Create a Game

ND State Standard
3.GM.M.6 Solve problems involving the perimeters of rectangles given the side lengths or when given the perimeter and unknown side length(s).

Use rectangles with the same perimeter and different areas or with the same area and different perimeters.

3.GM.M.8 Find the area of a rectangle with whole-number side lengths by modeling with unit squares; show that the area can be additive and is the same as would be found by mutliplying the side lengths.

Design a board game or card game that helps students practice solving and graphing inequalities with rational number coefficients and variables on both sides. The game should be educational, engaging, and suitable for 3rd-grade students.

1. Concept Development:

   • Decide on the theme and format of your game (e.g., adventure, mystery, fantasy, strategy).

   • Determine the goal of the game (e.g., collect points, reach the finish line, solve the most inequalities).

2. Rules and Instructions:

   • Clearly outline the rules of the game.

   • Include instructions on how to play, the objective, how to win, and any special rules or conditions.

   • Ensure that the rules are simple enough for 3rd-grade students to understand but comprehensive enough to cover the learning objectives with the standards above.

3. Game Components:

   • Game Board: Design a visually appealing game board that fits your theme. The board should have spaces or paths that guide the gameplay. You can use a premade game board that are easily found using Google and searching something such as "free gameboard template" or using a physical game board you may already have at home such as "Shoots and Ladders."

   • Game Pieces: Create or select game pieces (e.g., tokens, pawns) that players will use to move around the board.

   • Cards: Develop a set of cards with inequality problems. Include a mix of straightforward and challenging inequalities requiring the distributive property and combining like terms as described in the standard above..

   • Dice/Spinner: Decide if you need dice, a spinner, or another randomizing element to dictate movement or actions in the game.

4. Inequality Problems:

   • Create a variety of inequality problems that align with the 3rd-grade standard 3.GM.M.6 and 3.GM.M.8 as stated above.

   • Ensure problems include rational number coefficients and variables on both sides.

   • Include inequalities that require the use of the distributive property and combining like terms.

5. Gameplay Mechanics:

   • Problem Solving: Players must solve inequality problems to advance in the game.

   • Graphing: Incorporate graphing inequalities on a number line as part of the gameplay. For example, players might need to correctly graph a solution to move forward.

   • Challenges/Bonuses: Add challenge cards or bonus opportunities to make the game more dynamic (e.g., "Solve this inequality for an extra turn" or "Graph this inequality correctly to move ahead two spaces").

6. Assessment and Feedback:

   • Include a way for players to check their solutions (e.g., answer key, peer checking).

   • Provide feedback on incorrect answers to facilitate learning.

7. Playtesting:

   • Test your game with classmates or friends to ensure it is fun and educational.

   • Make adjustments based on feedback to improve the game’s clarity, engagement, and educational value.

8. Recording:

   • Provide a video recording addressing and providing justification for each step above as part of your submission.