July 2016 Games of the Week

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

The Histocrats support the idea of incorporating board-games into your personal life as well as in the classroom.  As such, we support and participate in a local board-gaming group.  Any and all board-game enthusiasts are welcome to join the Game Nights that are held every first and third Friday night of the month.  As part of our gaming group initiative, we also recommend history centric games that are fun to play each week to all of our followers.  The selected games receive our “Game of the Week” distinction.  Recommended games are a mix of cooperative, card games, as well Euro style games.

Golden Snitch: The Quidditch Board Game, Wizarding World of Harry Potter

It's Gryffindor vs. Slytherin in this fast-paced wizarding game of Quidditch. Outmaneuver the opposing team with authentic Quidditch tactics. Use spells and potions to confound and outwit your opponent. Each high-flying game is a battle of strategy and magic.

 

The Grizzled Cooperative Card Game, CoolMiniOrNot

Through what tragedies can friendship endure? The Grizzled is a fast paced, fully cooperative card game that takes place in the trenches of World War I. Already a best seller in Europe, The Grizzled is an elegant game of avoiding threats and leading a team, and is a cooperative game. Featuring art by French artist Tignous.

Holmes: Sherlock & Mycroft, Devir Americas

Two brilliant London minds meet to determine the involvement of young Chapman. Is he part of an anarchist group, or just a scapegoat? London, England – It is the year 1895, and a bomb has exploded in the Houses of Parliament. A young anarchist has been accused and blamed for this heinous act. The crown has hired Mycroft Holmes, the older brother of the famous Sherlock Holmes, to prosecute their case. Sherlock, hired by the young man’s parents, is out to prove his innocence. Between the two, a duel quickly develops, pitting brother vs. brother in a contest involving the greatest deductive minds of the era. The case, and the fate of one young man hangs in the balance; only the player who holds the most clues can determine the outcome.

Nuns on the Run, Mayfair Games

The novices are on the loose. Temptation has lured them out of their cells, and they hope not to be caught by the abbess and the prioress. But the guards are swift and their hearing is excellent, so it will take craftiness and a bit of luck in order to make it back to their beds without being caught. Players explore the exciting nocturnal world of a grand abbey filled with intrigue and deception. As the old abbess, the noble prioress, or a simple novice you become hunter or prey. Everyone gets a special “blessing,” but only the novices try to fulfill a “secret wish.” They must sneak through the dimly lit halls, corridors, and gardens, seeking keys and treasures unique to their goal. Meanwhile, the vigilant abbess and prioress patrol their routes, ever watchful of young novices who should be fast asleep in their austere cells. Are you wily enough, or sneaky enough to fulfill your quest and win the night?

*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer

June 2016 Games of the Week

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

The Histocrats support the idea of incorporating board-games into your personal life as well as in the classroom.  As such, we support and participate in a local board-gaming group.  Any and all board-game enthusiasts are welcome to join the Game Nights that are held every first and third Friday night of the month.  As part of our gaming group initiative, we also recommend history centric games that are fun to play each week to all of our followers.  The selected games receive our “Game of the Week” distinction.  Recommended games are a mix of cooperative, card games, as well Euro style games.

 

Indigo, Ravensburger

Indigo features a hexagon shaped game board on which players develop gem routes to move precious stones along paths that they develop into their collection. Players can work together or separately to lay the route tiles that provide the paths they must travel on their way to exit the board with the most gems. Players can share routes and exits so that they can both benefit, but the game is won by the player who collects the most points from the gems successfully removed from the board.

 

Warriors of Japan, Multi-Man Productions

From 1336-1392, all of Japan was aflame with war. After the fall of a corrupt and ineffective emperor, the two great courts of Japan dueled to determine the future ruler of the country. Warriors of Japan covers the vital period following the destruction of the Kamakura shogunate and the fight to find a successor. 

Tokaido: Collectors Edition, Passport Game Studios

Each player is a traveler crossing the "East sea road", one of the most magnificent roads of Japan. While traveling, players will meet people, taste fine meals, collect beautiful items, discover great panoramas, and visit temples and wild places. At the end of the day, when everyone has arrived at the end of the road you'll have to be the most initiated traveler – which means that you'll have to be the one who discovered the most interesting and varied things.

*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer

April 2016 Games of the Week

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

The Histocrats support the idea of incorporating board-games into your personal life as well as in the classroom.  As such, we support and participate in a local board-gaming group.  Any and all board-game enthusiasts are welcome to join the Game Nights that are held every first and third Friday night of the month.  As part of our gaming group initiative, we also recommend history centric games that are fun to play each week to all of our followers.  The selected games receive our “Game of the Week” distinction.  Recommended games are a mix of cooperative, card games, as well Euro style games.

American History Go Fish, Classical Historian
50 cards show famous people, landmarks, events, symbols etc. from American history. Gather 4 cards within each category (i.e. Colonial America, Civil War, and Westward Expansion) and collect as many sets as you can! This one deck teaches the following skills through four fun games: Basic historical facts, Chronology, Geography, Association, and Social Skills required to follow the rules and play games.

Struggle For Catan, Mayfair Games
Manage your resources to build settlements, cities, city improvements, knights, and roads that generate victory points or special abilities. While your settlements, cities, and city expansions remain yours, valuable roads and knights change hands. Varied expensive city improvements give you additional victory points and lasting advantages, so they're generally key to victory.

World's Fair 1893, Renegade Game Studios
The World's Fair of 1893 in Chicago was a spectacular international exhibition that showcased many great achievements in science, technology, culture, and entertainment.  Acting as organizers of the fair, players work diligently to increase their influence throughout the fair and obtain the grand exhibits that will be put on display. The organizer who has earned the best reputation when the fair begins will emerge the victor.

The Play's the Thing Board Game, TaliCor
Set in the Globe, this board game encourages players to get to know their Bard a little better. Each player is an unemployed actor in Elizabethan England, desirous of performing as many scenes as possible from Shakespeare's plays. The object of the game is to assemble all the cards necessary to mount and perform a particular scene from Julius Caesar, Hamlet, or Romeo and Juliet. Roll a die and make your way across the board, which features all sorts of stage mishaps, duels, and missed cues. There are four levels of play geared toward different degrees of familiarity with Shakespeare's work.

*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer

 

February 2016 Games of the Week

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

The Histocrats support the idea of incorporating board-games into your personal life as well as in the classroom.  As such, we support and participate in a local board-gaming group.  Any and all board-game enthusiasts are welcome to join the Game Nights that are held every first and third Friday night of the month.  As part of our gaming group initiative, we also recommend history centric games that are fun to play each week to all of our followers.  The selected games receive our “Game of the Week” distinction.  Recommended games are a mix of cooperative, card games, as well Euro style games.

1960: The Making of the President, Z-Man Games
In 1960: the Making of the President, you take on the role of Kennedy or Nixon in vying to lead America through an era of turbulent change. The candidates must contend with all the great issues of the day, from the cold war to civil rights to voters' pocket books. This is an election that will turn on positioning and momentum. The contest is fought on an electoral map of the United States as it stood in 1960. As with a real election campaign, the challenge is to adapt your game plan as the ground shifts out from under you. There are never enough resources or time to do everything, but you need to make the tough calls to propel yourself into the White House.

Kill Shakespeare, IDW Games
Protect the realm from King Richard, Lady Macbeth and their dark army! Based on the acclaimed comic book from IDW Publishing, this co-op adventure brings the greatest characters of Shakespearean literature to life in a shared universe rife with peril. Players will go on quests assigned by the bard himself in an attempt to prove themselves worthy of taking over the title of Scribe of the Land.










Pandemic: The Cure, Z-Man Games
Pandemic: The Cure, a dice-based version of the popular Pandemic board game. As in the board game, four diseases threaten the world and it's up to your team to save humanity. You and your team must keep the world's hotspots in check before they break out of control, while researching cures to the four plagues.  Players roll dice each turn to determine the actions available to them. Each player takes on a different role that has its own unique set of dice and abilities - and players must take advantage of their specializations if they are to have any hope of winning the game. If the players can discover the cures to the four diseases, they all win and humanity is saved!






Snow Tails Game, Renegade Game Studios
Snow Tails is set in the snowy world of the Arctic Circle, where brave sledders compete in a test of skill and endurance. Action is fast and furious and not all sleds may make it to the finish. Huskies only have one setting and that is full speed! Hang on to your furs, the reins, your sled and anything else you can get hold of. The game contains modular track pieces which can be fitted together to form different courses. Players have their own Dog Decks which they draw from and play on to their sled mat. Movement is rarely in a straight line as the sled may drift left or right. Losing control or speeding into a corner results in Dent cards being acquired which will limit a player's hand size.

*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer

January 2016 Games of the Week

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

The Histocrats support the idea of incorporating board-games into your personal life as well as in the classroom.  As such, we support and participate in a local board-gaming group.  Any and all board-game enthusiasts are welcome to join the Game Nights that are held every first and third Friday night of the month.  As part of our gaming group initiative, we also recommend history centric games that are fun to play each week to all of our followers.  The selected games receive our “Game of the Week” distinction.  Recommended games are a mix of cooperative, card games, as well Euro style games.

Cold War: CIA vs KGB, Fantasy Flight Games
Cold War: CIA vs KGB places two players in control of the world’s greatest superpowers in an age of fear. In this tense, standalone card game of politics, guerilla warfare, and dirty tricks, each player must establish the dominance and superiority of his country’s worldview while bringing about his own vision of the future. But what kind of future?










Thunderbirds, Modiphius Entertainment
Set in the year 2065, Thunderbirds follows the exploits of International Rescue: a secret organization committed to saving human life, secretly founded and funded by the millionaire Tracy family, with the motto: 'Never give in, at any cost!'. International Rescue has a host of technologically advanced land-, sea-, air-, and space-rescue vehicles and equipment ready to launch at a moment's notice. Racing to the rescue from a secret island base beneath the luxurious home of the Tracy family somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean, International Rescue defies government spies and criminals who want the secrets of their incredible machines for their own. To combat this threat, Lady Penelope, the Thunderbirds' aristocratic English secret agent, and her chauffeur Parker lead a network of agents to uncover those behind the disasters caused by deliberate sabotage. A criminal mastermind known as "the Hood", operating from a temple deep in the Malaysian jungle and in possession of strange powers, often engineer’s events to allow him to spy on the Thunderbird machines with the goal of selling their secrets to the highest bidder.



Beowulf, King Post
Beowulf is a strategy game that uses the Anglo-Saxon epic poem as a point of entry into a vast interpretation of the Viking Age. As the legend of Beowulf's life and death unfolds on the game's board, players will trade, scheme and raid one another to grow their own kingdom's influence and power. After the death of Beowulf at the fangs of a dragon, the game moves forward in time, as players scramble to preserve the brave legacies of their kingdoms in the face of a quickly changing religious landscape and the relentless tides of history.







Mille Bornes, Asmodee/Hasbro
Rev the engine eagerly, waiting for the green light to send you hurtling across the countryside. Keep the tank full, find your way around the speed limit and avoid the accidents that will slow you down. Keep the pressure on full and be the first to make it 1,000 miles! Mille Bornes is the classic card game of cross - country racing. Keep a green light handy in case you get stopped and play a tire puncture on your opponent to keep him from getting ahead. Protect yourself with safety cards and save one for the classic Coup Fourre. Play your cards right and you'll be the first to cross the finish line and be the master of the Mille Bornes!




*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer

Some of Our Favorite 2015 Games of the Week

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

The Histocrats support the idea of incorporating board-games into your personal life as well as in the classroom.  As part of our gaming initiative, we recommend history centric games that are fun to play each week to all of our followers.  The selected games receive our “Game of the Week” distinction.  The following are some of our favorite games we played in 2015. 

Shadows Over Camelot, Days of Wonder
A lone swallow flies across the grey skies of Cornwall. The forces of evil are gathering around Camelot. The Black Knight was sighted atop a desolate ridge; a scheming Morgan plots her revenge; the Saxon troops are on the move; and acres of timber are being felled for the siege engines. And yet Lancelot has all but vanished, with Excalibur yet to be recovered. Will you, young squire, come forth and pledge allegiance to your fellow Knights of the Round Table.  Players work together to defeat the forces closing in on Camelot. But beware, players must be vigilant for a traitor in their midst who is biding his time-secretly sowing the seeds of havoc and destruction. Yet too much suspicion will undermine the knight's efforts to protect the kingdom. These are dangerous times indeed.

Jaipur, Asmodee
My kingdom for a camel! Work hard, earn more than your opponent and become the official merchant of the Maharaja. At the beginning of the game, three camel cards and two merchandise cards are on the table between the players, who already have five cards in hand. On your turn, you can take some cards or sell some. Each time that you take cards, you can take one or more, however if you decide to take more, then you will have to trade in the same amount of cards from your hand that you take. If you decide to take all camel cards, then they can be used later to trade. You can sell all the merchandise that you want, as long as they are all the same type. For each sale, you will receive tokens with various point values. At the end of the game, the player who has the majority of the camels also wins points.

Machi Koro, IDW Games
You've just been elected Mayor.  Congrats! Unfortunately the citizens have some pretty big demands: jobs, a theme park, a couple of cheese factories and maybe even a radio tower.  A tough proposition since the city currently consists of a wheat field, a bakery and a single die. Armed only with your trusty die and a dream, you must grow Machi Koro into the largest city in the region. 

7 Wonders, Asmodee
In 7 Wonders, you lead an ancient civilization as it rises from its barbaric roots to become a world power. Lead your troops to a military victory or create a nation of artisans and philosophers. Establish a powerful merchant state or master the mysteries of science and technology. Build an architectural wonder that will fascinate for eons to come, and rule the most powerful civilization on Earth!

Metro, Rio Grande Games
The eve of the 1900 World’s Fair is approaching, and excavations are taking place across the city. Bizarre-looking scaffolds arise everywhere. Tunnels are built in the streets to later be covered with earth. Take part in the construction of the Paris Metro. Each player works to complete a set of lines across Paris and scores points based on the length of the lines, after all, we want to show the tourists as much of our fine city as possible. When you complete your lines, you tally your points and the player with the most points when the fair opens, is the winner.

Vikings Board Game, Z-Man Games
You are the leader of a clan of Vikings. You are tasked with the scouting and settling of undiscovered islands off the coast of the mainland. To expand your territories and clan, you will need to master the game's clever rotating wheel. The price for islands and Vikings will change as players acquire more of them. The game will be tense until the end and you will need to protect your islands against the ships that sail on the horizon. Are you the leader whose clan will rise above the others?

Lady Alice, Hurrican / Asmodee
Lady Alice is a game of intrigue, flair, bluffing, and mischief.  The players are the Baker Street Kids, children under the tutelage of Sherlock Holmes who must deduce the culprit behind the kidnapping of Henry Morton Stanley as well as the time and place the kidnapping occurred and which object was stolen at the same time.

Lanterns, Renegade Game Studios
The harvest is in, and now it's time to celebrate! Lanterns: The Harvest Festival is a tile-- placement game set in imperial China. Place tiles, adorn the palace lake, and dedicate lanterns in this fast paced board game. Players act as artisans decorating the palace lake with floating lanterns. The artisan who earns the most honor before the festival arrives wins the game.

Moonshot The Game, Limited Edition
This board game is part of a Limited First Edition series, dedicated to the crews of Apollo I and the Challenger Space Shuttle, with a gold-colored sticker on the front of the box signed by game designer Van Overbay. "Moonshot The Game" puts you in command as you develop rockets, launch spacecraft, avoid hazards and earn mission patches in a thrilling race to be the first player to land on the Moon.  The game combines the strategy of a classic board game with the tactics of a collectible card game. 

Axis & Allies 1942, Wizards of the Coast
It’s spring 1942, and the world is at war. Five major powers struggle for supremacy: Germany and Japan are aligned against the great alliance of the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Controlling one of the Axis or Allied powers, players will command both their country’s military forces and its war-time economy, with the chance to plan attacks, marshal forces into embattled territories, and resolve conflicts. Victory will go to the side that conquers its opponents on the field of battle and liberates or occupies the greatest cities of the world. Change the course of history in a few short hours!

*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer

October 2015 Games of the Week

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

The Histocrats support the idea of incorporating board-games into your personal life as well as in the classroom.  As such, we support and participate in a local board-gaming group.  Any and all board-game enthusiasts are welcome to join the Game Nights that are held every first and third Friday night of the month.  As part of our gaming group initiative, we also recommend history centric games that are fun to play each week to all of our followers.  The selected games receive our “Game of the Week” distinction.  Recommended games are a mix of cooperative, card games, as well Euro style games.


Map It USA Geography Game, FoxMind Games
Challenge your family with knowledge about cities and landmarks in the US edition of Map It! Players take turns placing randomly drawn location cards in the correct position around a given starting point. Is New York north or south of Seattle? What about Miami? Is it to the east or the west of New York? If you're not sure, make your best guess! You'll also score points by catching errors made by confused opponents. What's more, with two levels of play, young minds and seasoned globetrotters alike can lose themselves in the fun of this great game of directions!








Moonshot The Game, Limited Edition
This board game is part of a Limited First Edition series, dedicated to the crews of Apollo I and the Challenger Space Shuttle, with a gold-colored sticker on the front of the box signed by game designer Van Overbay. "Moonshot The Game" puts you in command as you develop rockets, launch spacecraft, avoid hazards and earn mission patches in a thrilling race to be the first player to land on the Moon.  The game combines the strategy of a classic board game with the tactics of a collectible card game. 








Swing State: Presidential Election Game
Swing State is designed to be a great and realistic game of political strategy -- something interesting for older kids but a truly competitive game for adults. It centers on the Electoral College - the heart of presidential elections in the United States - and the strategies involved in winning 12 swing states. The game, like a real election, involves two players or two teams with one candidate and one campaign manager on each.








Risk - Dalek Invasion of Earth, Hasbro
EX-TER-MIN-ATE The Earth as multiple Dalek descend from the skies, seeking to destroy one another and conquer the world! Choose your side, deploy your armies and go into battle! In the Doctor Who Risk game, you can play as one of five different armies, either classic or New Dalek Paradigm as you invade Earth seeking supremacy. Only once all opposition has been wiped out can you begin the search - will you be the last Dalek army left? The Doctor will do his best to stop you, bringing peace to a different territory each turn, and if your army is not victorious by his eleventh regeneration, then the battle is over and all Daleks must retreat as the Oncoming Storm saves the Earth. With special power cards to boost your forces or destroy your plans, and special missions to defeat other invading forces, this game of Risk is an epic battle for control of the Earth...and the universe.

*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer

Exploring Japanese Culture through Board Games

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

There are a variety of ways to introduce students to Japanese culture through board games.  Games can range from easy to hard, simple to complex, and can cover any time period or cultural aspect.  All you have to do to engage students in all things Japanese, is introduce them to a game that matches their interest.  The following are just a few games you can use to create a hook into exploring Japanese culture. 

Discovering Japan’s Feudal Era

There are a number of games that cover Japan’s feudal era.  Three quick games are Love Letter (Alderac Entertainment Group), Samurai Sword (DaVinci), and Age Of War (Fantasy Flight Games). Two are quick card games that offer an introduction to the time period and Shogun culture. Love Letter is a game that has a lot of different incarnations.  To explore Japanese culture, try the Kanai Factory edition. In Samurai Sword, players get a quick introduction to the Samurai, Shogun and Ronin. In Age Of War, students can be introduced to feudal Japan not by using cards but rather dice.  In this fast paced game students assume the roles of daimyos competing to unite the warring clans of feudal Japan and assume control of the nation. All three of these games are not overtly historical, rather they are quick and easy games that can be used to introduce students to the time period. 

If you rather go in depth into the time period, you can introduce more complex games like Yedo: Rule From the Shadows (Pandasaurus Games) and Edo (Queen Games). In Yedo, students learn about Japan in 1605. In the game, Hidetada Tokugawa has succeeded his father as the new Shogun, ruling from the great city of Edo (modern Tokyo). Players assume the roles of Clan Elders in the city of Edo during the early years of the Tokugawa Shogunate.  In Edo, players are daimyos developing the region of Edo (Tokyo) by building houses and trading goods. The goal is to increase their influence in the Tokugawa Empire. Both games are similar in play and complexity.

Learning about Japan in contrast to China

Many times while covering Asia, teachers will spend a great deal more time covering China than Japan.  However, there are games that teachers can use to highlight Japanese culture as an extension to what is covered when discussing China.  Certainly, Tokaido (Passport Game Studios), and Takenoko (Asmodee) hit both ideas.  In Tokaido, players travel the "East sea road", one of the most magnificent roads of Japan. While traveling, players will meet people, eat, collect items, discover panoramas, and visit temples. Teachers can use Tokaido as a contrast to China’s Silk Road. In Takenoko, the Chinese Emperor offered a giant panda bear as a symbol of peace to the Japanese Emperor. Since then, the Japanese Emperor has entrusted his court members with the difficult task of caring for the animal by tending to his bamboo garden. In Takenoko, students learn about the importance of the giant panda bear, different types of bamboo and the care which must be used in growing it. 

Learning about Japanese Food, Art and Architecture

There are a lot of games that cover Japanese cuisine and art.  The following are easy to learn and play.  They are Sushi Go!, (Gamewright), Niya, (Blue Orange), and Machi Koro, (IDW Games). In Sushi Go!, students can learn about Japanese cuisine in a fast paced card game.  The goal is to grab the best combination of sushi dishes and players score points for making the most maki rolls or for collecting a full set of sashimi. This game actually taught my daughters more about sushi than I did.  After paying the game, they were quick to order new sushi combos when we went out to eat!  In Niya, players play one of two influential clans in Japan's Imperial Garden. The tiles in the game are based on the Hanafuda (flower cards) that date back to the 9th century.  Playing Niya will allow students to be introduced to the Genji and Heike clans as well as the Hanafuda cards.  In Machi Koro, players get to discover the wonder of being a mayor of a Japanese town.  In this game, student can learn how hard it is to actually build a town from a wheat field to the largest city in the region. 

There are lots of board games that highlight Japanese culture and history.  These are just a few samples.  No matter your gaming IQ, you will be sure to find a game that you and your students can play to learn about Japanese culture and history. 
 
 
 

August 2015 Games of the Week

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

The Histocrats support the idea of incorporating board-games into your personal life as well as in the classroom.  As such, we support and participate in a local board-gaming group.  Any and all board-game enthusiasts are welcome to join the Game Nights that are held every first and third Friday night of the month.  As part of our gaming group initiative, we also recommend history centric games that are fun to play each week to all of our followers.  The selected games receive our “Game of the Week” distinction.  Recommended games are a mix of cooperative, card games, as well Euro style games.

Lady Alice, Hurrican / Asmodee
Lady Alice is a game of intrigue, flair, bluffing, and mischief.  The players are the Baker Street Kids, children under the tutelage of Sherlock Holmes who must deduce the culprit behind the kidnapping of Henry Morton Stanley as well as the time and place the kidnapping occurred and which object was stolen at the same time.











Love Letter, Alderac Entertainment Group
All of the eligible young men (and many of the not-so-young) seek to woo the princess of Tempest. Unfortunately, she has locked herself in the palace, and you must rely on others to bring your romantic letters to her. Will yours reach her first? Your goal is to get your love letter into Princess Annette's hands while deflecting the letters from competing suitors.










Linkage: A DNA Card Game, Genius Games
Linkage is a fast-paced, competitive genetics themed card game based on the process of DNA Transcription (Creating an RNA copy of a DNA template).  Each player links RNA cards side-by-side to build their own RNA strand, attempting to copy a shared DNA Template.  Players decide whether to build on their own RNA strand, repair their RNA strand, mutate an opposing strand, or mutate the DNA template itself. Players earn points based upon how accurately their RNA strands match the DNA Template, and the player with the most points at the end of the game wins!





Viceroy, Mayday Games
Viceroy is a board game of bidding and resource management set in the fantasy universe of the famous Russian CCG Berserk. As the players struggle for control over the world of Laar, they recruit a variety of allies and enact various laws. These cards allow players to develop their state's military and magical might, increase their authority, and get precious gems they need to continue expanding their nation.

As the game progresses, each player builds his own power pyramid using character and law cards. Each card has its own effect that depends on the level of the pyramid where the card is played. These effects may give more resources, more cards, or victory points. The player who has the most power points at the end of the game becomes the ruler of all of Laar and the winner!

*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer

A Few Geography Games to Enjoy in the Classroom

Looking for an different way to engage your students? Try computer games.

These games are free to play on a computer and offer students a another way to interact with content. The games below are geography themed that let students explore land use, disasters, and life in less developed countries(LDC). In a  two hour block near the end of the school year, my students* tried them out. Here are some of the things they had to say.

Electrocity
http://www.electrocity.co.nz/

"Fun game! I really liked it a lot and have fun playing" - Sasha

Lizard Point Quizzes
Geography and Humanities
http://lizardpoint.com

Stop Disaster
http://www.stopdisastersgame.org/en/home.html

"The game was very fun and interesting but it also brought along with it many challenges and difficulties. I enjoyed the game even though I did not succeed in my goal of building a natural disaster proof city." -Will

Ayiti
https://ayiti.globalkids.org/game/
 
"This game made me sad whenever I made people work through sickness or struggle in debt, but I understand that it is a real life issue." -Sara

Crisis of Nations
https://www.icivics.org/games/crisis-nations

 "The game is based on the leadership of a nation during times of crisis and the tactics used by nations to resolve global issues." -Dan


*Student names changed.

 

A Few History Games to Enjoy in Class

Looking for a different way to engage your students? Try computer games.

These games are free to play on a computer and offer students a another way to interact with content.  In a recent two hour block my students* tried them out.   Here are some of the things they had to say.

Lewis and Clark Game
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/west/
"You get to see how Lewis and Clark traveled across America and the decisions they had to make." -Alvin

Win the White House

https://www.icivics.org/games/win-white-house
 https://www.icivics.org/games

"In this game, you get to manage your very own presidential campaign by strategically raising funds, polling voters, launching media campaigns, and making personal appearances."  -Beth

Fling the Teacher-World War II
http://www.deafmall.net/cms/ww2/ww2flingtheteacher.html

"The game was fun but frustrating when you got a question wrong and you had to start over to fling the teacher." -Kelly

Crisis of Nations
https://www.icivics.org/games/crisis-nations
  https://www.icivics.org/games

"The game is based on the leadership of a nation during times of crisis and the tactics used by nations to resolve global issues."-Dan

Do I have a Right?
https://www.icivics.org/games/do-i-have-right
 https://www.icivics.org/games

"I liked the game because it simulate real life examples of people fighting for their rights and you get to play to have a team with diversity in their skill set." -Mary 

*Student names changed.

March 2015 Games of the Week

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

The Histocrats support the idea of incorporating board-games into your personal life as well as in the classroom.  As such, we support and participate in a local board-gaming group.  Any and all board-game enthusiasts are welcome to join the Game Nights that are held every first and third Friday night of the month.  As part of our gaming group initiative, we also recommend history centric games that are fun to play each week to all of our followers.  The selected games receive our “Game of the Week” distinction.  Recommended games are a mix of cooperative, card games, as well Euro style games.


Space Alert, Rio Grande Games
Space Alert is a team survival game. Players take on the role of a crew of space explorers sent out through hyperspace to survey a dangerous sector of the Galaxy.  The spaceship automatically maps the sector in 10 minutes. The crew's task is to defend the ship until the mission is complete. If they succeed, the ship brings back valuable data. If they fail, it is time to train a new crew.  Completing the most difficult missions requires close teamwork.

Carcassonne Gold Rush Board Game, Z-Man Games
The Far West: It starts with railroads and brings you to small camps that will quickly become cities. Trading with the Native Americans is greatly prosperous, and that's nothing compared to the lodes that keep being discovered sporadically in the mountains. The only risk is the other prospectors, who are also searching to find the same riches as you are.








Machi Koro, IDW Games
You've just been elected Mayor.  Congrats! Unfortunately the citizens have some pretty big demands: jobs, a theme park, a couple of cheese factories and maybe even a radio tower.  A tough proposition since the city currently consists of a wheat field, a bakery and a single die. Armed only with your trusty die and a dream, you must grow Machi Koro into the largest city in the region. 









Article 27: The United Nations Security Council Game, Stronghold Games
Article 27 takes place in the not-too-distant future. You assume the role of one of the permanent members of the Security Council, which means you wield the power of the veto.  No proposal can pass when a member uses their veto, so there had better be something in the deal for you. Each player will take a turn as the leader of the Security Council and try to get a proposal passed.  Negotiations can include side-deals, threats, or out-right influence-peddling.  But once the gavel comes down it's time to vote, and the other players might not live up to their end of the deal.  In the end, the player who has earned the most influence points is the winner and it's rarely the most honorable.

Niya, Blue Orange
In Japan's Imperial Garden, courtly manners and nature's beauty veil a dark political conspiracy among two influential clans. On each turn, players replace a garden tile with one of their clan tokens. The next player can only exchange a token for a garden tile that has an element in common with the previously chosen tile. The first to position their clan in a row, square, or blockade will win control of the garden. And power at court!

*All product descriptions are from the manufacturer