The Great Galaxy Grid Game provides a fun way to help students of all ages learn about the nine planets in our solar system, plus develop their strategic thinking skills. As Space Kid, the student will complete exploratory missions to each of the nine planets. The student will encounter grids and navigate past hidden traps to intercept space probes. Once the probe is retrieved, the Space Commander will relay to Space Kid the information contained in that probe. After being given a series of facts, Space Kid will be quizzed in order to be promoted within the ranks of Space Command.
There are four Missions that contain a variety of questions and grids that range from beginner difficulty to advanced difficulty. Mission 1 is a training exercise that enables the student to become familiar with navigating through the grids. There are forty stages of play in Mission 1 (i.e., forty grids to navigate). Mission 2 is the start of planetary exploration. It contains nine stages of play for each of the nine planets for a total of eighty-one stages of play to complete the entire mission. Mission 3 is intermediate difficulty in planetary exploration. Compared to Mission 2, the questions are more numerous and detailed, and the grids contain more hidden traps. There are ninety-nine total stages of play (i.e., eleven grids for each of the nine planets). Mission 4 is the most advanced planetary exploration adventure. Grid navigation is the most challenging with the most hidden traps, and Mission 4 is the longest mission, with 261 stages of play (i.e., twenty-nine grids for each planet).
B. Objectives
1. To learn the name and location of each of the solar
system's nine planets.
2. To become familiar with the planets' moons.
3. To learn important facts about each planet.
4. To learn interesting historical, topographical, chemical,
atmospheric, mythological, and other facts about each
planet.
5. To develop strategic thinking skills.
6. To develop spatial navigation skills.
7. To develop memory-retention abilities.
C. Methods
In the Great Galaxy Grid Game, the student plays the role of Space Kid, a space navigator sent by Space Command on several fact-finding missions to each of the nine planets in the solar system. Before reaching a planet, however, Space Kid must retrieve several space probes. The data in these probes is analyzed and passed on by the Space Commander. Space Kid picks up these probes by navigating through a series of obstacle-filled grids. In order to be promoted through the ranks of Space Command, Space Kid must pass tests based on the probe data.
Game Interface
In the Great Galaxy Grid Game, the student will encounter three primary screens during game play. The first, Mission Control, allows the user to select the Mission difficulty. The second, the Galaxy Grid screen, features the grids through which the user will navigate. The third, the Space Log, allows the user to review planetary facts that have already been given.
I. Mission Control
In the Great Galaxy Grid Game, there are four Missions that can be selected by clicking on one of the four red "Launch Mission" buttons in the lower portion of the screen. For the buttons denoting Missions 2, 3, and 4, the window above the "Launch Mission" button displays the number of Promotion Tests the user has successfully completed. In Mission 1, the Training Mission, the user is not given any facts or Promotion Tests.
The blue "Save" button in the upper portion of the screen allows the user to save the facts and Promotion Tests already given and successfully completed. The blue "Open" button allows the user to access a previously-saved game. The "Save" button becomes available to the user after the first fact is given during game play; however, the "Open" and "Save" buttons are available to the user from only the Mission Control and Space Log screens.
The light blue "?" button in the upper right portion of the screen provides a general help message at any time during the game. The red stop sign "Exit" button in the upper right portion of the screen allows the user to quit the program at any time.
II. Galaxy Grid
Upon selecting a Mission, the user is transported to the Galaxy Grid screen. In Mission 1, the Training Mission, there are no planet-specific facts or tests given at any time. Instead, the student focuses on becoming familiar with the space grids. The student will learn to avoid red holes strategically by using the Dange-O-Meter, a navigational device found in Space Kid's computer display in all Missions of the game. The student will learn to read the Dange-O-Meter for the location of hidden traps.
For Missions 2, 3, and 4, the student may select a particular planet to explore by clicking on the green arrow buttons in the upper right portion of the screen. The planet's number correlates with its position in order from the Sun (e.g., Mercury is 1, Earth is 3, Pluto is 9). The Mission number and planet number are shown in the box below the green arrow buttons. (For example, 3:1 denotes Mission 3, Mercury).
For any mission, after successfully completing a grid, the student's score is tallied by subtracting the number of red holes the student uncovered from the number of squares in the grid. The full score is displayed on both the Mission Control screen and the Space Log. The score can also be seen in the upper portion of the Galaxy Grid screen.
At any time during a grid, the Mission may be changed by clicking on the red "Mission Control" button in the lower right portion of the screen. The student may click on the red "Space Log" button in the lower right portion of the screen to review planetary facts that have already been given.
III. Space Log
On the Space Log screen, the Space Commander gives the user the planetary fact from each retrieved probe. The written text of the fact can be found in the center of the screen. The user may click on the light blue "Repeat" button in order to hear the fact again; the button may also be clicked to turn off the sound on the playing fact. The light blue "Return to Grid" button in the center of the screen is used to return to the Galaxy Grid screen.
The student can review previously learned facts in the Space Log by clicking on a light blue planet button on the left and then clicking on a light blue fact button on the right. (The student will not be able to access any fact that has not been given previously.) The first ten fact buttons ("Moons," "Rings," etc.) refer to the facts in Missions 2 and 3 that the student will be tested on for each planet. Occasionally, some of the facts in Missions 2 and 3 will be accompanied by an interactive graphic in the lower portion of the screen. These graphics allow the student to interact creatively with the information in the given fact. The final button in the facts column, the "Facts" button, refers to the various twenty-eight facts for each planet in Mission 4. The red "Previous Fact" and "Next Fact" buttons in the lower portion of the screen appear only when the student is reviewing the facts given in Mission 4.
Game Play
The Great Galaxy Grid Game combines two games into one: a space grid challenge and a planetary adventure. These are linked together by the Space Log, which teaches planetary facts based on probe data retrieved during the Galaxy Grid portion of the game. The Promotion Tests reinforce the information contained in the Space Log.
In the first portion of the game, the Galaxy Grid, the user must navigate around obstacles and hidden traps in order to retrieve space probes and bring them to the Space Station or destination planet in the upper right corner of the grid. The user will encounter obstacles in the form of red holes, hidden traps that are revealed only when the user enters an inhabited grid square. Landing on these red holes will automatically return the user to the beginning square of the grid.
The placement of red holes can be deduced by reading the Dange-O-Meter. The Dange-O-Meter shows Space Kid surrounded by eight grid squares. These squares are divided into three zones: in front, behind, and beside. The numbers in the squares of each zone represent the number of red holes in that zone. For example, when the Dange-O-Meter has a "2" in each of the top three squares, it means that two of the three spaces immediately in front of Space Kid contain a red hole.
The student must deduce from the green and red indicators on either side of the Dange-O-Meter representational grid whether a red hole exists in a particular grid square. A red indicator on the left denotes that there are more red holes to Space Kid's left than there are to the right. When both indicators are red, there are equal numbers of red holes on either side.
In order to complete a grid successfully, the user must retrieve the space probe, if there is one present. The probe, a silver six-sided figure, can be retrieved by entering the grid square it occupies.
After the probe is retrieved and the grid is successfully finished, the user will be transported to the Space Log screen. Here, the user will learn an important fact about the destination planet. These facts will eventually appear in the Promotion Test in the third portion of the game. To exit the Space Log, click the light blue "Return to Grid" button in the center of the screen.
Once the user has successfully completed several Galaxy Grids and learned a series of planetary facts, there will be an opportunity to take the Promotion Test, a quiz on the facts the user has previously learned. Remember that the user can review for the Promotion Test at any time by returning to the Space Log screen.
To be promoted in the ranks of Space Command, the user must answer all questions in the Promotion Test correctly. After the test is successfully completed, the user will notice that a rank symbol has been added to the window in the upper portion of the screen. If promotion is not achieved, the player may retake the Promotion Test by playing the planet for that Mission again. The user may also decide not to take the Promotion Test when it is offered, but then the test may be taken later only if the user replays all the grids for the planet. The user can keep track of successfully completed Promotion Tests in two ways. First, the "Mission" buttons on the Mission Control display the number of tests that have been completed successfully. Second, if the user returns to a planet that has already been completed successfully, a "Test Done" marker will appear in the upper left portion of the Galaxy Grid screen. Whether or not a student successfully completes the promotion test, the game will automatically advance to the next planet.
D. Tracking
The tracking function data is stored in a text file that can be accessed by most word processing programs. (Hint: For best results, change the font of your tracking output to a monospaced font, such as "Courier.")
The tracking function is automatically activated. You will be given the opportunity to access the tracking information when you exit the program. When the student is finished using the program, click on the "EXIT" button. On the next screen that appears, there are three options: SAVE, PRINT, and EXIT. To save the tracking information, click the "SAVE" button; when the dialogue box appears, name the file, and designate where you want to save it. To print the tracking information, click the "PRINT" button, and follow the directions of your operating system. To simply exit the program without saving the tracking information, click the "EXIT" button.
The following is a sample of the tracking output of each game, followed by a brief explanation of the output:
The first line of the tracking output indicates the Mission and planet of the Promotion Test the student took, as well as the time the student began the test. Following are the questions the student was asked. The first item after the question denotes the correct answer to the question. The second item denotes the answer the student actually selected. An asterisk represents an incorrect response. The final portion of the tracking output indicates the student's performance on the Galaxy Grid portion of the game.
E. Teaching Suggestions
As you can see from the above descriptions, the Great Galaxy Grid Game offers instruction in astronomy, plus it exercises strategic thinking skills. While the grids offer strategic challenges, the Space Log teaches facts about the planets, and the Promotion Tests reinforce the knowledge that the student has gained. The ways you use the program will vary depending on your students' needs and abilities. You should begin by determining the skills or information your students need to learn and practice.
If you would like your students to focus on spatial navigation and strategic thinking skills, have them play Mission 1. The grids advance in difficulty by increasing in size and complexity as the game play progresses. Once you feel your students have become more adept at navigating the grids, you may decide to advance them to Missions 2, 3, and 4.
If you are interested in having your students gain introductory knowledge about all of the planets, have them begin playing Mission 2. They should remain in Mission 2 until they have successfully completed the Promotion Tests associated with all nine planets. Note that in order to pass a Promotion Test, the student must answer all of the questions correctly.
After Mission 2, if you wish for your students to continue their exploration of the solar system, they should then continue with Missions 3 and 4, playing them in the same manner. These two missions focus on progressively more complex facts about the nine planets.
If you would like your students to gain a thorough understanding of a specific planet, have them select that planet in Mission 2. When the students have successfully completed the Mission 2 Promotion Test for that planet, they should return to the Mission Control screen by clicking on the red "Mission Control" button in the lower right portion of the Galaxy Grid Screen. They should then select Missions 3 and 4, respectively. After selecting the appropriate mission, the student can then select the same planet by clicking on the green arrow buttons in the upper right portion of the screen.
F. Web Resources (in alphabetical order)
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