How to play Ethics court

The Ethics court game is easy to pick up, either by following these instructions, or by using the prompts in the activity.

• Start from the home page of the Science, ethics and animals site.
• The Ethics court activity is on the right in a blue square.
• Click Go at the top of the activity square.
• You are now on the Ethics court home page.
• Look at the quotes on the Ethics court home page.
• You can scroll down using the blue bar and blue and white up and down arrows on the right - there are seven topics altogether.
• Decide which one you want to play.
• If you are playing on your own, click the bar that says Play on your own.
• If you are playing with someone else, you can click the bar that says Play as a group.
• A video screen will appear, and an actor will present the case you have chosen.
• You can make the video fill your screen by clicking the small white rectangle inside a larger rectangular outline at the bottom right of the video screen. While this is activated, each video will fill the screen when it is played. To go back to normal view, click the white symbol again.
• You can turn the sound up or down using the symbol at the bottom right of the video screen. Drag the marker to the left to make it quieter, and to the right to make it louder.
• You can read a transcript of what the speaker says by clicking on the button that says View transcript below that.
• You can play the video again by clicking on the Play again symbol that appears in the middle of the video screen when it's finished.
• You can pause the video at any time by clicking the pause symbol at the bottom left of the video screen while it's playing. This looks like the number ll.
• Think about what you've heard or read, and then click on the Consider the evidence button below the video screen to the left.
• Read the information that comes up on the left of the screen. You can't move on until you've looked at this.
• Once you've read the evidence, you can click Next round at the bottom right of the screen.
• A box will come onto the screen that asks you to give your opinion about what you've heard so far. Do you agree or disagree with this first character, or don't you know? Click one of the buttons before you can go on. If you are playing in a group, you'll need to click on the white boxes and type in how many of you either agree, disagree or don't know.
• Another two videos will come up with new evidence from new speakers. If you want to, you can click on the button that says Previous round at the bottom left of the screen to see the last round of evidence again.
• Continue the sequence; watching videos, reading evidence, giving your opinion and going to the next round until you've come to the end of round three.
• You'll see the button at the bottom right now says Your verdict.
• When you click the Your verdict button, you must choose whether you agree or disagree to finish the game. If you are not sure what you think, click on the button that says Listen to evidence again.
• When you have given your verdict, a new video will play - this is an RSPCA scientific or other officer giving the RSPCA's view.
• You can click on the button below your verdict that says How does your view compare? This will show you how many players in the UK agree or disagree with the case.
• When you have finished the game, click on the Finished button at the bottom right of the screen to go back to the Ethics court home page and choose another topic.

Other functions in the Ethics court activity

• At the top right of the Ethics court home page there are two symbols. Hover over them with your mouse and you will see the one on the left allows you to print, while the one on the right allows you to send this page to a friend.
• Below these symbols near the top of the Ethics court home page there is a button that says Full screen. Click this to enlarge the page to fit your screen. Click it again to make it smaller.
• Below the Full screen button on the Ethics court home page there is a visual effect that looks like a folded-down corner and the words Curriculum links. Click on the arrow below these words to peel back the page and see how this activity will help your learning. You can click on the bold words to go to GCSE science National Curriculum links and exam board links for the activity. To go back to the Ethics court home page, click on the arrow on the fold-down corner at the bottom left of the screen.
• At the top of each Ethics court there are two buttons.
• Clicking on Home will take you back to the Ethics court home page.
• You won't be able to click Full screen once you are viewing an Ethics court round.
• At the bottom of each Ethics court round there are three buttons.
  • Clicking on Leave feedback allows you to tell us what you think about the Ethics court activity, and/or ask us a question.
  • Clicking on Teachers' resources will take you to the teachers' area of the resource, where you can find background information, ideas for student activities and GCSE science National Curriculum and exam board links.
  • Clicking on Credits will take you to a page thanking those who have helped put the Ethics court activity together.