To bring history to life, Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) partnered with the award-winning media developers at FableVision Studios to create Georgia Race Through Time (GRTT), a new history adventure game for students. Aligned to Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) for 8th grade social studies, GRTT leverages primary source documents, rich historical content, and a unique storyline for an engaging, game-based learning experience. Georgia educators and students were included in the development process, allowing crucial feedback to guide production. GRTT was designed to work across web and mobile platforms and is available online and via mobile devices.

In GRTT, students help Savannah, a young, hip expert of antiques, and her trusted canine companion, Peaches, find historical artifacts hidden in cities and towns all over Georgia, from Athens to Vidalia. The game begins with Savannah and Peaches receiving a mysterious email inviting them to participate in the race. To win, they must collect historical artifacts by competing in challenges that call upon Savannah’s special gift of seeing back in time when she touches an item from the past. When all of the artifacts have been unlocked, Savannah and Peaches save the day and win fame and fortune!

Parents' Choice Foundation

GRTT was selected as a 2017 Parents’ Choice Approved Award Winner by the Parents’ Choice Foundation, the nation’s oldest nonprofit consumer guide to quality children’s media. The Parents’ Choice Awards is designed to help parents and caregivers make informed decisions about which new products are right for their children. Only approximately 20 percent of those items submitted to the program receive a commendation in one of the six award levels.

 

Learning Outcomes:
The game addresses most of the Georgia Standards of Excellence for 8th grade social studies as well as literacy standards covering more complex and challenging comprehension skills:

Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies

Key Ideas and Details:

  • L6-8RHSS2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

  • L6-8RHSS7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
  • L6-8RHSS8: Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

Map and Globe Skills

  • Use cardinal directions.
  • Use intermediate directions.
  • Draw conclusions and make generalizations based on information from maps.
  • Use latitude and longitude to determine location.

Information Processing Skills

  • Compare similarities and differences.
  • Organize items chronologically.
  • Distinguish between fact and opinion.
  • Identify and use primary sources.
  • Identify sequence of events, and cause and effect in a social studies context.
  • Interpret timelines.
  • Analyze artifacts.