applications in the classroom are extensive. Students not only learn business strategies
but also learn about animal habitats in a unique way. They will have the chance to
manipulate the animals environment until they are satisfied but at the same time learn the
costs of creating such an environment in a zoo. This game could be learned in a business
CTS class or easily in a science class as well.

The demo for this game is available for free download at this website http://zoo-
tycoon.en.softonic.com/download I dont know if the full version is available here.
However, you can order both the first and second version on amazon for around $20.00.
The game will be transferable between devices if ordered this way. Since it is an old game
the system requirements will be lower, the information can be found here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/889368