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The Story

Where is Walden Shyre... and what happened to him on the eve of the Nobel Prize Ceremony?

You've been hired as the new laboratory assistant to the two-time Nobel laureate, Dr. Walden A. Shyre. He's disappeared, and he's left you clues. He has a plan!

In the History of Biology game, you, the assistant, are required to navigate through a labyrinth of clues, objects, and internet sites trying to figure out why Dr. Shyre has disappeared. What secret project was he working on? Who might be after him and are they after you too? Hidden amongst the history of biology, Dr. Shyre has left clues and puzzles to unlock the secrets of his most important and controversial research ever.

About

History of Biology is an interactive, online science scavenger hunt where students experience the history of biology, through the people and the impact their discoveries had on, and continues to have on, our culture, society, politics, economics, and ethics. Starting in the 17th Century, with the invention of microscopes and the first descriptions of microscopic life, users complete weekly missions and solve puzzles by researching the lives and scientific discoveries of over 20 scientists. Users progress through a rich story-line driven game that parallels the scientific timeline of discovery. The game content takes users through the cell theory, microscopes, classification, evolution, mechanisms of heredity, the central dogma of genetics, the genomics revolution and where biological science is heading in the near future.

As part of Spongelab History of Biology is one of the major educational game projects produced by Spongelab Interactive and www.spongelab.com. Past subscribers of Spongelab Biology have full online access to the History of Biology Game, the internationally recognized and award-winning Genomics Digital Lab (GDL), and the Bio-musical Sensation Transcription Hero - accessable through the new spongelab platform at www.spongelab.com.

To play Genomics Digital Lab & History of Biology... Register here.

For more information and to play Transcription Hero... Download it here.

For more information on Spongelab and other Spongelab educational games please visit www.spongelab.com

EDUCATION INFO

CONTENT OVERVIEW


CURRICULUM BASED - ISSUES ORIENTED - DISCOVERY APPROACH

Download Overview Document (PDF)

Key Concepts

• Cell theory, discovery of microorganisms
• Function, structure and use of microscopes
• Classification and taxonomy
• Classic and modern genetic tools
• The central dogma of genetics and the universal code
• Heredity & DNA
• Genomics

Issues Focused

• Ethical, social, political and cultural impacts of biological innovations are central to the narrative of this journey.

Historical Importance

• Discoveries by 14 scientists and significant technological advancements

Problem-based learning approach

• The game sends students on a journey of discovery through a series of exploratory missions where students use scientific techniques and a staged webquest to solve detailed puzzles.
• Problem solving, critical thinking, research and communication skills are challenged and assessed through each mission.

TEACHER SUPPORT AVAILABLE


Teacher Guides

• Full text walk-through of each mission
• Online video walkthrough
• Suggested prompts to facilitate student discovery, including screen shots to integrate into lessons/presentations.
• These support features available for teacher subscribers!

HELP & SUPPORT

System Requirements - Game Questions & Support

PC Recommended System Requirements

PC Pentium 4, 1.5 GHz or greater
RAM 512 MB or greater
Windows XP or Windows Vista
Internet Browser (Internet Explorer 7.x, Firefox 3.x, Opera 7.11+)
Adobe Flash Player 10 Internet Browser Plugin
* High-speed internet connection

Need the latest FLASH Player? It can be downloaded for free by clicking on the button below.

Mac Recommended System Requirements

Mac Intel processor 1.2 GHz or higher
RAM 1 GB or higher
OSX 10.3.9 or higher
Internet Browser (Safari 1.5+, Internet Explorer 7.0+, Firefox 2.0+, Opera)
Adobe Flash Player 10 Internet Browser Plugin
* High-speed internet connection

Need the latest FLASH Player? It can be downloaded for free by clicking on the button below.

Have more questions?

Click the link below to send us a message through the web form
Spongelab Main Contact Form

Deus creavit, Linnaeus disposuit!

What an incredible night, bringing all these brilliant minds together. I can't wait to talk to them all!

L: Micrographia was an incredible achievement - looking at all your extraordinary observations of the smallest of things was simply awe-inspiring. Who knew a fly had so many eyes and patterned so elegantly?

H: Thank you - though your series of letters to the Royal Society was nothing short of remarkable.

L: And you did it all with that microscope?

H: Not this exact one, but similar. I much preferred my own compound microscopes to your simple microscopes - you may have had clearer images, but they strained and weakened my sight.

Later in life recognition?

S: Look! I'm telling you... it's the same principle... except it's used to make proteins. A book, which has the recipe for a human being!

G: Rezept?

M: Look if you don't believe us... ask Dr. Watson.

W: Did you know this was a BYOM (bring your own microscope) event?

C: Nope, but if we had known...

W: Yeah, we could have shown them what a 'real' microscope looked like

H: I love that coat

M: I was inspired by both your early discoveries and always taught my students to 'think microscopically'
Schwann: If it wasn't for Schleiden's initial observations in plants, who knows how much longer it would have taken me to make the connection in animals?

Schleiden: I just knew that if the nucleus was the most important part of the cell in plants, it was likely to be important in animals too.

Schwann: though we weren't entirely right, we also thought cells formed spontaneously, but I guess two out of three theories wasn't bad!

J: I'll give you 5 coins for that microscope

V: I don't even know what it's worth - that guy down there the pink robe gave it to me

J: Okay, what if I sweetened the deal - my whole coin pouch?

Win Free Access!

Correctly identify all the scientists in our image and you will be entered intro a draw to win a free license for your entire school. Every week we will be revealing a conversation between some scientists to help you identify the scientists that contributed to modern day biology. Use the "Contact Form" to submit your answers. Check back often for updated clues.

List of Winners!

04-18-2011: Andrey Moroz

dialogue

NEWS

June 08, 2011
The New Spongelab platform is now in open Public Beta (www.spongelab.com). Users of the new platform will be able to access the 'History of Biology' game but will not be able to access their saved game data. It will function like you are starting from the beginning. Current users should continue to access the History of Biology game through this site. Having said that - we'd love you feedback on the new site so please register and send us you comments! We're looking to users as well as contributors - points and credits are awarded - and yet again, the game is afoot! www.spongelab.com

February 08, 2011
Join us at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) National Conference in San Francisco, March 10-13, 2011 to learn about the 'History of Biology' Game and how the game blends biology, history, physics , math, chemistry, and literature into one amazingly compelling teaching tool. When at the booth, mention the name of Walden Shyre’s University and get entered in the draw for prizes.

November 04, 2010
Biology Teachers from across the United States get their hand on the History of Biology Game at the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) National Conference in Minneapolis. Check out some the photos from the event in the Spongelab Photo Gallery.

September 27, 2010
A great turn-out at the Eaton Centre! Thanks to everyone who came out to play! Check out some the photos from the event in the Spongelab Photo Gallery.

September 21, 2010
For those of you in the Toronto area... Spongelab Interactive will be hosting a launch event around the History of Biology Game. Join us at the Indigo Book store in the Eaton Centre from 1-4 pm on Saturday September 25. Get a look inside the History Game, meet the creators, and compete to win free access by playing Transcription Hero! Hope to see you there. For more information see the Facebook event posting.

September 7, 2010
Thanks to everyone for all the inquiries and comments that came in through the History website. As of Today... the History of Biology Game is in public beta. All current subscribers to Spongelab Biology (including Genomics Digital Lab users) will now have access. You'll now see a new "History of Biology" menu item when you login through either website. The (case sensitive) beta code to access the game is Hooke2010. We'd love to get everyone's feedback on bugs, gameplay, educational content and general look and feel. Basic game info can be found on the this Site but detailed game documents and teachers guides are in production.

• If you do not have an account you can register for a free trial account here.

• Please send us your comments and questions through the contact form on this page

September 3, 2010
The Game Trailer is here! View it on Youtube!

September 2, 2010
Are you getting ready? We're getting ready! The game is almost afoot! Stay tuned for announcements next week!

July 31, 2010
Here is the new challenge to get entered in the draw. Correctly identify all the scientists in the image above. Over time we'll be adding dialogue of the conversations occurring in the picture as clues. Use the "Contact Form" to submit your answers.

July 31, 2010
Congratulations to all the people who successfully identified the origins of our "fake" Rudolf Virchow stamp! The correct inscription on the stamp was Deutsche Post, Berlin. Everyone who figured it out has been entered in the draw for a school-wide license.

July 30, 2010
The new History of Biology website is now up!

CONTACT

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