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- The legend of the Lost Emerald
The legend of the Lost Emerald
Play as a maritime archaeologist uncovering shipwrecks in the Great Lakes. Made in partnership with PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Sea Grant.
At a Glance
- Grade Level: 4-6
- Free to play
- Aligned with Wisconsin Academic Standards
- Playable online
- Average playtime: two class periods of 35-40 minutes
- Recommended browser: Google Chrome
About the Game
In Legend of the Lost Emerald, kids take on the role of maritime archaeologists exploring shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Like real archaeologists, players use sonar and GPS coordinates, dive down to take underwater photos, and search for clues in historical artifacts, like letters and ship manifests, to tell the story of each shipwreck. We teamed up with maritime archaeologists at Wisconsin Sea Grant and amazing teacher fellows from across the state of Wisconsin to design a game that works in the classroom and introduces kids to the tools and practices of the field.
Themes
- Trade/Commerce/Manufacturing
- Movement of People
- Historical Conservation/Preservation
- Lake Ecology
- Technological Change
Partners
We made this game with our amazing partners at PBS Wisconsin and the experts at Wisconsin Sea Grant and the Wisconsin Historical Society, including maritime archaeologists Tamara Thomsen, Caitlin Zant, and Tori Kiefer, and Education Specialist Ann Moser. Throughout the design and testing process, we relied on the insights and expertise of Field Day teacher fellows from across Wisconsin and beyond.
Academic Standards
Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies
SS.Inq2
Wisconsin students will gather and evaluate sources.
SS.Inq3
Wisconsin students will develop claims using evidence to support reasoning.
SS.Geog1
Wisconsin students will use geographic tools and ways of thinking to analyze the world.
SS.Hist1
Wisconsin students will use historical evidence for determining cause and effect.
Wisconsin Standards for English Language Arts
R.4.4
Determine the meaning of words, phrases, figurative language, academic, and content-specific words within a text. (RI&RL)
R.4.4a
Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding
R.4.4c
Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Wisconsin Standards for Information and Technology Literacy
ITL.KC1.c.2.i
Organize information from a variety of educator-selected, curated content and make meaningful, thematic connections between resources.
Gameplay / Story
In this story-based game, you'll use a simple version of sonar, take underwater photos with a zoom-and-click mechanic, and connect strings on a corkboard-style evidence board to solve the mystery of each shipwreck. You play as a maritime archeologist whose grandfather captained a freighter that sank on Lake Superior. Throughout the game, you’ll use the practices of real archaeologists to locate shipwrecks, tell the stories of the past, and finally uncover the shipwreck that has haunted your family for generations.
Teach with Legend of the Lost Emerald
Teachers can use this game to introduce kids to historical practices and themes from ecology, technology, and Wisconsin history. Students will learn about the role of maritime archaeologists, archivists, historians, and museum curators. The game introduces four different time periods in maritime history, ranging from wooden schooners in the mid-1800s to steel freighters in the 1960s.