MIT and Game Design: The Lunch Lady Did It!

So how can "ambiguous meat products" help teach math to middle-schoolers?

1. They represent culinary "least common denominators."
2. They teach children unpleasant, but necessary-for-survival "ratios."
3. They're an element in one of the puzzles in the LG2G game, "Labyrinth."
4. All of the above.

Of course, the best choice is "d) All of the above." And while we could explore all the correct answers, time and space constraints limit us to a discussion of the bit about the puzzles and the game . . .

"Ambiguous meat products" are indeed an element in "The Cafeteria" puzzle, recently developed by MIT's Education Arcade for the LG2G game, "Labyrinth." This particular puzzle puts players in the role of a "lunch lady" who must determine the correct proportions of "ambiguous meat products" to feed to a group of very hungry monsters. The game play will be engaging and fun and will help teach kids about the concepts of ratios and proportions.

"The Cafeteria" is only one of several puzzles that the Education Arcade folks have recently developed. Another called "Vending Machines" will teach students about algebraic thinking and basic number sense by engaging them in purchasing some unusual "snacks." (Sense a theme here?) Again, the puzzle will be entertaining, but challenging for its middle-school players.

Over the coming months, Scot Osterweil and the Education Arcade team will develop more game puzzles and begin to test them (via paper prototypes) with real live kids. Eventually, after much refining and further development (i.e, "The Cafeteria" and "Vending Machines" are most definitely works in progress), the puzzles will comprise the content of the LG2G game that will be played in pre-Algebra classes.

And luckily for the students in those classes, the game will NOT have any promotional tie-in's with companies that make "ambiguous meat products"!

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