Monday, June 1, 2009
Monday, December 8, 2008
Game: Ingenious
Game Summary by BoardGameGeek.com
Anyone who knows a little about Reiner Knizia’s games will know that the good Doctor loves games that deal with trying to get points in various different categories and then only score that category in which the player has the fewest. In the past, Knizia has used this mechanic to develop highly complicated games, but with Einfach Genial, he has distilled the mechanic down to its purest form.
The game is played on a hex board. 120 equally sized pieces, each consisting of two joined hexes, come with the game. There are symbols on each hex that make up the piece – some pieces have two identical symbols, some have two different symbols (not unlike dominoes). The goal of the game is, through clever placement, to obtain points in the different symbol colors. Points are claimed by placing a piece such that the symbols on it lie next to already-placed pieces with the same symbol.
The game ends when no more tiles can be placed onto the board or when a player reaches the maximum number in every color. Now each player looks to see how many points they scored in the colour they 'scored the least'. Whoever has the most points in their least-scored colour is the winner. Simple.
The author of the game has also come up with solitaire and team play, in which two teams of two play with each player not being able to see his partner’s tiles.
Teacher Tips
For younger students the game can be slightly simplified. Students who are older can be prompted to assess the geometric characteristics of the shapes. Extra points can be given or taken away based on geometric issues. Pieces can also be altered using stickers and sets of matching shapes can be changed to sets of cities, parts of grammar, similar life forms, or any other larger collection of related terms.
Standards and References linked to this game:
NJ Core Curr
{MA.5.4.5 A.1} Learn mathematics through problem solving, inquiry, and discovery. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 A.2.b} Identify, describe, compare, and classify polygons.
Quadrilaterals, including squares, rectangles, parallelograms, trapezoids, rhombi(NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 A.2.c} Identify, describe, compare, and classify polygons.
Polygons by number of sides.(NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 A.3} Identify similar figures. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 A.4} Understand and apply the concepts of congruence and symmetry (line and rotational). (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 B.1} Use a translation, a reflection, or a rotation to map one figure onto another congruent figure. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 B.2} Recognize, identify, and describe geometric relationships and properties as they exist in nature, art, and other real-world settings. (NJ Core Curr )
Anyone who knows a little about Reiner Knizia’s games will know that the good Doctor loves games that deal with trying to get points in various different categories and then only score that category in which the player has the fewest. In the past, Knizia has used this mechanic to develop highly complicated games, but with Einfach Genial, he has distilled the mechanic down to its purest form.
The game is played on a hex board. 120 equally sized pieces, each consisting of two joined hexes, come with the game. There are symbols on each hex that make up the piece – some pieces have two identical symbols, some have two different symbols (not unlike dominoes). The goal of the game is, through clever placement, to obtain points in the different symbol colors. Points are claimed by placing a piece such that the symbols on it lie next to already-placed pieces with the same symbol.
The game ends when no more tiles can be placed onto the board or when a player reaches the maximum number in every color. Now each player looks to see how many points they scored in the colour they 'scored the least'. Whoever has the most points in their least-scored colour is the winner. Simple.
The author of the game has also come up with solitaire and team play, in which two teams of two play with each player not being able to see his partner’s tiles.
Teacher Tips
For younger students the game can be slightly simplified. Students who are older can be prompted to assess the geometric characteristics of the shapes. Extra points can be given or taken away based on geometric issues. Pieces can also be altered using stickers and sets of matching shapes can be changed to sets of cities, parts of grammar, similar life forms, or any other larger collection of related terms.
Standards and References linked to this game:
NJ Core Curr
{MA.5.4.5 A.1} Learn mathematics through problem solving, inquiry, and discovery. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 A.2.b} Identify, describe, compare, and classify polygons.
Quadrilaterals, including squares, rectangles, parallelograms, trapezoids, rhombi(NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 A.2.c} Identify, describe, compare, and classify polygons.
Polygons by number of sides.(NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 A.3} Identify similar figures. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 A.4} Understand and apply the concepts of congruence and symmetry (line and rotational). (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 B.1} Use a translation, a reflection, or a rotation to map one figure onto another congruent figure. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.2.5 B.2} Recognize, identify, and describe geometric relationships and properties as they exist in nature, art, and other real-world settings. (NJ Core Curr )
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Game: Ticket to Ride
Game Summary by BoardGameGeek.com
With elegantly simple gameplay, Ticket to Ride can be learned in 3 minutes, while providing players with intense strategic and tactical decisions every turn. Players collect cards of various types of train cars they then use to claim railway routes in North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who fulfill Destination Tickets – goal cards that connect distant cities; and to the player who builds the longest continuous route.
"The rules are simple enough to write on a train ticket – each turn you either draw more cards, claim a route, or get additional Destination Tickets," says Ticket to Ride author, Alan R. Moon. "The tension comes from being forced to balance greed – adding more cards to your hand, and fear – losing a critical route to a competitor."
Ticket to Ride continues in the tradition of Days of Wonder's big format board games featuring high-quality illustrations and components including: an oversize board map of North America, 225 custom-molded train cars, 144 illustrated cards, and wooden scoring markers.
Teacher Tips
Standards and References linked to this game:
NJ Core Curr
{SOC.5-8.6.6.A.6} Distinguish among the major map types, including physical, political, topographic, and demographic. (NJ Core Curr )
{SOC.5-8.6.6.A.11} Describe the significance of the major cities of New Jersey, the United States, and the world. (NJ Core Curr )
{SOC.5-8.6.6.B.1} Compare and contrast the physical and human characteristics of places in regions in New Jersey, the United States, and the world. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.4.5 D.1} Devise strategies for winning simple games (e.g., start with two piles of objects, each of two players in turn removes any number of objects from a single pile, and the person to take the last group of objects wins) and express those strategies as sets of directions. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.5 A.1} Learn mathematics through problem solving, inquiry, and discovery. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.5 A.2.d} Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts.
Problems that can be solved in several ways(NJ Core Curr )
With elegantly simple gameplay, Ticket to Ride can be learned in 3 minutes, while providing players with intense strategic and tactical decisions every turn. Players collect cards of various types of train cars they then use to claim railway routes in North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who fulfill Destination Tickets – goal cards that connect distant cities; and to the player who builds the longest continuous route.
"The rules are simple enough to write on a train ticket – each turn you either draw more cards, claim a route, or get additional Destination Tickets," says Ticket to Ride author, Alan R. Moon. "The tension comes from being forced to balance greed – adding more cards to your hand, and fear – losing a critical route to a competitor."
Ticket to Ride continues in the tradition of Days of Wonder's big format board games featuring high-quality illustrations and components including: an oversize board map of North America, 225 custom-molded train cars, 144 illustrated cards, and wooden scoring markers.
Teacher Tips
With four expansion sets (game supplimentals) and four alternate geographic versions one could spend quite a bit on this game. You can, however, just buy the basic game and spend some extra time creating your own alternative maps and missions, or get the artistic students to come into the library and do it. Educators may also want to read a picture book about the locations with the students before game play. 
Pic from boardgamegeek.com
Pic from boardgamegeek.com NJ Core Curr
{SOC.5-8.6.6.A.6} Distinguish among the major map types, including physical, political, topographic, and demographic. (NJ Core Curr )
{SOC.5-8.6.6.A.11} Describe the significance of the major cities of New Jersey, the United States, and the world. (NJ Core Curr )
{SOC.5-8.6.6.B.1} Compare and contrast the physical and human characteristics of places in regions in New Jersey, the United States, and the world. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.4.5 D.1} Devise strategies for winning simple games (e.g., start with two piles of objects, each of two players in turn removes any number of objects from a single pile, and the person to take the last group of objects wins) and express those strategies as sets of directions. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.5 A.1} Learn mathematics through problem solving, inquiry, and discovery. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.5 A.2.d} Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts.
Problems that can be solved in several ways(NJ Core Curr )
Game: No Thanks
Game Summary by BoardGameGeek.com
No Thanks! is a card game designed to be as simple as it is engaging.
The rules are simple. Each turn, players have two options:
NJ Core Curr
{MA.5.4.4.5 D.1} Devise strategies for winning simple games (e.g., start with two piles of objects, each of two players in turn removes any number of objects from a single pile, and the person to take the last group of objects wins) and express those strategies as sets of directions. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.5 A.1} Learn mathematics through problem solving, inquiry, and discovery. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.5 A.2.d} Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts.
Problems that can be solved in several ways(NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.1.5 A.1.a} Use real-life experiences, physical materials, and technology to construct meanings for numbers (unless otherwise noted, all indicators for grade 5 pertain to these sets of numbers as well).
All fractions as part of a whole, as subset of a set, as a location on a number line, and as divisions of whole numbers(NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.1.5 A.3} Demonstrate a sense of the relative magnitudes of numbers. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.1.5 A.6} Compare and order numbers. (NJ Core Curr )
No Thanks! is a card game designed to be as simple as it is engaging.
The rules are simple. Each turn, players have two options:
- play one of their chips to avoid picking up the current face-up card
- pick up the face-up card (along with any chips that have already been played on that card) and turn over the next card
However, the choices aren't so easy as players compete to have the lowest score at the end of the game. The deck of cards is numbered from 3 to 35, with each card counting for a number of points equal to its face value. Runs of two or more cards only count as the lowest value in the run - but nine cards are removed from the deck before starting, so be careful looking for connectors. Each chip is worth -1 point, but they can be even more valuable by allowing you to avoid drawing that unwanted card.
Teacher Tips
A teacher or librarian may wish to have the students play the game as is or may wish to alter it for certain students. For instance, a teacher created version of the cards with decimal numbers instead of whole numbers may be great for older kids.
Pic from boardgamegeek.com
NJ Core Curr
{MA.5.4.4.5 D.1} Devise strategies for winning simple games (e.g., start with two piles of objects, each of two players in turn removes any number of objects from a single pile, and the person to take the last group of objects wins) and express those strategies as sets of directions. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.5 A.1} Learn mathematics through problem solving, inquiry, and discovery. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.5 A.2.d} Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts.
Problems that can be solved in several ways(NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.1.5 A.1.a} Use real-life experiences, physical materials, and technology to construct meanings for numbers (unless otherwise noted, all indicators for grade 5 pertain to these sets of numbers as well).
All fractions as part of a whole, as subset of a set, as a location on a number line, and as divisions of whole numbers(NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.1.5 A.3} Demonstrate a sense of the relative magnitudes of numbers. (NJ Core Curr )
{MA.5.4.1.5 A.6} Compare and order numbers. (NJ Core Curr )
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