Initial thoughts on curriculum links

I see the screen divided up into three sections

• The top would have all the "statistics" e.g. item gathered during the quest, health meter etc.
• The centre part of the screen would be the game play area
• The lower part of the screen would have captions, as characters speak the words are on the screen, this way the player both hears and sees the words as they are spoken.

As not to interfere with game play vocabulary would appear in the statistic section so players could return to that part of the screen to look up any words they did not understand. By returning to the vocabulary screen players will get additional clues to help them along their quest, in this way both reading and vocabulary acquisition are taking place while playing without interfering with playable elements of the game.

The game could have two options and automatic diary option where all conversations are recorded for the player to return to in order to move forward and/or a diary that the player can write in by pausing the game and putting in conversations, clues etc. in their own words to refer to at a later time. Players could connect in a classroom setting and message clues to each other as well, thus giving an additional writing components. Players could also blog and make suggestions for game improvement or expansion.

Social Studies which incorporates grade 3 pioneers, grade 4 medieval times grade 5 ancient civilizations will be the backbone of the game. The Heroine will travel through time and interact with objects and people in order to move game play forward. For example the player will have to search through a medieval village and speak to the various denizens in order to find an object or acquire information. In the process the player will find out about life in a medieval village.

Math subjects (geom entry, data collection etc.) are incorporated into the game as the player gathers clues or attempts to fire a crossbow at a tree/tower so she can cross a ravine or climb the tower to sneak into a window, or while helping to repair a water wheel etc.

Various habitats could be explored as the character is shrunk or grows during her quest; the human body can be explored as it was in the film the Fantastic Journey as the heroine is shrunk and searches for an object inside the human body.

These are just initial thoughts. I have not began a design document or taken a close look at curriculum expectations in order to come up with a comprehensive plan of what would work and what wouldn't without making subject matter feel like it is being "dropped in."