“Outbreak Squad” by New Mexico State University, Learning Games Lab

Outbreak Squad is an exciting educational game where players battle public health outbreaks. It is free to play at

Ideal for the social studies classroom or group learning activities, it is designed for grades 5 and above. It is also suitable for 4-H youth or adults interested in learning about foodborne illness prevention, and the role of government in keeping the public safe..

The game explores how sources of contamination can happen in different times/locations, in the field, at home, with the supplier, or in restaurants, and the impact of balancing various solutions with budget limits. The game is a simplified role-playing game in which players dynamically allocate resources among Research, Education, Enforcement and Healthcare. They learn that outbreaks can vary by severity, impact, commodity and audience and can be mitigated by taking action before the outbreak begins.

This material is based upon work supported by the SPECA Challenge Grant, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2015-38414-24223 in collaboration with the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

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