Sample Desktop Adventures

ost of the following Desktop Adventures are saved in ASCII (text) format so they may be used with any word processor. "Grocery Store" incorporates the use of a spreadsheet and requires Microsoft Works.        To play an Adventure: Download the Adventure to your computer. Using a word processing program (or a required program such as Microsoft Works), open all of the files to the Adventure. (Note that each Adventure includes an Answer file. This should not be available until after the students have completed the Adventure) For whole-class instruction, place students into groups of three or four and display the Adventure using an LCD panel or large screen monitor. Access the different clues in the Adventure by using the Windows open available in the word processing program (see What is a Desktop Adventure?) Begin with the introduction. The teacher facilitates and encourages group discussion, guiding the students through the problem-solving processes encountered in the Adventure. For viewing purposes, the font size of the Adventures can be enlarged. Desktop Adventures can also be completed by small groups at a single computer. Remind students to take notes!

lick on one of the following Adventures to download it to your computer. (Some of the Adventures can also be played online; see Online Adventures.) Basic Adventures do not require outside resources to solve the Adventure and are limited to word-processed documents. Intermediate Adventures may require outside resources to solve the Adventure and involve more complex problem-solving skills. Advanced Adventures may require outside resources to solve the Adventure, involve more complex problem-solving skills, and incorporate other features (in addition to the word processor) of an integrated package (e.g., database, spreadsheet).

ownload Adventures:     A Golden Opportunity Level: Intermediate Story: Gold theme; students need to discover the number of gold pieces in King Midas' treasure chest. Clue Contents: Gold rush related facts.   Grocery Store (requires Microsoft Works) Level: Advanced Story: Students need to determine which items shopper purchased; multiple solutions are possible. Clue Contents: Number of items purchased in specific aisles; spreadsheet is included.   Pot of Gold Level: Basic Story: Leprechaun has lost his pot of gold; suspects include characters from the Wizard of Oz. Clue Contents: Riddles   Wandering Willie Level: Intermediate Story: Tall-Tale theme; students need to determine character's height, weight, color of socks and shoes, and name. Clue Contents: Interesting facts about different states.

ou can also try Online Adventures! Desktop Adventures can be transformed into multimedia projects, too. Adventures that are limited to word processor documents are the easiest to transform. Click on one of the following Adventures to play it on the Web:   A Golden Opportunity   Pot of Gold   Wandering Willie

What is a Desktop Adventure?   Introducing Desktop Adventures   How do you create a Desktop Adventure?   Sample Desktop Adventures

Karen S. Ivers is a professor at California State University at Fullerton. Read more about this educator.   SCRTEC takes nominations and ideas for Tech-along. Send comments to the editor. Tech-along © 1998 SCR*TEC.