Play to cure : The Cancer Research Game

Just came across this game whilst browsing online. This a cause very close to my heart and I thought it was quite interesting considering we have been talking about gaming and education, and this incorporates both.

Description from the Cancer Research website: 

Play to Cure™: Genes in Space is the world’s first free mobile game that uses the collective force of players to analyse real genetic data and help beat cancer sooner.

The game

The mission of Genes in Space is to collect a fictional substance dubbed Element Alpha. This represents genetic cancer data, which might underpin certain types of cancer.

As a recruit of the game's 'Bifrost Industries', your mission is to collect the valuable and tradable substance Element Alpha and rise through the employee ranks by:

• Mapping your route through the densest areas of Element Alpha.
• Following your route as you fly through space collecting as much Element Alpha as you can, destroying asteroids along the way.
• Avoiding and shooting asteroids to get to the next level of Element Alpha collection.
• Upgrading your ship to become more powerful and trading your Element Alpha for more points.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/support-us/play-to-cure-genes-in-space?utm_source=affiliate_window&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_name=online_retail&utm_content=www.facebook.com

Hopscotch

Programming using Hopscotch

Hopscotch is programming for everyone and anyone. It is available on the IPad and is very similar to Scratch. You can make games, animations, stories and other interactive programs by using the various commands on screen to drag and drop blocks of code together. Having the software on Ipad allows you to shake and tilt the ipad to control your characters in your animation. I found this easier to use than Scratch as it seem likes complicated. In this session, we made a house using the characters to draw the lines of the house.