We are excited to announce that we are part of a group of partners that have received funding from the CO2 Foundation to create a 2D adventure video game and hands-on activities focused on changes in the water cycle. The resources will be aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core standards and will be supported by free educator training.
The game, which will be developed over the next year, features main character Matty the Molecule and water molecule friends. They made their debut in a children’s story and activity book titled “Marco the Molecule” created by Rick Reynolds, M.S.Ed., who is also leading development of the game in collaboration with partners. The CO2 Foundation is supporting this update to the adventures, reflecting extreme weather and other climate change-related impacts to the water cycle. We changed the name of the main character to be gender-neutral based on feedback from educators and students.
The project is in part a response to educational community demand for effective water cycle educational materials that need updating, as well as to the need for climate science education resources. The game and supporting resources will be free and open source, and even invite young coders to create additional chapters of the adventure.
- You can learn more about the developing program and our partners here.
- You can watch the recording of an online gathering that was held in July 2022 to provide more details about the plan, gather feedback, and offer a chance to meet partners.
- We would appreciate any input to help shape the program, which you can add to this Google Form.
Contact Rick Reynolds, M.S.Ed. if you have questions, additional comments, or would like to hear about the game and training opportunities as they unfold: rick@engagingeverystudent.com.
Next year we will need help sharing news about the completed game, supporting resources, and training opportunities. It is important to ensure that people of all ages have accurate information about our changing climate, impacts where they live, and opportunities to mitigate and adapt. Tools like the Matty game and hands-on activities can help busy educators to easily integrate the concepts.
Through the power of partnerships like these we can take the necessary steps to educate all ages about the science driving extreme whether events, reduce greenhouse gasses, and forge a more resilient world together.
Chapter 1 levels: The Ocean
Matty and some water molecule friends: Join us to help them preserve a vibrant Earth!