When the bell rings at 2:55, many of my students walk home to an empty house, where they watch television, play video games, and surf the Internet for hours until a parent comes home. I have started a Strategy Board Game club for these students to interact in a safe place after school.
I teach 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Science in a high poverty elementary school in Missouri.
Most of my students qualify for free/reduced lunch, and many have a poor quality of life at home. My students are both energetic and inquisitive learners. They enjoy coming to school, learning new concepts, and playing board games.
My Project
My Strategy Board Game Club has allowed my students to stay after school and bond with their peers while playing strategic board games. Strategic board games promote learning, unlock thinking skills, and stimulate brain development in children. The games I have requested are not the old board games that are based on luck but are instead games that promote critical thinking skills and strategy. After starting my Board Game Club this year, I've seen a big improvement in my student's social interaction and critical thinking. When it's time to pick a game to play, I've found that my students gravitate towards "Filler" games. These are games that can be played in a half hour or less, with a quick set up and take down. Some of the "Filler" games I believe my students will love are Camel Up, Love Letter, and Tsuro of the Seas.
I am a "Board Game Geek" and have been playing nightly board games with my family.
I love the bonds these nightly games have developed and how we spend more time interacting and less time in front of electronics. This club has allowed my students to develop bonds with each other while increasing their critical thinking skills. My goal is for my students to take what they've learned home and begin playing games such as Codenames, No Thanks, and Animal Upon Animal with their families.
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