Overview: Being
in charge of a project or preparing for a large assignment involves breaking
down a large, abstract idea into definable and manageable pieces. Analyzing
the processes involved in board games can help your students overcome
feelings of helplessness when faced with large assignments. Resources: Teacher: variety of board games. Student:
pencil, paper, markers, poster board. Teacher Preparation: display opened games around the room. Procedure Ideas:
Ask for definitions
of how certain board games are played, and how one might go about creating
their own game.
Break things down
into smaller pieces by having students go around the room, looking at
games, and defining the game attributes.
Movement: describe
players' movement through the game without drawing pictures. What factors
influence movement?
Commands: list
things players are told to do. Is there a pattern or general topic to
the commands?
Fun: why
is this game fun? What emotions does it tap into?
Age Group: who
and how many can play this game? Try to define the player demographics.
The Look: describe
the imagery of the game. Is it appealing, or would you change anything?
Discuss students'
findings.
Students can create
their own board game, after defining the five game attributes.
Variations/Options:
Game could be specific for your school, using the building as the
game board; looking up information from the library; hiding clues throughout
the building found by following directions in the game; older students
can design games for younger students.
