In this project  I am the CEO of a ficticious company called B.K. Gammon, Inc.;

complete with the marketing slogan: "gaming is our game."  I run it as a group project, but it could also be an individual project.  Warning:  this can be time consuming, but it certainly can be modified for less time.   This is a very open lesson that you can easily make your own.  You may also use this as a vehicle for cross-curricular instruction by having kids come up with a name for their company along with a logo and slogan.  They may have to do a presentation of their game and its design, stating why their's should be chosen, etc.  If you have small groups people could advance within their company based upon your observations, their own self-assessment, and peer assessment.  As always I welcome any feedback:  sheffx@gmail.com

 

The procedure I use is below.

 

First:  I have designed a pamphlet to hand each student. 

It is an 8 1/2 by 11 piece of paper folded in half (so it looks like a greeting card). 

     The front cover:

     The cover has the company name and slogan on top.  Underneath that is a checker board (at 9 o,clock) next to a chess board (at 3 o'clock); at 6 and 12 o'clock are two bullseyes of different colors.  The cover is important as it is the first thing that catches the student's eye.

 

      Page 2 of the pamphlet is open states the following: 

     Mr. Chet Kerrs is the CEO of the B.K. Gammon Company.  His company has been the frontrunner in board games for many years.  Through market research Mr. Kerrs has come to realize that there are not many educational board games on the market, particularly in the areas of mathematics.

     He and his executives have decided that now is a good time for the company to invest millions of dollars into developing and marketing an educational game based on mathematics.  They have based this decision on the reasons given on the following page."

     Page 3: 

     Due to ten years of the Bush Administration's "No Child Left Behind" Act schools across the nation are still scrambling to come up with more ways and materials to teach children the basics of mathematics.  The Obama Administration has also made education a major priority pledging to bring our schools into the 21st century and raise the level of learning as it pertains to our nation's children.

     As a result of this prevailing attitude at the federal level regarding education states are pushing school districts to increase their  test scores.   Many states in the union have gone back to the standardized test score as their sole assessment of learning and student achievement, as opposed to a "whole child" point of view. "

     Lastly, with a struggling economy American citizens are spending less time travelling outside the home for entertainment.  This in turn has led to a resurgence in popularity of board games as a means of family entertainment.  Due to economic fears there is an uptick in the number of parents beginning to take their children's education more seriously; finally realizing that it is education that will offer their children the greatest security in their own futures.

 

Page 4 (back page):

     To take advantage of this opportunity Mr. Kerrs has sub-contracted you and your small company to help design and develop a mathematics game.  The game you are to develop has the following goals:

* Target population is middle school students grades 6,7, and 8.

* The game, or games, should be a comprehensive review of multiple areas of mathematics.

* The areas of math covered should include whole numbers, order of operations, decimals, fractions, percents, integers, basic geometry, basic algebra, and vocabulary for all areas.

* Be aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

* Simple to understand rules.

 

     If your company's game design is chosen by B.K. Gammon, Inc. it will not only mean a profit of several million dollars, but will solidify your company in the gaming industry.  Thereby all but guaranteeing future business and revenue.  Mr. Kerr and his associates will also be closely monitoring all teams and team members for leadership skills, teamwork, communication, problem solving, individual effort, and attitude and participation.  Mr. Kerr is a firm believer in the John D. Rockefeller quote:  " The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee and I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun."