MJ’s final project description
Play to learn: The North American Duck
“Play to learn: The North American Duck” is a set of educational toys for children. It is composed of “Color Play”, “Duck Maze” and “Duck Flyway” games.
There are numerous environmental and ecological factors affecting the declination of the marine duck population. As written in the class syllabus of Ecocentric Practices at Rhode Island School of Design, “marine ducks travel great distances, inhabit multiple ecosystems, and are susceptible to a variety of human-related threats that have likely led to recent and drastic population decline in many species.” Although, the foremost threat to the marine ducks is our nescience. The indifference in the marine ducks’ existence, and the ignorance of ecosystems, nature, and environmental changes are the leading hazards to our wildlife.
Therefore, “Play to learn: The North American Duck” teaches children, our precious younger generation, about the North American ducks through game playing. As playing is the easiest and the most approachable tool that can change and teach people around all ages.
The first game, “Color Play” teaches children how to recognize ducks through simple colors. Children can put in different color-slides, which each slide represents a duck, to the wooden duck-imprinted frame and guess the species of the duck. By playing and guessing the colors of duck, children will be able to identify ducks instantly in the future. “Color Play” will stimulate basic interest in the North American duck through the vibrant and vivid colors of ducks.
After growing interest in North American ducks, children can play the second game, “Duck Maze”, to learn about exciting facts about ducks and waterfowls. “Duck Maze” is a wooden maze with set of 31 cards. When children drops the ball in any numbered hole, they have to pick up the same numbered card and read. The cards have different remarkable facts written about ducks and waterfowls. The cards can be later used as calendar- children can read the card of the date. By playing the “Duck Maze”, children will get common and intriguing knowledge about ducks.
Finally, children can play “Duck Flyway” after gaining both interest and knowledge through “Color Play” and “Duck Maze”. “Duck Flyway” is a decorative, visually attractive wooden-wire beads-toy, which the wires represent flyways of North American ducks. Children will learn about migration path and eventually will think about the reasons for migration, relocation and declination of population.
Through the set of games, children will gain interest as well as sufficient knowledge in interesting facts, lifecycles and environment of different marine ducks. They will link their knowledge to conservational issues and ecological ethics subsequently.
The game is developed through several field research in Rhode Island and New York, and desk research through numerous books and websites. The games are simple, fun and engaging. Children can easily play the game with friends or family. The set of games will change the society by letting the influential body of young children and teens supporting the play – which will later lead to the crucial harmony in balance of nature and secure future of marine duck population.
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