Some resources from federal government sites are currently unavailable; when possible, we’ve provided alternative non-government links to ensure continued data access.
Provided by: Gulf of Maine Research Institute |Published on: August 7, 2025
Games
345678
Synopsis
In this online game from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, students will play as oyster farmers, raising and selling oysters in the face of storms and other complications.
The resource also includes a video showing a real oyster farmer discussing their experience and a worksheet to accompany the game.
Each growing season will take about 15 minutes for students to complete.
Students will love the option to customize their avatar.
The game is fairly simple and self-explanatory, with prompts for students to get started and respond to events.
Prerequisites
Teachers may want to highlight the importance of oyster farming in Maine.
Students should understand that a business's success can be measured by its profit, and that profit is revenue leftover after paying for expenses.
Teachers may also want to explain the terms biofoul and crowding in relation to this game.
Differentiation & Implementation
Teachers can encourage students to play the game a few times using different farms to see how the farm's location impacts the growing season.
Social studies teachers can use this game to talk about expenses, revenue, and profit.
To make connections to climate change, teachers can prompt students to consider how the storms impacted their oyster farms. Then, teachers can ask students to think about how the severity and frequency of extreme weather may impact the oyster industry.
To learn how ocean acidification affects oysters, students can check out resources like this one.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Related Teaching Resources
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.
