Meet Geniverse: online, interactive genetics software for high school and other students. Geniverse is a game-like environment that supports experimentation, critical thinking and writing about genetics. Geniverse is designed for teachers to play an active role in the classroom by guiding students to understand and make connections to real-world genetics. Geniverse shares a pedigree with past Concord Consortium projects reaching back to the pioneering GenScope software and is built upon the same compelling premise—students explore genetics by breeding and studying virtual dragons.

A captivating narrative creates an authentic context for students to dive into genetics. Students use a virtual model species (drakes) to explore the fundamental mechanisms of heredity and genetic diseases and then get a taste of careers in genetics. While following a courageous protagonist on a quest to heal a beloved dragon, students generate their own experimental data as they complete Geniverse challenges. They "publish" their findings using the scientific practice of argumentation, supporting their claims with evidence and reasoning, first in writing, and then in class discussions.

For instructions on getting started with Geniverse along with printable teacher guides, lesson plans and student handouts, visit Geniversity, our teacher resource website! You can also try Geniverse without registering by using the demo version.