USH.1

Way to America

Loading Game...

Game Info for Teachers

COMBINED RATING

4.5 Stars

TEACHERS (2)

4.0

STUDENTS (3)

5.0

LENGTH

25 Minutes

GRADES

CAPABILITIES

iPad Support

Spanish Language Support

Text-to-Speech Support

Saves Progress

Description

Way to America is a story-driven strategy and exploration game that invites students to experience the migration and cultural evolution of early Indigenous peoples in North America. Beginning in Beringia during the last Ice Age, players help a group survive harsh climates, settle new lands, and develop unique ways of life. Through gameplay, students build dwellings, manage resources like food and wood, and unlock cultural advancements such as farming, storytelling, and irrigation. Along the way, they’ll discover how geography and environment shaped customs, beliefs, and technologies in different regions—from the Arctic to the plains. With a mix of historical narrative, interactive challenges, and region-based progression, Way to America encourages critical thinking about human adaptation, collaboration, and cultural diversity. Start your journey across the ancient Americas—and help build the foundations of a civilization!

Vocabulary Words

migrant

migration

dwelling

igloo

mammoth

genetics

agriculture

crops

Instructions

Play through this interactive game to learn about Pre-Columbian America. Suitable for Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8.

Main Concepts

Analyze how early Indigenous societies organized governance, including tribal councils, confederacies, and city-state leadership.

Discuss how oral traditions and archaeological evidence help us understand early Indigenous histories.

Summarize theories about the abandonment of large Indigenous cities like Cahokia.

Describe the spiritual and cultural significance of geographic features and natural cycles in Indigenous life.

Explain how trade networks contributed to cultural exchange among early Indigenous societies.

Evaluate archaeological evidence from sites like Cahokia to draw conclusions about social structure and urban life.

Analyze oral traditions such as the Abenaki and Natchez origin stories to understand how Indigenous groups viewed their history and environment.

Discuss how specific Indigenous tribes (e.g., Chinook, Haudenosaunee, Hopi) adapted to and shaped their environments.

Compare the architectural innovations of groups like the Ancient Puebloans and Inuit.

Evaluate how agriculture and technological innovation—such as irrigation systems—led to the development of permanent settlements and complex societies.

Describe the rise and decline of Mississippian cities like Cahokia and their influence on later Indigenous cultures.

Analyze how Indigenous peoples viewed their relationship with the environment differently from European colonizers.

Identify and compare the geographic and cultural characteristics of major Indigenous cultural regions in North America.

Describe how Indigenous peoples used natural resources for food, shelter, clothing, and tools.

Explain how early peoples migrated to the Americas and adapted to diverse environments.

Discussion Questions

Before the Game

Have you ever moved to a new place that was very different from where you had lived? What challenges did you face? How did you adjust to your new surroundings - the city/town and community? Could the environment play a big role in why people might leave where they live? Why? What would you have to do to survive if the weather suddenly changed drastically?

After the Game

How do civilizations grow? Why did people leave Beringia? What resources do communities need that were not depicted in the game?

Ratings & Reviews

Loading reviews...

Ratings Breakdown

Teacher Ratings

Stars

0 REVIEWS

Student Ratings

Stars

0 REVIEWS

Game Details

Difficulty

Content Integration

Lexile Level

N/A

Related Games

Voices of the Land

4.1

(17)