WaterLife: Where Rivers Meet the Sea
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WaterLife: Where Rivers Meet the Sea
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that WaterLife: Where the River Meets the Sea is a free educational online game in which players learn about the ecosystem that exists in estuaries, and what kind of impact human activity has on these vulnerable areas. Players complete a series of puzzles and mini-games (word searches, trivia questions, etc.) as they advance through the story of a girl who teams up with a sea otter to spread the word about litter and pollution.
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What’s It About?
In WATERLIFE: WHERE RIVERS MEET THE SEA, players are introduced to Valerie, a young girl whose mom is temporarily bedridden at the hospital. One day, Valerie runs into a sea otter named Oscar who tells her about his home being destroyed by humans. Knowing what it is like to face turbulent times, Valerie agrees to help Oscar save his home and goes on a journey to learn about estuaries and how they are being overrun by pollutants and litter.
Is It Any Good?
Water Life: Where Rivers Meet the Sea manages to accomplish the difficult task of teaching an arguably stale subject in a dynamic and fun way. The storyline is endearing and motivates players to continue on with the game, and the varied puzzles and mini-games keep every section new and interesting. By the end of this short game, players will have a great deal of understanding for how reckless human activity can damage the environment, and why it is essential to keep the environment intact. It definitely accomplishes the task of proving that learning can be fun, and that this subject is relevant to everyone -- even children.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about their own carbon footprint and what they can do to help the environment.
Do you think free educational games like this one help you to learn? What did you learn by exploring this game?
Game Details
- Platform: Windows
- Subjects: Science: animals, ecosystems and the environment, rocks and minerals
- Skills: Responsibility & Ethics: honoring the community, learning from consequences, respect for others
- Pricing structure: Free
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Release date: August 1, 2008
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: Great Girl Role Models, Wild Animals
- ESRB rating: NR
- Last updated: August 26, 2016
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