The game is designed for middle schoolers. It assumes familiarity with New England history, whaling, and reading maps. The students work in groups to organize and then carry out a whaling voyage.
"Whaling" requires that students use different skills at once, making
connections between seemingly disparate topics of history, economics
and geography. Students also work in groups, and so muct make
collective decisions about the game. "Whaling" explores a particular
historical practice in great detail, allowing students to understand
it in many different ways.
"Whaling was developed for use in a classroom where the topic was on the curriculum. Students had been introduced to the different ideas and skills neccesary to understand the program. The students were not likely to be confused or upset at the idea of impersonating a whaler.