Tips for using the Myst games
Mark
Age Range: 5 to 11
* Take it slowly. Wander around the areas, discussing and describing things as you go. You might not use the game every lesson... you could easily base a whole week (or more) of work on one particular environment / scene.
* You don't have to tell the children that it's a game... just dip in and out of the environments that you want to take advantage of.
* Play the game before if you can, to get an idea of where might be interesting to explore. Save the game at places that you might want to explore in the classroom.
* Build up the atmosphere in your classroom... make the room nice and dark by turning off lights / pulling down blinds.
* Sit with your class, using a wireless mouse to control the game if you can. Ask pupils to use the wireless mouse to move around at times.
* Give running commentaries... as you look around the environments, give a commentary about the things that you can see / hear / smell / taste / touch. Describe how you are feeling at particular points. After a while, ask a pupil to continue the commentary. As they get more confident with this type of activity, more and more will want to join in. Encourage them to use their most descriptive language. Challenge them to use adjectives / adverbs / similes / metaphors etc.
* You could give the children a notebook to use during their Myst work. They can make notes as you explore, including vocabulary, their thoughts / ideas, clues to solving the puzzles, sketches and more...
* Use the doors... There are lots of doors in the Myst games... what does each door look like? Does the door hold any clues as to what might be behind it? What do you think is hidden behind? How do we open it?
Have you used the game in your own classroom? Share your tips in the comments below...
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