Allosaur Survival Game

Teaching Material by American Geological Institute - Starting Point page by R.E. Teed (SERC)

This material is replicated on a number of sites as part of the SERC Pedagogic Service Project

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This resource received an Accept or Accept with minor revisions rating from a Panel Peer Review process

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Initial Publication Date: August 11, 2006

Summary

This online computer game deals with why allosaurs hunted as they did, as well as how. The student needs to balance the need for food for energy and growth with the risk of being savaged by one's potential prey or killed outright by another allosaur. The "Big Al" starts out as a 0.2 kg hatchling and ends up as a hunter of sauropods and a parent to the next generation of allosaurs.

Principles, Ecology, Biogeochemical cycling | College Introductory

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Learning Goals

This game teaches players just how difficult survival is even for a fierce predator, especially when it is young. It stresses

How much energy it takes to keep a large animal alive or a small one growing
The differences in the fauna present in different habitats
Natural hazards animals face (like quicksand)
How dangerous other allosaurs are!

Context for Use

This is a game that you can show your students in class or lab, then let them play on their own for fun.

Teaching Materials

For this game, each player needs a computer with an Internet connection.
Big Al Game (link unavailable)

Teaching Notes and Tips

Instructors may wish to have the students play the game outside of class and ask them questions about the challenges of dinosaur growth and survival.

In general, this is a game where players have to think in order to win. However, they are unlikely to click on "Fact File" button next to the "Attack" button, which is good because all the "Fact File" button does is pause the game. The only other flaw that I can think of is that the small fauna (between insects and little dinosaurs) are all reptiles, no mammals.

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