Extreme Event Game

LabX, The National Academy of Sciences

The Extreme Events Game is an in-person role-playing game that allows participants the experience of building community resilience in the face of disaster. Players work together to make decisions and solve problems during a fast-paced disaster simulation.

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Notes from our reviewers

The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials.

Easy to use role-play game-style activity. Educator preparation will require printing of game materials. Instructor script is provided for each scenario (flood-hurricane-earthquake). Teachers may want to familiarize themselves with the several options provided within the game to change the story. Outcomes are open ended with multiple possibilities based on unlimited variations in student selection of resources. Instructions are only available after downloading a game kit; there is a YouTube video describing the game materials. There are 3 versions: do-it-yourself, rent the game materials, or fully facilitated. Educator would need to supplement with their own background materials. There is a webinar video of Tips, Tricks, and Tales (53:14): [link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u4_ZwLFu5U].
Passed initial science review - expert science review pending. Participants learn about resilience during natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, or earthquakes. There is not an easily identifiable reference for where the scientific data behind the game scenarios comes from; teachers may want to research or have students gather data as they play the game.
Team building, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills are developed in this group activity. Participants will need to gather data, analyze changing situations, work together, and make decisions based on real disaster events. The game is easy to follow, includes video tutorial and verbal script for when the game is played offline. All printable materials are provided for each scenario. Printed materials are extensive but may be reused. Materials may also be rented from publisher.