• Direct links between board games and curriculum
• Suggestions for building a core collection to serve all grade levels
• Strategies for program development and implementation
From promoting the idea to teachers and administrators to aligning specific games to state and national education standards, this book will help
you build a strong collection that speaks to enhanced learning and social
development and is just plain fun.
Libraries Got Game
T
he high-profile topic of gaming in libraries gets thorough consideration from two educator-librarians, who explain exactly how
designer board games—which are worlds apart from games produced strictly for the educational market—can become curricular
staples for students of all ages. Drawing on their experience as game aficionados and developers of a nationally recognized program that brings
games to school library media centers, the authors equip colleagues with
everything they need to initiate a board game project with
Libraries
Got Game
Aligned Learning through
Modern Board Games
Also visit the book’s website: www.ala.org/editions/extras/mayer10092.
mayer/harris
You may also be interested in
NEW
N
THE
JOB
A SCHOOL LIB
MEDIA SPECIARARY
GUIDE TO SUCCLIST’S
ESS
Ruth Toor and
Hilda K. Weisburg
www.alastore.ala.org
American Library Association
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611
ALA
1-866-SHOP ALA
(1-866-746-7252)
www.alastore.ala.org
Brian Mayer & Christopher Harris
Brian Mayer is a library technology specialist for Genesee Valley BOCES, an educational ser­vices agency that supports the libraries of twenty-two small, rural districts in western New York, as well as an independent library consultant on gaming in libraries. His focus is on modern board games and putting authentic games
into educational settings to engage students with the curriculum. He has been
instrumental in the growth of designer games as educational resources and has
written several documents aligning games with national and state standards. He
is the author of many articles on gaming in libraries and writes on the subject
in his blog Library Gamer (http://librarygamer.wordpress.com). Mayer earned his
elementary teaching certification at Buffalo State and his MLS at the University
of Buffalo.
Christopher Harris, author of the blog Infomancy, is the coordinator of the school
library system for Genesee Valley BOCES. In addition to his writing on Infomancy,
he is a regular technology columnist for School Library Journal, talking about
“The Next Big Thing.” Along with Andy Austin, Harris wrote an ALA TechSource
Library Technology Reports issue on using the open source Drupal content management framework in libraries, which was published in 2008. He was a participant in the first ALA Emerging Leaders program in 2007 and was honored as a
Library Journal Mover and Shaker in 2008. An avid gamer, Harris was a member
of the ALA/Verizon Foundation Gaming and Literacies grant national panel of
experts.
While extensive effort has gone into ensuring the reliability of information appearing in this
book, the publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, on the accuracy or reliability of
the information, and does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for
any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in this publication.
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National
Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials,
ANSI Z39.48-1992.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Mayer, Brian.
Libraries got game : aligned learning through modern board games / Brian Mayer and
Christopher Harris.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8389-1009-2 (alk. paper)
1. Libraries—Special collections—Board games. 2. Board games. 3. School libraries—Activity
programs—United States. I. Harris, Christopher, 1977– II. Title.
Z692.B63M39 2010
025.2896—dc22
2009026839
Copyright © 2010 by the American Library Association. All rights reserved except those
which may be granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8389-1009-2
Printed in the United States of America
14 13 12 11 10
54321
Contents
Acknowledgments
vii
Part IReintroducing Board Games
Chapter 1Designer Games
Chapter 2
Why Games Matter
Chapter 3Redefining Resources
Part II
Games for Twenty-First-Century Learners
Chapter 4Library and Information Skills
Chapter 5Alignment with State and
National Curriculum Standards
Part III
25
47
Games in School Libraries
Chapter 6The Genesee Valley Model
Chapter 7Starting a Game Collection
Part IV
3
11
20
65
74
Great Games for School Libraries
Chapter 8Top Recommended Games for Elementary School:
Pre-K through Grade 5
Chapter 9Top Recommended Games for Middle School:
Grades 6–8
Chapter 10Top Recommended Games for High School:
Grades 9–12
83
92
102
Glossary of Designer Board Game Terminology
113
List of Games Discussed
117
List of Game Publishers
125
Index
129
Additional material can be found on the book’s website, at
www.ala.org/editions/extras/mayer10092. Look for website material
wherever you see this symbol.
v
Designer Games
T
here is a rich history of board games in American culture. We
seem to share fond memories of childhood games like Chutes
and Ladders and an overwhelming drive to create a version of
Monopoly for every possible theme. Put all of that aside, however, as none of it helps explain the types of games discussed in this book.
Here we will talk about modern board and card games either directly
descended from or inspired by a wave of European imports. As will
be seen, these modern games bear little resemblance to the traditional
American style of games involving rolling dice, moving a pawn, and seeing what happens on the square where you land.
There are many names for modern board games. To describe their style
(not their place of origin), they are sometimes referred to as Eurogames or
European-style board games. This acknowledges the game design renaissance in Germany that led to the recent surge in modern games. These new
board games are also called designer games. Unlike older games, modern
board games usually feature the name of the game designer on the box
cover. Just like readers follow authors, gamers will follow game designers
who may create games with multiple publishers. Throughout this book,
we will use the term designer games, which also includes card games
that don’t use a board. The use of the term also emphasizes the important
work of the master game designers who create these excellent resources
for school libraries.
What Makes Designer Games Different
Think about the rules for the iconic American board games like Chutes
and Ladders, Candy Land, Monopoly, Sorry!, or Life. In all of these, the
primary mechanic for game play is rolling dice and moving the number of
spaces shown on the dice. Based on the square where the player’s pawn
lands, something happens. This simple mechanic makes for easily learned
3
4 Reintroducing Board Games
games but does not provide much in the way of intellectual engagement
with the game play. Though there are some financial decisions to be made
in Monopoly, all of those decision-making opportunities are established
by the rolling of dice. Luck trumps every other mechanic in these games.
Though many still include an element of luck, designer games are more
often built around a series of shared characteristics.
Information-Rich Environment
While risking everything on a roll of the dice can be exhilarating, it does
not offer much in the way of long-term engagement and repeat play value.
Recognizing this, modern game designers present a range of options spaced
along a continuum defined on either end by chance and strategy.
Examples of these two extremes can be seen in traditional games like
war and chess. In the first, players randomly compare two cards from dealt
decks; there is no opportunity for strategy, as the cards are randomly distributed and randomly drawn for comparison. On the other hand, chess
is what is called a perfect information game. Both players have access to
the same information about the current state of the game and all potential moves are known at all times. Games of pure chance can grow boring
because there is no opportunity for improvement, while improvement in
games of pure strategy can require a huge commitment to studying and
mastering the actions and reactions found in established styles of play.
There are passionate supporters of both extremes, but most casual game
players are looking for something in the middle.
There are designer games available to accommodate many different
levels of chance and strategy across a wide variety of genres. For example,
players can choose between two racing games, Formula D and Bolide, for
a game that meets their preferred style. In Formula D, players make strategic decisions as they shift up and down through gears to navigate the
track. Movement of each player’s car token is determined through the roll
of a die for each gear; third gear, for example, is represented by an eightsided die with the sides showing four, five, six, six, seven, seven, eight,
and eight. This means that statistically you are much more likely to move
six, seven, or eight spaces than the minimum of four, but the strong element of chance means a roll of four can lead to a drastic loss of position on
the track. In comparison, Bolide provides a near-perfect information environment where players use vector movement rules to select each move.
Instead of rolling dice, players use a momentum marker to determine their
range of possible moves based on their current vector of motion. A car can
be pushed as fast as desired, but a player’s understanding of physics and
Newton’s laws will quickly be revealed as cars drift into corners with too
much sideways momentum. Chance only enters the game in a few situations such as dice rolls to determine a fast, normal, or slow start or to
resolve possible collisions between two cars. It is also important to note
Designer Games 5
that the use of chance in these situations is a natural manifestation of the
theme. Tires catch during a start, or a driver may execute a last-minute
steering maneuver to narrowly avoid a crash. Rolling dice creates excitement that matches the theme without overwhelming the need for skill.
For schools and libraries, the continuum defined by chance and strategy probably has the most impact on how the game approaches the use
of information. If Formula D had players roll simple six-sided dice with
an equal chance for each number one through six, then there would be
no need to process any information as the outcome would be decided
purely by chance. Compared to mainstream American games, Formula D
introduces a higher level of information processing by requiring statistical analysis to select a gear with a certain die roll range. Bolide demands a
high level of information processing as players must constantly plan ahead
for speed increases and decreases to address shifting vectors of momentum. Another way to look at these differences is to consider the role of
chance in these games as a stand-in for knowledge. Instead of chance,
Bolide requires an advanced understanding of physics, while Formula D
uses the chance roll of a die instead of vector calculations. Therefore, the
chance/strategy continuum in many cases can also be seen as a complexity continuum that defines the level of background knowledge and information processing required by a game.
Open-Ended Decisions
Another characteristic that is especially prominent in designer games
with a strong use of strategy is complex decision making. Along with a
high level of information, many games present players with a more openended play environment. Each turn in Puerto Rico, players select the role
they want to take as they develop plantations and other buildings on their
island. As with Bolide, Puerto Rico is a perfect information game dominated by strategy; the only thing left to chance is selecting the types of
plantation crops available for development each round. Unlike the singular method of winning found in Bolide, however, Puerto Rico presents
a rich selection of opportunities for success. As with real-world markets,
some players in Puerto Rico will profit by growing and selling crops,
while others will focus on building valuable real estate. The large number of possible building combinations, along with imposed scarcity for
each building type, forces players to be flexible. Successful strategies have
emerged, but players can experiment with new ways of interacting with
the game and with new strategies.
As will be seen later, the open nature of many designer games is one
of the characteristics that makes them especially powerful in schools
and libraries. When players are making complex decisions, they have to
process more information and use higher-order thinking skills. This use of
information literacy skills is the foundation upon which game/curriculum
6 Reintroducing Board Games
alignments can be developed. Puerto Rico forces players to investigate a
constantly shifting game environment, use an inquiry-like process of considering options, and evaluate both their game play and the play of others.
Contrast this to the decision making and information processing in a game
like Monopoly, where rolling dice and moving a pawn leads to one of the
few decisions in the game: to buy the property or not.
End-Game Scoring
Many designer games are created to engage players in a shared community
of play that allows for ongoing development. In most cases, these games
are not a race to eliminate players so that the last player surviving can be
named the winner, as is found in so many traditional American games.
Instead, designer games tend to feature end-game scoring based on victory
points gained through the completion of goals or gathering of resources.
This means that players can be part of the game play throughout the game,
as opposed to being forced to withdraw from the experience to sit as spectators on the sidelines. In a school or library setting, those players who
were eliminated early present a challenge: Will their being removed from
the game create a disruption when they are left with nothing to do?
Ticket to Ride is a train game often used as a gateway game—an accessible game that serves as an introduction to designer games. In this game,
players work to build train routes across America that connect cities and
meet individual goals. Throughout the game, points are scored on a track
around the edge of the board—an increasingly common feature in many
designer games—but the real victor may not emerge until the hidden
objective cards are revealed at the end of the game. Even if a player feels
she might not be in the running to win, she can still have a huge impact on
the outcome of the game by completing critical train routes to block other
players. Unlike elimination-style games, designer games that use an endof-game scoring mechanic like this can keep everyone engaged, reducing
the potential for disruptions from disengaged (and perhaps even disheartened) participants, and also facilitating moving groups through a series of
games as a cohesive unit.
Balancing the Theme
The most complex feature of many designer games is an intricate interplay between mechanics and theme. There are a number of common
game mechanics—the process by which game play proceeds—found in
designer games. Designers often use theme (the setting, characters, and
general concept behind a game that establish a purpose for playing) to create a unique game that extends the mechanics to new levels. Some games
achieve a harmonious balance of mechanics and theme, but often there is
one attribute that is more dominant. This does not diminish the game in
Designer Games 7
any way and is actually the source of many strong alignments to content
area standards.
At first glance, Oregon is a game that offers a very strong westward
expansion theme. Players establish communities in Oregon by taking
turns placing building tiles and people in groups on the board. The thematic links to a social studies curriculum are, however, tenuous at best.
There is no in-depth consideration of why people are moving to Oregon
or why communities form where they do. Oregon, it turns out, is a math
game. Tiles are placed on the board by collecting sets of cards that match
symbols along the sides of the board. By playing two cards, players define
a pair of Cartesian coordinates where tiles can be placed. This mechanic
is certainly not the primary selling point of the game from the publisher’s
standpoint, though it does make the game well suited for use in schools
and libraries.
Even though Oregon may not be selected for use in a school library
on account of its theme, that theme is still a critical part of the game. The
theme creates a context for play that helps explain the rules. One of the
more powerful building tiles in the game is the train station; playing this
tile is naturally limited to map spaces that have train tracks. By providing thematic support for rules or play mechanics, designers invite players
further into the experience of playing the game. This immersion is what
makes games such a powerful tool for learning. Unlike a so-called educational game that might have been designed to teach Cartesian coordinates, Oregon was designed for strong play value within a richly themed
environment that just happens to use Cartesian coordinate mapping as a
mechanic.
Game Mechanics
Given the complexity of many designer games, it helps that they often
make use of common mechanics; this makes it easier for players to learn
new games. Schools and libraries can use this as a scaffold to prepare students for more complex games.
Roll-and-Move. Though certainly not as common a mechanic as in
traditional American board games, there are still designer games that use
dice to control movement. The difference is that the designer games often
give players a higher level of control over either the dice being rolled or
what happens as a result of the roll. Based on the results on two regular
six-sided dice, players in Enchanted Forest can move in any direction in
any combination of the two results (four forward, complete an action, five
backward, for example).
Open Movement. Some games remove the dice completely in favor of
movement points or action points that may be used to move or complete
8 Reintroducing Board Games
other actions. This gives the player a much higher level of control over
his character in the game. This point is illustrated by comparing two different dungeon-crawling role-playing games: The traditional American
game Talisman has players roll a die, trying to get the one number needed
to land on the spot that allows them to move forward in the game. Such
a high level of chance introduces a great deal of frustration as players
bounce back and forth around the one spot they need to hit. In contrast,
Prophecy is a designer game that uses open movement to give players
control over the game. Players can move one space in either direction for
free, pay coins for a horse to move two spaces, pay a few more coins to
take a ship from one port to another, or even use coins to travel through
portals.
Worker Placement. Another common mechanic found in designer
games is worker placement. For example, in Stone Age, a worker placement game that uses a strong element of chance to re-create the struggles
of an early tribe to gather resources and thrive, players are not moving
around a board. Instead, players are placing pawns into certain areas on
the board to receive benefits during a resolution phase, thus the concept
of worker placement. In this case, small wooden figures representing the
members of a Stone Age tribe can be assigned to various gathering tasks
that can result in food or other resources.
This style of game tends to focus on resource management. Not only
must players plan ahead to receive maximum benefit from their limited
supply of workers, but in most cases those workers are also producing
goods that will be applied in various combinations for victory points.
Stone Age’s workers gather resources that can be turned in for special victory cards. At the same time, however, some workers will always need to
be tasked with gathering the food required to sustain the tribe each turn.
In addition to resource management, worker placement games also tend to
feature higher requirements for time management. There are many more
things in Stone Age that you will want (or even need!) to do than can be
done in either a turn or the whole game. The placement of every worker
ends up being more precious than expected.
Simultaneous Action. RoboRally is a chaotically fun game that teaches
rudimentary programming as up to seven players simultaneously move
their robots around the board. Games that use this mechanic are great for
large groups, as it minimizes the downtime that comes with a player waiting for her next turn. In order to work, this mechanic also often requires
a higher level of conversation between players. Not all games with this
mechanic go to the extreme of RoboRally. Many designer games use some
aspect of this by involving players in actions, reactions, and decisions
during other players’ turns.
Designer Games 9
Role Selection. One way that some games implement simultaneous
action is through the selection and resolution of roles. San Juan, a card
game based on Puerto Rico, has players select roles in order to build, produce, or sell goods. Each round, every player has a chance to select a role
from the available roles. All the players get to use that role, but the player
who selected the role gets a bonus ability. This keeps everyone involved
in simultaneous action but provides a more structured environment. The
simplicity of San Juan also makes it a great scaffolding game to prepare
students for the much more complex Puerto Rico.
Games that use role selection can be more open-ended in their play
style. Despite the openness, or perhaps because of it, in many games using
this mechanic there will often be a mathematically best choice of role for
each player in a round to take. Just as in the almost scripted play of very
high-level chess, there can be a game choice that will maximize profit
and opportunities for victory while minimizing benefits for other players.
Mixing players of different skill levels for role selection games is a potential source of problems. More experienced players can become frustrated
as new players make less-than-optimal choices of role.
Cooperative Play. One way to accommodate players with different
skill levels is to create a more casual, less competitive play environment
using games that feature cooperative play. In this style of game, players
are working together as a team against the game itself. Cooperative games
range from very simple games for three-year-olds up to games that will
provide a strong challenge for the most veteran players. This mechanic
demands conversation, so don’t plan to use cooperative games in a quiet
space. On the other hand, the forced communication makes these games
a great resource for speech therapy or English-language-learning classes.
Depending on the desired outcome or group dynamics, it is important to
note that there are two main subgroups of cooperative games: true cooperatives and traitor-based games.
As a true cooperative game for very young children, Max helps
preschool­-age children learn to work together toward a common goal.
Players take turns rolling two dice with green and black dots on them.
For each green dot rolled, that player moves one of the woodland creatures in the game closer to safety; for each black dot rolled, Max the cat
creeps closer to the small creatures. The group needs to talk about which
animal is the best to move, as they are all working together to control all
of the animals. Sometimes, when the creatures are in immediate danger,
players will need to not roll and instead use their turn to call Max back to
the house for a treat. This can be a hard sacrifice for a very young child to
make in that they are giving up their turn for the good of all.
To see the real power of cooperative games, try playing Max as a
competitive game where three players are each controlling one of the
10 Reintroducing Board Games
creatures. The conversation around the board immediately changes and a
much darker tone sets in. Players are unwilling to sacrifice a turn to call
Max back to save a competitor and so animals that lag behind due to bad
dice rolls can quickly be eliminated.
Traitor-based cooperative games introduce some elements of competition while also maintaining the group play aspect of the cooperative
mechanic. In some games, there is a chance that one or more players might
be a traitor, while other games are designed so that at least one player
in the group will definitely be a traitor. Battlestar Galactica ensures that
someone will be a traitor, but that person may not find out that he is the
traitor until halfway through the game. The inclusion of a traitor makes
this already complex and engaging cooperative game even more compelling. The tension of working within a team knowing that someone is (or at
least will be) a traitor can be quite appealing. It must be understood, however, that the traitor mechanic can reduce otherwise cooperative games
into paranoid grabs for power as players struggle to trust anyone besides
themselves. As this is a temporary game environment, the potential for
interpersonal conflict is not necessarily something that removes a game
from consideration. Simply be aware that not all cooperative games are
as focused on team building; games with traitors can include a period of
suspicion until the traitors are identified and the team can begin working
toward a common goal.
Games for All
Designer games provide rich and engaging play experiences that easily
match the level of complexity found in video games. With a variety of
mechanics going well beyond the traditional roll-and-move, designer
games force players to explore, inquire, interpret, and act upon information gathered from many sources. Perhaps more important for schools and
libraries, these games provide a more social environment where players
are interacting or collaborating as they play. As will be seen later in this
book, many of the games can be aligned with library and information literacy skills and state content standards. Through a combination of game
mechanics that reinforce skills and themes that provide context for learning about content, designer games are a valuable resource libraries can
provide to support instruction. The introduction of games into schools,
however, demands a higher burden of proof to overcome the misconception that playing and learning are separate and distinct states of being.
Index
A
Agricola game
about, 117
authentic experiences, 13
real-world connections, 46
Alspach, Ted, 72
Amazon.com, 80
American Association of School Librarians,
71, 75–76
American Library Association, 74
Amun-Re game
about, 92–93, 117
authenticity of game play, 75
building literacy skills, 51
game time considerations, 77
geography and, 56
identification of curriculum alignments,
76–77
ROI considerations, 78
social studies and, 52
story building in, 49
analysis (educational objective), 17
ancient civilizations, 52–53
Android game, 49, 117
Antike game
about, 102–103, 117
social studies and, 53
story building in, 49
APE Games (game publisher), 125
Apples to Apples game, 15
application (educational objective), 17
area control, 113
Arthur Saves the Planet: One Step at a Time
game, 61, 117
Asmodée Editions (game publisher), 125
Atlas Games (game publisher), 125
authentic experiences, 12–14
Avalon Hill (game publisher), 125
B
Back Seat Drawing game, 51, 117
Bamboleo game, 60, 117
Battlestar Galactica game
about, 103–104, 118
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17
evaluation of information, 35
story building in, 49
traitors and, 10
Bausack game, 60, 118
Beach, Ed, 70
Beck, John, 12, 67
Bent Castle Workshops (game publisher),
125
Bézier Games (game publisher), 125
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives, 17
Blue Orange Games (game publisher), 29, 125
Board Game Geek (website), 28
Bolide game
about, 104–105, 118
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17
Genesee Valley model, 67, 71
physics in, 60
real-world connections, 46
vector motion, 4–5, 67
Borg, Richard, 79
Braincog, Inc. (game publisher), 125
Brass game, 54, 56, 118
Buffalo Games, Inc. (game publisher), 125
Burghardt, Gordon, 15
C
Carcassonne game, 113, 115, 118
Career game, 55
Cartesian coordinates, 7, 67
CCGs (collectible card games), 79
129
130 Index
chance versus strategy, 3–5
charades (game), 17
chess (game), 4, 9, 14, 38, 43, 71, 103, 114
Chicago Express game
about, 37, 118
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17
economics and, 55
social studies and, 54
Citadels game, 17
Civilization IV game, 12
collaborative learning
about, 39–42
cooperative games and, 43
real-world connections, 43–46
collectible card games (CCGs), 79
Colosseum game, 53, 118
comprehension (educational objective), 17
cooperative play
about, 9–10
collaborative learning and, 43
defined, 113
social and life skills in, 16
story building in, 49
critical thinking in children, 16–18, 39
Crokinole game, 59
D
Davidoff, Dimitry, 72
Days of Wonder (game publisher), 68, 125
designer games
authentic experiences, 12–14
balancing themes, 6–7
defined, 3
end-game scoring, 6
higher-order thinking, 16–18, 39
information-rich environment, 4–5
linking play and instruction, 11–12
social and life skills, 15–16, 27–28
student engagement, 14–15
Devir US LLC (game publisher), 126
Diplomacy game, 36, 118
Double Shutter game, 58, 118
duck! duck! GO! game, 93–94, 118
Dungeons and Dragons game, 21
E
economics, 55
educational objectives, Bloom’s taxonomy, 17
El Grande game, 113, 118
ELA (English and language arts), 48–51
electoral process. See 1960: The Making of
the President game
elementary school game recommendations,
83–91
Elkind, David, 11–12
Enchanted Forest game, 7, 119
English and language arts (ELA), 48–51
environmental science, 61
España 1936 game, 54, 119
Eurogames, 3
evaluation
as educational objective, 17
of information, 34–36
Everything Bad Is Good for You (Johnson), 67
F
Faidutti, Bruno, 72
Family Pastimes (game publisher), 126
Fantasy Flight Games (game publisher), 126
Ferti (game publisher), 126
Follett, Ken, 49
Formula D game, 4, 119
FRED Distribution (game publisher), 126
Froggy Boogie game, 83, 119
Funagain Games, 80
G
game collections
authenticity of game play, 74–75
developing, 74
game time considerations, 77
identification of curriculum alignments,
75–77
return on investment, 77–78
where to find games, 78–80
game masters, 79
game mechanics. See mechanics
game publishers
listed, 125–127
replacing missing pieces, 68–69
game specialty stores, 78–80
game time considerations, 70–71, 77
games. See designer games
gateway games, 6, 113
Gee, James Paul, 67
Genesee Valley model
about, 65
cost considerations, 65–66
game selection, 67–68
game usage, 69–71
level of buy-in, 66–67
missing pieces issue, 68–69
modifying game play, 70–71
professional development, 71–73
selection procedures, 74–80
The Genesis of Animal Play (Burghardt), 15
Gen42 Games (game publisher), 126
Genovese, Alfredo, 71
Index 131
geography, 55–56
Ghost Stories game, 49, 119
GMT Games (game publisher), 126
Gopher It! game, 84, 119
Got Game (Beck), 12, 67
Grand Theft Auto game, 21
Guitar Hero game, 15
H
HABA USA (game publisher), 29, 126
Halo game, 21
Hamsterrolle game, 60, 119
Harris, Christopher, 65
Hastings Public Library (Nebraska), 20
Here I Stand game
about, 119
Genesee Valley model, 70
social studies and, 54
Hey! That’s My Fish! game, 114, 119
high school game recommendations,
102–112
higher-order thinking, 16–18, 39, 51
Hive game, 119
I
imperfect information, 36–37, 113–114
In the Country game, 84–85, 119
Incan Gold game
about, 85–86, 119–120
authentic experiences in, 13
Genesee Valley model, 72
probability and, 58
information skills. See library and
information skills
inquiry skill, 28–32, 62
inventory sheets, 68
J
Johnson, Steven, 67
K
Knizia, Reiner, 75
knowledge
background, 33–34
as educational objective, 17
L
language independence, 114
learning standards
aligning gaming with, 47–62
English and language arts, 47–51
identification of curriculum alignments,
75–77
library and information skills, 25–46
mathematics, 56–59
performance indicators, 76
science, 59–62
social studies, 52–56
LetterFlip game
about, 94–95, 120
building literacy skills, 50
inquiry in, 62
library and information skills
aligning, 28–39
background knowledge and growth,
33–34
collaborative learning, 39–46
evaluation of information, 34–36
information use, 36–39
informational implications of gaming,
25–26
inquiry skill, 28–32
long-term thinking, 16–18, 39
social implications of gaming, 26–28
time factor, 38
Library Game Lab (Syracuse University),
20
Life game, 55
life skills, 15–16
loaning games, 68–69
lone victor concept, 30
Looney Labs (game publisher), 126
Lord of the Rings game
about, 120
real-world connections, 46
story building in, 49
Lost Cities game
about, 120
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17
evaluation of information, 32
luck versus strategy, 3–5
M
M Is for Mouse game, 50, 120
magnetism, 60–61
Manifest Destiny game, 46, 120
mash-up culture, 26
mathematics
basic math skills, 57–58
games and, 56–57
number sense and value, 58–59
probability, 58
Max game
about, 86–87, 120
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17
cooperative play in, 9–10, 16
132 Index
Mayer, Brian, 65
Mayfair Games (game publisher), 126
mechanics
conveying, 35
cooperative play, 9–10, 113
defined, 114
information use and, 37
inquiry skill, 29–30
open movement, 7–8
role selection, 9, 114–115
roll-and-move, 7
simultaneous action, 8–9, 115
themes versus, 6–7
worker placement, 8
Memoir ’44 game, 79, 120
middle school game recommendations,
92–101
miniatures gaming, 79
missing pieces, replacing, 68–69
Monopoly game
basic math skills, 57
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17
decision making in, 6
economics and, 55
Moon, Alan, 68, 72
My Word! game, 15, 50
N
Nanofictionary game
about, 95–96, 120
story building in, 49
Nicholson, Scott, 20
1960: The Making of the President game
about, 33, 105–106, 120
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17–18
Genesee Valley model, 67, 70
geography and, 56
social studies and, 52, 54
story building in, 49
No Child Left Behind Act, 47
North Star Games, LLC (game publisher),
126
Northern Liberty Library (Iowa), 20
Number Chase game
about, 87–88, 121
as modeling situation, 32
number sense and value, 59
number sense, 58–59
Numbers League game
about, 96–97, 121
basic math skills, 58
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17
Genesee Valley model, 70
identification of curriculum alignments,
76
missing pieces and, 68–69
O
OCLC (Online Computer Library Center), 20
Once upon a Time game
about, 106–107, 121
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17–18
story building in, 49
online purchasing, 80
open movement mechanics, 7–8
Orchard game, 121
Oregon game
about, 97, 121
Cartesian coordinates and, 7, 67
theme usage in, 7
Out of the Box (game publisher), 126
P
Pallace, Chris, 70, 76
Pandemic game
about, 107–108, 121
story building in, 49
perfect information, 114
performance indicators, 76
Perikles game, 78
personal interaction skills, 15–16, 27–28
Pew Internet and American Life Project, 14
physics, 59–60
Pictureka game, 17
Pillars of the Earth game
about, 121
real-world connections, 46
story building in, 49–50
PitchCar game, 59–60, 121
Playroom Entertainment (game publisher),
29, 127
Polarity game, 61, 121
Portrayal game
about, 108–109, 121
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17
building literacy skills, 51
Power Grid game
about, 44, 109–110, 122
economics and, 55
environmental science in, 61
“The Power of Play” (Elkind), 11–12
pressing your luck, 114
Preyer, William, 16–17
probability, 58
professional development, 71–73
Prophecy game, 49, 122
Puerto Rico game
about, 122
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17
economics and, 55
evaluation of information, 35
role selection in, 9
pushing your luck, 114
Index 133
Q
Quiddler game
about, 88–89, 122
building literacy skills, 50
student engagement and, 15
R
R and R Games, Inc. (game publisher), 127
Race for the Galaxy game, 46, 122
Ravensburger USA (game publisher), 127
resource management, 20–22, 114
return on investment (ROI), 77–78
Rio Grande Games (game publisher), 127
Risk game, 103
RoboRally game, 8, 122
ROI (return on investment), 77–78
role selection/role-playing
collaborative learning and, 41
defined, 9, 114–115
as rule books, 79
story building in, 49
roll-and-move mechanics, 7
rule books, 79
S
San Juan game, 9, 122
scalability, 115
school libraries
elementary school game
recommendations, 83–91
Genesee Valley model, 65–73
high school game recommendations,
102–112
middle school game recommendations,
92–101
redefining resources, 20–22
starting a game collection, 74–80
science
environmental, 61
magnetism, 60–61
physics, 59–60
scientific method, 61–62
scientific method, 61–62
self-directed inquiry, 28–32
Set Enterprises, Inc. (game publisher), 127
Settlers of Catan game, 113, 122
7 Ate 9 game
about, 89, 122
basic math skills, 57
Shadows over Camelot game
about, 42, 98, 122
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17
social skills and, 16
story building in, 49
traitors in, 36
Shiver-Stone Castle game, 60–61, 122–123
Shut the Box game, 58–59
simulation games, 12–13
simultaneous action selection, 8–9, 115
social implications of gaming
collaborative learning, 39–46
information processing, 26–27
personal interaction skills, 15–16, 27–28
social skills, 15–16, 27–28
social studies
ancient civilizations, 52–53
economics, 55
geography, 55–56
history of the world, 53–54
Sorry! game, 17
standards. See learning standards
Stone Age game
about, 123
social studies and, 53–54
worker placement mechanics, 8
storytelling, 47–51
strategy
chance/luck versus, 3–5
evaluation of information and, 35
student engagement, 14–15
The Suitcase Detectives (Kofferdetecktive)
game
about, 90, 123
inquiry in, 62
Sunriver Games LLC (game publisher), 127
synthesis (educational objective), 17
Syracuse University School of Information,
20
T
Talisman game, 8, 123
“Teens, Video Games, and Civics”
(Lenhart), 14
10 Days in . . . game series
about, 91, 123
Bloom’s Taxonomy on, 17–18
geography and, 55–56
social studies and, 52
themes
conveying, 35
defined, 115
information use and, 37
mechanics versus, 6–7
real-world connections, 43–46
Through the Ages game
about, 110–111, 123
real-world connections, 46
social studies and, 54
Ticket to Ride game
about, 31, 99, 113, 123
building literacy skills, 51
134 Index
Ticket to Ride game (cont.)
as gateway game, 6
geography and, 56
pieces in, 68
tile placement, 115
Time’s Up! Title Recall! game
about, 123
real-world connections, 46
traditional American board games, 3–4
traitors
collaborative learning and, 41
cooperative games and, 10
defined, 116
evaluation of information, 36
Tribune: Primus Inter Pares game
about, 100–101, 123
social studies and, 53
story building in, 49
victory points in, 30
Trivial Pursuit game, 17
Tumblin-Dice game, 57–58, 123
24/7 the Game, 57, 123
Twilight Struggle game, 54, 124
U
Ultimate Werewolf: Ultimate Edition game
about, 111–112, 124
Genesee Valley model, 72
story building in, 50
V
vector motion, 4–5, 67
Verizon Foundation game, 1
victory points, 30, 116
VisualEyes game, 101, 124
W
Wallace, Martin, 78
Warfrog Games (game publisher), 127
Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow game, 72,
124
What Video Games Have to Teach Us about
Learning and Literacy (Gee), 67
Wits and Wagers game, 46, 124
worker placement
defined, 8, 116
example, 50
World of Warcraft: The Adventure Game
about, 124
story building in, 49
student engagement in, 14
Wu, Harry, 37
Z
Z-Man Games, Inc. (game publisher), 71,
127
Zoch Verlag (game publisher), 127
• Direct links between board games and curriculum
• Suggestions for building a core collection to serve all grade levels
• Strategies for program development and implementation
From promoting the idea to teachers and administrators to aligning specific games to state and national education standards, this book will help
you build a strong collection that speaks to enhanced learning and social
development and is just plain fun.
Libraries Got Game
T
he high-profile topic of gaming in libraries gets thorough consideration from two educator-librarians, who explain exactly how
designer board games—which are worlds apart from games produced strictly for the educational market—can become curricular
staples for students of all ages. Drawing on their experience as game aficionados and developers of a nationally recognized program that brings
games to school library media centers, the authors equip colleagues with
everything they need to initiate a board game project with
Libraries
Got Game
Aligned Learning through
Modern Board Games
Also visit the book’s website: www.ala.org/editions/extras/mayer10092.
mayer/harris
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Ruth Toor and
Hilda K. Weisburg
www.alastore.ala.org
American Library Association
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611
ALA
1-866-SHOP ALA
(1-866-746-7252)
www.alastore.ala.org
Brian Mayer & Christopher Harris