Student-Created
Board Games
Presenters:
Carol Short
cshort@huensd.k12.ca.us
Stacie Tomes-Lopez
stomes@huensd.k12.ca.us
Our Agenda
•  Why games?
•  Why games for gifted students?
•  When do you use games?
•  What’s the process?
•  What’s the task?
•  What are the details?
•  Q&A
•  Let’s see some games!
The Value of Board Games
According to the Institute of Play:
GAMES….
Ø  create a complex world,
which players come to
understand through selfdirected exploration.
Ø  deliver just-in-time learning
and data to help players
understand how they are
doing, what they need to
work on and where to go
next.
Ø  create a compelling need to
know, a need to ask,
examine, assimilate and
master certain skills and
content areas.
Ø  are learning systems, which
accounts for the sense of
engagement and
entertainment players
experience.
Games are fun! “The truth is that when the joy and comfort are scrubbed from the classroom and replaced with homogeneity, and when spontaneity is replaced with conformity, students’ brains are distanced from effec<ve informa<on processing and long-­‐term memory storage.” “The highest-­‐level execu<ve thinking, making of connec<ons, and “aha” moments are more likely to occur in an atmosphere of “exuberant discovery,” where students of all ages retain that kindergarten enthusiasm of embracing each day with the joy of learning.” (Judy Willis “Research-­‐Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning: Insights from a Neurologist and Classroom Teacher”) CreaAng a board game is a “rich task”! Here are some of the standards addressed: CCSS.ELA-­‐LITERACY.RL.8.1 •  Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-­‐LITERACY.RL.8.4 •  Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figuraAve and connotaAve meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. CCSS.ELA-­‐LITERACY.RL.8.3 •  Analyze how parAcular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the acAon, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. CCSS.ELA-­‐LITERACY.W.8.2.D •  Use precise language and domain-­‐specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. CCSS.ELA-­‐LITERACY.W.8.2.A •  Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and informaAon into broader categories; include formaZng (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and mulAmedia when useful to aiding comprehension. What is Accomplished?
Ø Engaging
atmosphere
Ø Positive environment
Ø Inherently
differentiated
Ø Mistakes!
Games and Gifted
Students
•  The task of creating a
board game from
scratch requires
–  A creative approach
–  Higher order thinking
–  A desire to be
challenged
–  Synthesis and analysis
of information
–  Clarity of expression
–  Team work!
When do you use Board
Games?
Or…… A Separate
Peace
House on Mango Street
Bud N
Budd ot
y
The Great
Gatsby
Rome
uli
J
d
n
oa
The Giver The
Wats
o
ns G
o to
Birm
ingh
am
A Wr
inkl
e in
Tim
e et
The Prompt THE LANDLADY
BOARD GAME
•  You and your group are to create a board game using the story of “The
Landlady” as the basis of the game.
1.  Your group of four needs to consist of
(i)  Board Pieces supplier
(ii)  Board Designer
(iii) Rules and Directions Manager
(iv)  Questions Creator
1.  You can model your game after Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land,
Trivial Pursuit, or any board game that you are familiar with.
2.  You must create the rules and directions for your game. Make sure that your
rules and directions are well expressed and easy to follow.
3.  You need to incorporate 25 question cards into your game. These questions
must be related to the Depth and Complexity icons. The icon will be on one side
of the question card and the question on the other.
4.  The board game should consist of “pitfalls” or setbacks that are the same
pitfalls that Billy faced in Roald Dahl’s story.
5.  The game must be colorful with bright clearly defined illustrations.
When you have completed the game, your group will play it and make sure that it
works as intended.
The Process
Groups of four:
1. Board pieces and box
supplier
2. Board designer
3. Rules and Directions
manager
4. Questions creator
Supplies needed
1. Game board (supplied by teacher)
2. Spinner or dice
3. Game cards (use color index cards)
4. Game pieces
5. Container to hold game (unused pizza
boxes work wonderfully)
The Tasks
•  Create a game board
•  Construct rules and
directions for the game
•  25 question cards
•  Design game pieces
and a box
Student Directions
JOB CATEGORIES FOR CREATING A BOARD GAME: Board Pieces supplier: Creates the game pieces and designs the cover of the game box Rules and DirecGons Manager: writes direcGons, creates rules, proofreads, etc. Board Designer: designs and creates the layout of the game board QuesGons Creator: creates 25 quesGon cards that need to fall into Depth and Complexity icon categories •
•
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TYPES of QUESTION CARDS: (25 in total) You are to use the depth and complexity icons to create your 25 quesGons. You are not to use more than five (5) of one icon, so your quesGons will be varied. The quesGons must be based on the text. Do not ask quesGons that are not part of the story. SUGGESTIONS WHEN CREATING YOUR GAME: Give detailed direcGons. Color-­‐code the game cards. They may be hand-­‐wriYen or typed. Make the game board visually appealing. It must relate to the story. NEATNESS COUNTS!!! The container should visually represent the book. Example of question cards
Ex. of Rules and Directions
Example of game boards
Board Game Rubric
10 points 8 points 6 points 4 points 2 points Design & CreaGvity Everything is neatly created and direcAons were followed Game board is excellent but some parts are a Game board is complete but 1 or 2 elements are missing and it could be Most of the direcAons were ignored and the completely. neater. There is a game board but it is una_racAve and no extra efforts were made at creaAvity There are 25 quesAons and answers, and they are well incorporated into A couple of quesAons or answers are missing or the game. Some quesAons are missing OR one could play the game with answering most QuesGons Format & Purpose DirecGons incorrect. quesAons. board is sloppy. Half of the quesAons are missing OR quesAons are hardly used in the game. Many quesAons are incorrect or missing and very few are required to play the game The purpose of the game relates directly to the novel and the game board represents the The purpose closely relates to the novel and the game board somewhat represents The purpose parAally relates to the novel and the game board doesn’t clearly represent a The purpose slightly relates to the novel but does not represent a It is unclear what the purpose and theme of the game are from the theme. the theme. theme. theme. appearance. DirecAons make it perfectly clear how to play the game. They are neatly typed with minimal DirecAons are typed but have 2-­‐3 minor grammaAcal errors. They are somewhat There are more than 3 errors. DirecAons are unclear and 2-­‐3 steps could Errors in grammar interfere with understanding of the direcAons. Much revision is grammaAcal errors. unclear or 1 step is missing. be added to clarify. needed. Complete revision needed. Many steps are missing or incomplete and it is very difficult to understand how to play the game. Rules of play are age appropriate but some quesAons are too easy or too difficult. Game is a bit too simple for the grade level and some quesAons are too easy. Game is very simple and most quesAons are too easily answered. Game is not appropriate for the grade level and quesAons are too easy or too difficult. Content & Difficulty li_le sloppy. QuesAons and rules of play are of an appropriate level-­‐-­‐ not too difficult and not too easy. Peer evaluaAon rubric So what piece of literature could you use that would provide a good foundaAon for a game? Discuss with a neighbor! Some links…. •  Syracuse University School of InformaAon Studies: h_p://infospace.ischool.syr.edu/2013/06/27/games-­‐as-­‐educaAonal-­‐tools-­‐
teaching-­‐skills-­‐transforming-­‐thoughts/ •  Learning with Board Games: h_p://thelearningkey.com/pdf/
Board_Games_TLKWhitePaper_May16_2011.pdf •  Univ. of Oregon College of Ed: Using Games in EducaAon h_p://thelearningkey.com/pdf/
Board_Games_TLKWhitePaper_May16_2011.pdf •  The InsAtute of Play h_p://www.insAtuteofplay.org/