- HELP STARTING THE GAME
- IS MY TECHNOLOGY COMPATIBLE WITH MISSION US?
- USING THE TEACHER DASHBOARD
- SAVING AND LOADING GAMES AND DEMO MODE
- HELP WITH OTHER TECHNICAL ISSUES
- USING MISSION US IN THE CLASSROOM
HELP STARTING THE GAME
I’m new to Mission US. How do I get started?
To play the full game, you need to register (by clicking “Create Account” on the top-right corner of the website) to create your own login and password. When you log in, your game information will be saved to your account every time you play, allowing you to easily stop and resume progress later.
After registration, go to the homepage or PLAY page, locate the game you’d like to play, and click “START MISSION.” This will take you to the game’s landing page, where you’ll click “START MISSION” one more time to launch the game.
Do I have to pay for Mission US?
No! Mission US is entirely free. Anyone can register to play Mission US at no cost.
How do I register to play?
Click “Create an account” (in the top-right corner of the website), fill in the information requested on the form, and click “Submit.” This will log you in to your new account and you’ll be ready to play Mission US. We do not require any personally identifying information for student users. For information on using the Teacher Dashboard to create classes of student accounts, see the section on Using the Teacher Dashboard below.
I can’t remember my password!
Click “Need help logging in?” (at the bottom of the log-in screen) and follow the instructions to reset your password. You will need to remember your username and security question and answer to reset your password.
My student(s) can’t remember their password!
If you created your students’ accounts through the Teacher Dashboard, you can reset their passwords using the Dashboard. If they created their own personal accounts, they will need to reset their passwords themselves using the “Need help logging in?” link on the login screen.
IS MY TECHNOLOGY COMPATIBLE WITH MISSION US?
There are three ways to play Mission US: web streaming, PC/Mac downloadable, or iPad/Chromebook app. Each has its own technology requirements.
Streaming
The streaming version requires a computer (including Chromebooks) and a web browser. An internet connection is required to play. The streaming version does not work on iPads, smartphones, and similar devices.
For Crown or Colony?, A Cheyenne Odyssey, City of Immigrants, Up from the Dust, Prisoner in My Homeland, and No Turning Back are built in Unity and streamed online via WebGL. We recommend using the latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for best results. Apple Safari does not allow the game to be played in full screen, but should otherwise work. Microsoft Edge works as well, but Microsoft Internet Explorer does not support WebGL. All missions should work on any computer manufactured in the last five years. Older computers will generally be fine if they have at least 1GB of RAM and an up-to-date browser.
Unfortunately, Flight to Freedom is not currently available as a streaming version. The rebuilding process has begun, but we do not yet know the timeline for its availability.
Downloadable
PC and Mac downloadable versions are available for For Crown or Colony? and Flight to Freedom. PC downloadables are available for A Cheyenne Odyssey, City of Immigrants, and Prisoner in My Homeland. A Windows 10 App that runs on Windows-based PCs is available for Up from the Dust.
For For Crown or Colony? and Flight to Freedom: There are separate downloadables for Macs and PCs. These do not require a browser or Flash Player. PLEASE NOTE: The Flight to Freedom Mac downloadable will only work on older Macs because it is a 32-bit application.
For A Cheyenne Odyssey, City of Immigrants, and Prisoner in My Homeland: There is currently a downloadable version available for PC only. It does not require a browser or Flash Player.
For Up from the Dust: A free Windows 10 app is available in the Microsoft store and should run on most PCs and Windows devices.
Apps
Free Chromebook apps are available for all of the missions: For Crown or Colony?, A Cheyenne Odyssey, City of Immigrants, Up from the Dust, Prisoner in My Homeland, and No Turning Back.
Free iPad apps are available for For Crown or Colony?, Up from the Dust, and Prisoner in My Homeland.
A Windows 10 app is also available for Up from the Dust.
USING THE NEW TEACHER DASHBOARD
Why should I use the Dashboard?
With the new teacher dashboard, you’ll be able to…
- Create multiple classes and all of your student accounts
- Track student progress and monitor in game data
- Help students access their account if they’ve forgotten their username or password.
Of course, you are free to continue using Mission US without the Dashboard, but we think many teachers will benefit from the new features.
Do I need to make a NEW teacher account to use the Dashboard?
No, you do not need to make a new teacher account. However, you will be prompted to update your account with your first and last name. You may be prompted to create a new password that meets new security requirements as well.
Why do I need to create student accounts through the Dashboard? What if my students created accounts on their own?
You will only be able to track student accounts that you create through the Dashboard. You will not be able to link to student accounts that are created separately.
Why do you need my first name, last name, and email address?
Your last name and first initial will be used in the creation of student accounts through the Teacher Dashboard. Your email will be used for account security — a way that we can contact you with any issues, including confirming with you each year that you plan to continue using Mission US under your school’s Data Privacy Agreement, if applicable.
How do I get started creating classes on the Dashboard?
You should be prompted to create a class when you open the Dashboard for the first time. To create additional classes, click “Manage Classes,” then “+ New Class.” For tips and more detailed instructions on using the Dashboard, view our Video Tutorial or our PDF Guide.
Can I link an account a student created on their own to my Dashboard?
No. The only student accounts that will link to your Dashboard are the ones you create through the Dashboard.
What happens to student accounts I create with the Dashboard the next school year?
Each year in early July, all student accounts created using the Dashboard will be cleared of student data and released back to the system for you to use for the next school year. If students want to continue using Mission US on their own, we recommend they create a personal Student account that will stay active indefinitely (but cannot be linked to a Teacher account).
Can I use the Dashboard to track students using the iPad or Chromebook apps for missions?
Not currently. The Dashboard can only track students playing the missions via web browsers on Chromebook, Mac, or PC.
My student says they completed their game play, including answering the Exit Tickets, but I don’t see any data on my Dashboard.
The most likely explanation is that they used a personal Student account that they have (instead of the Dashboard account you gave them) or accidentally logged in with another student’s account.
Do students re-take the Exit Tickets if they play the game again?
No. Once a student has completed an Exit Ticket they will not see it again.
My student completed all of the missions ahead of our planned curriculum. How do I track their progress and assess their scores on the Exit Tickets?
Since students cannot retake the Exit Tickets, delete the student account and add another for the student to use (you will lose any pre-existing data).
What if my students forget their passwords?
Good news! If you created your student accounts through the Dashboard, you will be able to manage your students’ accounts, including changing/updating their usernames and passwords.
Can students change their username and password on accounts I make in the Dashboard?
Yes, either you or the student can change their username and password. A student can do it by clicking on their current username on the website (in the upper-right corner after login). From their account screen, these can be easily updated. You can also change usernames and passwords for individual students in your class through the “Manage Classes” button on the Dashboard.
I’m concerned that all student accounts I make have the same password. What happens if they log into the wrong account?
We recommend students change their password when they log in for the first time. They can also change their username if you have concerns about students logging into the wrong account. See above for information about changing student usernames and passwords.
Can I use student Exit Ticket scores for grading purposes?
The Exit Ticket questions were intended as an informal assessment of student understanding and a way for you to target concepts in direct instruction that students are missing. While you could use them in grading they were not written with that in mind.
SAVING AND LOADING GAMES AND DEMO MODE
How do I continue my game where I left off?
After you launch a mission, if there are any saved games, you will have the option to “Continue.” If you select this option, the saved game that is furthest along will be loaded. This is most likely the last game saved when you finished playing in your previous session.
I’d like to use a particular part of the game in class, but don’t want to play all the way up to that point with my students. How can I skip to that point in the game?
You can do this by pre-playing the game beyond the point that you want to start with your class, saving the game, and then loading the game at an earlier point with your class. See “How do I save and load a different game?” below for additional details on how to do this.
How do I save and load a different game?
The program will automatically save the game throughout the experience so that “Continue” functionality will be much more accurate than in earlier missions. However, the player can only have a single save game at a time. Starting a new game will erase any previous save game.
In addition, the program will save progress at a few key checkpoints throughout the game that the player can load (choose “Scenes” or “Select Scene” from the “Main Menu,” then “Load Game”). Loading a game rewinds the current game to the loaded checkpoint (all progress beyond that point will be lost). This loading feature is intended for players who want to try a different set of decisions and see how they play out.
What is “Demo Mode”?
“Demo Mode” is a feature accessed by clicking “Scenes” or “Select Scene” from the “Main Menu,” then “Demo Mode.” “Demo Mode” allows you to pick up at several key moments and play through the end of that part. “Demo Mode” does not save game data and will not affect your current save game. “Demo Mode” is designed for teachers who want to quickly jump to a place in the game to use as a small- or whole-group experience.
HELP WITH OTHER TECHNICAL ISSUES
The streaming version of the game does not play smoothly and/or runs very slowly on my computer. Is there a way to avoid these problems?
For settings where the internet connection or technology setup is not sufficient to handle streaming the game, we also offer several of the Mission US games as a downloadable application. The downloadable version still requires an internet connection since the game utilizes an online database to save your game, but will run better in most settings where the streaming version does not play smoothly. We also offer downloadable Chromebook apps for all of the missions and iPad apps for some of the missions. See Is my technology compatible with Mission US? above.
What should I do if the game is crashing, freezing, breaking, etc.?
If the crash or freeze is preventing you from continuing the game, please restart your browser and try loading a game that is at least one save earlier than the one you were previously playing from, and continue playing from there. If that doesn’t work, you may need to erase all data and start from the beginning. To do that, please clear your browser’s cache and cookies and restart the browser. If you continue to experience a crash or a freeze, please report it to us as explained below in “Report a Bug.”
How do I report a bug (crash, freeze, error, etc.)?
If you spot an error or “bug” in any of the Mission US games, please report it to us by emailing us at MissionUS@thirteen.org. Be sure to send us the following information:
1) Let us know which mission you were playing, which version (streaming or downloadable), whether you are using a Mac, PC, Chromebook, or iPad, which operating system, and which web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome).
2) Give us a detailed description of the bug. During which part/scene in the game did the bug occur? What happened before the error occurred and what did you see on screen? Did any error messages pop up? Were you able to recreate the bug more than once?
3) If possible, please include a screenshot of the game as it looked when the error occurred.
Help! We’re having technical issues and can’t figure out what’s wrong.
If you need further assistance that your school’s tech support staff (if any) cannot offer, send an email to MissionUS@thirteen.org and we will do our best to respond as soon as possible.
USING MISSION US IN THE CLASSROOM
Has Mission US been tested with teachers and students?
Yes – Education Development Center (EDC) has completed several major research studies that have found measurable gains in students’ historical knowledge and skills, and yielded positive feedback from teachers. See Research and Outcomes for summaries of studies to date.
Where can I get more information about ways to use Mission US with my students?
We have a wealth of support materials and information on using Mission US with your students – both in the classroom and as a remote learning tool – in the TEACH section of this website. You can also visit our Facebook page and follow our Twitter feed to connect with other teachers using Mission US in their classrooms.
Does each student need their own account to play?
For the web streaming versions of the games, each student will need to register for a free account and log in to play, since this is how our system saves game data so that progress is not lost. Ideally, each player should have a separate account, as there can be technical issues when multiple players log on and play from the same account simultaneously. Our new teacher dashboard enables teachers to generate entire classes of student accounts and monitor their progress.
The iPad and Chromebook versions do not require an account or login to play.
I’m experiencing formatting problems with the classroom documents I downloaded. What’s wrong?
Print-ready files are available in PDF format in the TEACH section. We make the DOC format available to provide teachers with the option to customize the materials for their classrooms. Settings on your computer and the version of Word you are using may alter formatting of Word documents. To download documents with the original formatting intact, please use the PDF format.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To learn about Mission US, the team, our development process, research, outcomes, awards, and more, visit the ABOUT page. Get updates about Mission US on Facebook and Twitter. To share your feedback or for assistance, email us any time at MissionUS@thirteen.org.