Chapter 34

Landforms in Journey

Lesson Overview

Title: Journey Through Earth's Systems: Modeling a Digital Desert
Subject: Science (Earth and Space Science)
Age Group(s): 11–14 (Middle School)
Tags: Earth science, weathering, Earth systems, resource distribution, gamification, modeling, Journey (game)

Description:
In this lesson, students will analyze gameplay from the video game Journey to explore key Earth science concepts. They will develop a model to describe how energy from the sun drives the weathering of rock and the creation of desert landscapes, and explain how these processes lead to the uneven distribution of Earth's resources.

Lesson Plan

Standards Aligned

  • MS-ESS2-1. Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
  • MS-ESS3-1. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth's mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Develop a conceptual model (diagram, drawing) that illustrates how solar energy and wind contribute to the weathering of rock and the deposition of sand to form a desert.
  • Explain how the desert environment in the video serves as an example of the uneven distribution of Earth's resources.
  • Use visual evidence from the gameplay to support the claim that past and current geoscience processes shape landscapes.
  • Identify the sun as the primary source of energy driving the systems observed in the video's environment.

Notes

  • This lesson uses the video game as a visual model to make abstract, large-scale geological processes more accessible and engaging.
  • No prior experience with the game is necessary.
  • The focus is on observation and creating scientific models, not on the game's narrative.

Materials Needed

  • Device with internet access to play the video clip
  • Projector or large screen for classroom viewing
  • Student notebooks, science journals, or whiteboards
  • Markers, colored pencils
  • (Optional) Handout with guiding questions

Lesson Duration

Total Time: 45 minutes

Phase Duration Activity
Introduction & Guiding Questions 5 mins Introduce the lesson and pose opening questions
Video Analysis & Discussion 10 mins Watch the clip and discuss observations
Modeling Activity 20 mins Students develop their desert system models
Share-out & Conclusion 10 mins Groups share models; teacher summarizes key concepts

Teaching Methods

  • Inquiry-Based Learning: Students are guided by questions to discover concepts through observation of the video.
  • Gamification: Using a video game environment as a primary text to engage students and illustrate scientific principles.
  • Collaborative Learning: Students can work in pairs or small groups to discuss observations and develop their models.
  • Model-Based Inquiry: Students create and share models to explain a scientific phenomenon.

Assessment Methods

Formative: Teacher observation of student discussions during the video analysis and group work. Think-Pair-Share responses to guiding questions.

Summative: The student-created model of the desert system will be assessed for its ability to show the relationship between energy, weathering, and landform creation. An exit ticket could ask students — "Based on the video, name one resource that is abundant in the desert and one that is scarce, and explain why this might be."

Lesson Content

I. Key Teaching Points

  • Point 1: The sun's energy drives weather patterns like wind, which physically weathers rock into smaller particles like sand over millions of years.
  • Point 2: These weathered particles are transported and deposited by wind, creating vast landforms like sand dunes and shaping desert landscapes.
  • Point 3: Geological processes result in an uneven distribution of resources; deserts are rich in minerals like sand but are defined by their scarcity of liquid water and fertile soil.

II. Practical Examples

For Teaching Point 1:
The video consistently shows a bright, powerful sun (0:03, 0:28), which students can identify as the primary energy source. The hazy atmosphere and the implied wind that causes the character's cloak to flow (0:45) are effects of this energy. The ancient, weathered stone structures sticking out of the sand (0:13) serve as a perfect visual example of larger rock formations that have been broken down by these forces over time.

For Teaching Point 2:
The entire setting of the video is a massive desert made of rolling sand dunes (0:28–0:32). These dunes are a direct, large-scale result of sand deposition by wind. Students can observe how the character moves through this landscape (0:41), emphasizing its vastness and the sheer volume of sediment required to create it.

For Teaching Point 3:
The gameplay visually demonstrates the concept of uneven resource distribution. The environment is almost entirely composed of sand — an abundant mineral resource — yet there is a clear and dramatic absence of water, plants, or soil. This stark contrast allows students to easily grasp that different environments are defined both by the resources they have and the ones they lack.

End of Lesson