Taking IT Global is an organization with a mission to empower youth to understand and act on the world’s greatest challenges. I’ve written about some of their programs in the past. One of the things that they offer is a collection of online games designed to help students learn about economics, politics, and health in the context of a broad global perspective.

In Taking IT Global’s games section you will find ten games that are appropriate for elementary school and middle school students. A couple of the games that I’ve tried are Flags of the World and Ayiti: Cost of Life.

Flags of the World asks students to match flags to their respective countries. After matching each flag to its country students can click the “learn more” link to find more information about that country.

Ayiti The Cost of Life is an educational game designed to teach students about the cost of living and the struggles to improve life in rural Haiti. (Ayiti is the Haitian Creole word for Haiti). In the game students have to help the “Guinard Family” improve their lives in terms of finances, health care, education, and general happiness. The game plays out over a timeline of four years and sixteen seasons. Each season brings a new challenge.