Walden, a game explores the life of American philosopher Henry David Thoreau during his experiment in self-reliant living at Walden Pond. The game was created in a collaboration between The Walden Woods Project and the University of Southern California Game Innovation Lab.
The game begins in the summer of 1845, when Thoreau moved to the Pond and built his cabin there. Players follow in his footsteps, surviving in the woods by finding food and fuel and maintaining their shelter and clothing. At the same time, players are surrounded by the beauty of the woods and the Pond, which hold the promise of a sublime life beyond these basic needs. The game follows the loose narrative of Thoreau’s first year in the woods, with each season holding its own challenges for survival and possibilities for inspiration.
An education version of Walden, a game is available free for teachers and students. The lessons adapt the award-winning open-world experience of Walden, a game into 15- to 30-minute learning experiences for middle school and high school students. Paired with the accompanying curriculum materials, these game-based learning experiences bring the core themes of Thoreau’s book alive for students: “Self-Reliance,” “Where I Lived,” “What I Lived For,” “Civil Disobedience,” and “The Natural World.”
Plus: A free, downloadable game curriculum guide includes lessons that give high school students background to better understand the video game. The lessons are appropriate for science classes, particularly environmental science. Other lessons for English language arts and visual arts serve to bridge the gap that often exists between the sciences and the humanities in a typical secondary school setting.