Second
Avenue Learning is this year’s finalist in the Best Business
Developed Serious Game category of the Serious
Games Showcase & Challenge with
Martha Madison.
Created with teachers and students, and aligned with standards, the Martha
Madison game-based curriculum has had research at its core from the very
beginning.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, Martha Madison was
designed to address students’ lagging interest and performance in STEM. The
game utilizes a problem-based learning approach wrapped in an entertainment-quality
video game, with each game mechanic aligning with specific learning objectives
and Next Generation Science Standards.
Research findings have demonstrated that Martha Madison is an
effective and exciting approach to science education for students of both
genders and across all socioeconomic groups.
The game modules include content on: Optics, Forces, Waves, Energy, Magnetism, Electricity, and Simple Machines.
Each module helps students learn about a different physical science:
-In Optics, players search for instructions to help Martha build
a microscope. As players make their way through the ancient Temple of Light,
they use lenses and mirrors to explore the principles and properties of light.
-In Forces, players deliver blocks of ice to a community of
penguins needing to build homes. As players move through the game, they
discover how the physical phenomena of forces helps or hinders their ability to
deliver ice to the penguins.
-In Waves, players work together to alert Martha’s animal
friends of a huge storm heading their way. Using Martha’s wave-generating
device, players learn how to create transverse and longitudinal waves that
relay warning signals by air and water.
-In Energy, players help Martha deliver medicine to her friend,
Mole, who is home sick in bed. As players deliver Mole’s medicine, they
encounter various kinds of energy—kinetic, potential, or chemical, along the
way.
-In Magnetism, players explore an ancient temple to bring power
to a nearby village of animals. Players solve puzzles using the nature of
magnets and magnetic force fields to locate parts needed to repair a power
generator.
-In Electricity, a recent storm has damaged a power station,
leaving many in the community without power. Players help Martha repair the
station and restore power.
-In Simple Machines 1, players work together to help
Martha’s crab friends collect and store coconuts for food and supplies. Players
use the inclined plane, wedge, and screw to their mechanical advantage and
overcome obstacles.
-In Simple Machines 2, players work together to help Martha’s crab
friends collect and store coconuts for food and supplies. Players use the
incline lever, pulley, and wheel-and-axle to their mechanical advantage and
overcome obstacles.
Game Context and Play
All in-game challenges are directly tied to specific learning objectives and standards. A sandbox-style maker space allows students to create their own game levels and challenges, encouraging open-ended play and creation while providing teachers with revolutionary assessment options. The current curriculum includes the digital games, a robust data dashboard with multiple interfaces, in-game and paper-based assessments, as well as a full instructional resources package.
Designed for PC – Web Platform (Windows 7 or Higher), Martha Madison is intended for middle school students, in particular grades 6-8. However, the content may be applicable for older students who have not yet had access to the physical science content that is explored.
Game-based Deployment
Martha Madison games are bundled with a comprehensive package of instructional resources. Middle school students and teachers use the game to introduce and expand on the science curriculum they are already using, challenging students to explore complex concepts and try new solutions within the exciting narrative of Martha Madison and her community.
Each game is structured to fit within a single class period, and may be completed in approximately 25 minutes, with time left over for in-class discussion, instruction, and exploration. Every game provides multiple opportunities for replay, as many in-game problems can be completed with more than one solution. The resource packages include standards correlations, unit plans, lesson plans, challenge activities, student worksheets, guided notes, and pre/post assessments.
About Second Avenue Learning
Founded by educators and gamers, Second Avenue Learning is a certified women-owned interactive media company in Rochester, NY that provides custom software development for interactive modules and “Serious Games” for education, managed services for learning management systems, training services and content authoring, in addition to proprietary products. Its team takes a synergistic approach to all work, and includes subject matter experts, programmers, artists, learning designers, quality analysts and project managers.