Student-Created Board Games
Presenters:
Carol Short [email protected]
Stacie Tomes-Lopez [email protected]
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 self- directed 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……
Romeo and Juliet The Great
Gatsby
A Wrinkle in Time
House on Mango Street
The Giver
The Watsons G
o to Birmi
ngham A Separate
Peace
Bud Not Buddy
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
• 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
completely.
Game board is excellent
but some parts are a
li_le sloppy.
Game board is complete
but 1 or 2 elements are
missing and it could be
neater.
Most of the direcAons
were ignored and the
board is sloppy.
There is a game board
but it is una_racAve and
no extra efforts were
made at creaAvity
QuesGons There are 25 quesAons
and answers, and they
are well incorporated into
the game.
A couple of quesAons or
answers are missing or
incorrect.
Some quesAons are
missing OR one could
play the game with
answering most
quesAons.
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
Format &
Purpose
The purpose of the game
relates directly to the
novel and the game
board represents the
theme.
The purpose closely
relates to the novel and
the game board
somewhat represents
the theme.
The purpose parAally
relates to the novel and
the game board doesn’t
clearly represent a
theme.
The purpose slightly
relates to the novel but
does not represent a
theme.
It is unclear what the
purpose and theme of
the game are from the
appearance.
DirecGons DirecAons make it
perfectly clear how to
play the game. They are
neatly typed with minimal
grammaAcal errors.
DirecAons are typed but
have 2-‐3 minor grammaAcal
errors. They are somewhat
unclear or 1 step is missing.
There are more than 3
errors. DirecAons are
unclear and 2-‐3 steps could
be added to clarify.
Errors in grammar interfere with understanding of the
direcAons. Much revision is needed.
Complete revision needed.
Many steps are missing or
incomplete and it is very
difficult to understand how
to play the game.
Content &
Difficulty
QuesAons and rules of play
are of an appropriate level-‐-‐
not too difficult and not too
easy.
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.
