In thinking about teaching nonfiction, the authors acknowledge that many contemporary and important nonfiction texts that students should be encouraged to read take up social issues that are not easy to talk about or even to think about. They discovered that combining well-chosen nonfiction on social issues with specialized digital games and other technological applications may provide encouragement and methods to help teachers and their students to face uncomfortable but significant issues. In this article, the authors discuss and provide examples of the kind of blending of technology and nonfiction texts that can assist students in understanding contemporary social issues that deserve critical attention. They discuss two online games designed to heighten students' awareness of the crisis in Darfur and understanding of global poverty.