Oregon Trail

I previewed a copy of Oregon Trail; it was a CD-Rom. The copy that I previewed was an older version, since it was the one I used when I was in grade school, but I am sure that the creators of this game have a newer version, and that features are more updated to be more educational relevant. Installation was easy, as I remember installing it onto my computer when I was in fourth grade, and the graphics were good for the time.

This game is attempting to teach students about the difficulties that the settlers to the West faced when going to Oregon. This is done through allowing the children to be one of the characters in the game. He or she could type in a name for themselves, as well as information about their family.

This game is educationally sound, in that students learn about a part of U.S. history by “living” through it. Students also learn about how to spend money wisely. This game also teaches about the geography of the United States. During the game, there were many stops at some landmark locations and cities. This game is age-appropriate for a forth through sixth grade student. This game is gender-specific, but the student can choose his or her own gender, however, it will not change the outcome of the game if the student is a boy or a girl; it just changes the viewpoint. The whole game is interactive, and students will love to play this game because of that.

This game achieves all if not more than what I thought it would educationally. The students will end up learning more about how a settler’s life truly was, instead of what they might think through television shows and movies. I would recommend this game, especially to those who seem to not grasp the concept of social skills, money, or geography. The students will learn about these concepts, without feeling forced to.