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RICE Web Adventures: MedMyst Games - STEM Careers
Details
Main Website:
Activity Website:
Tech Product/Equipment:
Computer and projector, Mobile devices for students
Activity Description
This site from Rice University offers seven different games to help students learn about microbiology and how scientific work is conducted in the real world. Assign these games to students who are learning about scientific method, scientific research, microbiology, and careers in science.
*IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT WEB ADVENTURES GAMES: As of January 12th, 2021, the Flash plugin no longer works in browsers.
Not to worry. Our team has created a Flash Game Archive. There you will find instructions on how to download the standalone Flash Player,
along with links to download all games within the Web Adventures catalog and play them offline.
Preparation
- Choose and preview the game you want your students to play. In this example, we will play STEM Careers: Animal Alert! This game teaches about analyzing an outbreak of encephalitis and teaches about the roles of three different professionals during an outbreak - microbiologist, veterinarian, and epidemiologist.
- Visit the Main Web page and select the graphic for MedMyst in the center of the page. Enter the For Educators section , then select the Animal Alert game. Preview the group activities for students by selecting Teacher Materials in the left navigation bar, choose the one(s) you want to do, and print the necessary handouts and answer keys.
- Once you introduce your students to the concepts, direct them to the Example Web Site (above) and let them play the game on their own or in pairs. Emphasize that they should explore every option in order to get the most from the game.
Teacher Tips
- Be sure to preview and choose your handouts before you send your students to the game. You might have a project ready for early finishers, as students are likely to take different amounts of time on the game.
- This activity is best taught in a computer lab with Internet access, where students can work individually or in pairs.
More Ways
1. Research Challenge:
- Students choose one career (microbiologist, veterinarian, epidemiologist) and research a day in the life of a professional in that field.
- They can present their findings through a short video, poster, or oral presentation.
Program Areas
- ASE: High School Diploma
Lesson Plan
Warm-up
Extension
Interactive Poll: Start with a quick poll or show of hands:
- How many students have heard of microbiology, veterinary science, or epidemiology?
- Ask students to guess what these professionals do.
Discussion Prompt: Show a picture of a petri dish, an animal hospital, and a laboratory. Ask students, "What do these have in common?" to generate curiosity and connect the lesson to real-world applications.
Introduction
- Objective Overview: Explain that students will explore how microbiologists, veterinarians, and epidemiologists work together to solve real-world problems like disease outbreaks.
- Career Spotlight: Briefly describe each profession:
- Microbiologist: Studies microorganisms to identify pathogens.
- Veterinarian: Diagnoses and treats animals, often identifying signs of zoonotic diseases.
- Epidemiologist: Tracks and analyzes disease outbreaks in populations.
- Real-Life Example: Share an engaging story about a real disease outbreak (e.g., Zika virus or COVID-19) and emphasize the roles of these professionals.
Presentation
- Game Overview:
- Introduce the STEM Careers: Animal Alert! game.
- Briefly explain its goals: analyzing an encephalitis outbreak and learning about these professions.
- Vocabulary Preparation:
- Use the vocabulary worksheet from the Teacher Materials section.
- Turn it into a matching game: students pair terms like "pathogen" or "epidemic" with their definitions on a whiteboard or online tool (e.g., Quizlet or Kahoot).
Practice
Game Time:
- Divide students into pairs and guide them to the MedMyst website.
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- Direct students to play the Animal Alert! game, ensuring they use the Mission Log to take notes.
- Encourage students to explore all game options and make decisions collaboratively within their pairs.
- Teacher Support:
- Circulate the room to assist with technical difficulties or answer questions about the game.
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Evaluation
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- Group Reflection:
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- Ask pairs to share one key learning point from their Mission Log about each profession (microbiologist, veterinarian, epidemiologist).
2. Class Discussion:
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- Pose questions such as:
- What challenges did you face during the game?
- How did the three professions work together to solve the outbreak?
- Pose questions such as:
Application
- Hands-On Activity:
- Use the petri dish and disinfectant activity from the Teacher Materials section.
- Students work in small groups to collect "samples" (e.g., swabs from surfaces) and analyze their findings to determine contamination levels.
- Scientific Experiment:
- Each group designs a mini-experiment using the six steps of the scientific method (e.g., testing the effectiveness of different disinfectants).
- Groups present their experiment plan to the class.
Subjects
- Science
- Biology
- General Science
- Health and Life Science
Tags
animal alert, biology, career in science, careers in science, dependent variable, disinfectant, encephalitis, epidemic, epidemiologist, epidemiology, experiment, hypothesis, independent variable, medical experiment, medmist, MedMyst, MedMyst Games, MedMyst Games: STEM Careers, microbiologist, microbiology, outbreak, petri dish, Rice Web Adventures, science, science career, science careers, science experiment, scientific method, scientific research, STEM, STEM careers, swab, swabs, veterinarian, animal
Creative Commons License
CC BY: This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as
attribution is given to the creator. The license allows for commercial use.