Habitat the Game

Habitat the Game teaches users ways to help the environment. From the app’s home screen, users are first assigned a polar bear that they get to name. Next, users have access to multiple options from the home screen. By tapping the “Paw” button, users can select a “Speedy” or “5 Day” mission. Each mission prompts users to complete certain actions to help the environment, and example actions include composting waste, turning off water taps, buying products made of recycled materials, and taking shorter showers. To choose a mission, users must tap the “Start” button by it. After completing the mission, users are to input data about how they completed it, and they earn points based on their performance. From the home screen, users can tap the “Heart” button to purchase gifts for their polar bear, such as combs, honeycomb, soap, and a back scratcher. From the home screen, users can tap the “Fish” button to play a game based on their polar bear. Users can also tap the “Glacier Park” button from the home screen to visit a park that they can explore with their polar bear and decorate. Finally, the “Profile” button lets users see how much resources they have saved based on their mission performance.

Please Note: The “Pin” option under the “Paw” menu is very confusing and disorganized.

Instructional Ideas

1. Teachers can have students select a “Mission” to complete in this app, either a “Speedy” or “5 Day” mission. As students complete their mission, they can take pictures using their device of the actions they took to complete their mission (e.g., turning off lights, conserving water, etc.). To complete the mission, students can log the data into the app and also create a presentation using the pictures they took to share with their classmates.
2. After being introduced to polar bears using this app, teachers can have students do a guided research project about polar bears by visiting websites such as the World Wildlife Federation and Polar Bears International. Students can view the images and read information about polar bears on these websites and record important facts using an Office app.
3. Teachers can start a friendly class competition to see which student can complete the most missions in this app. Students can demonstrate their progress using the “Real World Savings” graphs under the “Profile” option.