I would like to purchase a variety of board games and Lego creative building kits to supplement my "soft skills" ACES classroom. Each Friday, students are tasked with playing a board/card game to work on intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. Sometimes students will be told to select a game that fits into a specific theme, such as cooperative, strategical, short play time, card game, educational, etc. I would like students to have more variety so that they can be introduced to new games and enough to allow for this thematic requirement. Variety of games will allow students to work on perseverance and following directions as they work to understand the rules of a new game. I would also like to occasionally ask students to engage in Creative Design challenges. As Legos are reusable time after time, I believe that would be the best design medium for these challenges.
The benefits of playing board games and engaging in Lego challenges are numerous. Some of the benefits include patience with learning a new game, waiting for a turn, or accepting decisions others make. Cooperation and teamwork skills are necessary for success in the workforce and society at large and cooperative game play and creative design challenges can hone these skills. As the games and Legos would belong to the school, another important skill students will learn the responsibility of caring and respecting others' property. Students will be able to engage in creativity and stress relief. As students will at certain times be tasked with selecting games that fall into certain categories or themes, they will likely be learning new games, which will help students work on the skill of following directions and breaking out of their comfort zone. Creative Design challenges also help students work on problem solving, experimentation, spatial ability, and fine motor skills.
The success of this program will be measured by students improving their interpersonal and intrapersonal skills at the end of the ACES class. Students often argue, grow agitated if they don’t get their way, and give up if they think something is too difficult. If students are more determined to learn new games and engage with peers in a positive way during both cooperative and competitive games and Lego design challenges then I will consider the program a success.
When the funds are available, I will work with Elvia Lopez Esparza to place the order for board games and Legos through Amazon. Once the board games and Legos arrive, I will organize and label them by the skills each incorporates, such as collaboration, strategy, education, etc. I will set clear expectations for the purpose and use of the materials to students. I will emphasize that the purpose of playing the games is to work on “soft skills”, not simply for “fun”.
The board games and Legos purchased with this grant may be used by other members of my grade level. They would be especially helpful in supporting critical, creative, and cooperative skills in AVID and GATE classes. The educational games could be used by early finishers in subject classes.
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No other funding sources are available.