Power - the game

One of the best ways to learn math is to engage in an activity where one hardly realizes math is part of the game. Math is all about problem-solving and developing strategies. With this in mind, I created a game that engages the participants in using math skills to play a board game. See the pdf for detailed game rules (Downloads).

The game of Power is a board game involving two people or two small groups (small groups may actually work really well). The goal of this game is to gain as much power as you can. The elevation power, figure power, and adjacent power determine overall power. Eliminate the opponent's figures to ensure power dominance. Consider the impact of positive and negative values on the overall power. If you liken this to a battle scenario think of it as certain participants have an advantage or disadvantage based on the elevation they are fighting from; some fight better from above and some fight better from below. There is also strength in numbers (adjacent power). Success will be determined by the elimination of your opponent's figures from the board or after a designated time determining which side has more total power.

Please "like" this file if you collect or download it.

Print Settings

Printer Brand:

MakerBot

Printer:

MakerBot Replicator 2

Rafts:

Yes

Supports:

No

Resolution:

fine - .1 mm

Infill:

12%

Notes:

Rafts will make all the player pieces print better. rafts might even help the board print without curling up.

I have printed these out at 4 shells - you want the components strong.

How I Designed This

Design Features

• rules must to be easy to learn
• must involve problem solving (do math without thinking about it)
• must be engaging
• visually differentiate levels, sides, and figures (by colors or shape)
• two person play or two small groups
• must be printable by deposition printers without supports

Instructions

See the attached pdf for rules of the game.

The files are in stl and thing format.

I would suggest printing out the board with different colors for each level that correspond to the different power levels. (e,g. first level - black, second level gray, third level - dark green, fourth level light green).

Each game figure needs to be printed out separately rather than in groups like had those originally setup; I thought the grouping would provide printing efficiency but printing that way caused the extruder head to knock them over once those were built up a ways - probably because of unequal cooling, so you will have to either flip those and print with rafts or print each one out upright but separately.

I would also suggest printing each side's figures in different colors and change colors as it starts on the symbols on top of the figures (e.g. black for negative symbol and white for positive symbol). Ensure you run quite a bit of filament through too ensure you get a pure colour on the crown of the figure - as you can see even though I had run quite a bit of filament through it still contamenated the white positive symbol on the orange figures, see photo.

You will need to print one game board.

You will need to print the 14 figure files for each side in an appropriate color - a different color from the board colors (e.g. side 1 - gold, side 2 - orange):

• 3 of Pos_2_Fig
• 4 of Pos_1_Fig
• 3 of Neg_2_Fig
• 4 of Neg_1_Fig

You can print the die off from here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:38022

Custom Section

Project Description

Objectives: students will use and apply the following skills and processes:

• multiplying negative and positive numbers
• calculating expressions
• problem solving
• developing strategies
• introduction to powers

Audiences:

• upper elementary grades through to junior high and or middle school (although anyone would enjoy the game)

Preparation:

• basic math skills of multiplying positive and negative numbers
• able to calculate simple expressions.

Steps:

• print out the game board and game pieces
• find a partner
• read the instructions
• play the game - may the best problem solver win

Results:

• students will have printed out the game and played the game.

Assessment:

• the instructor can observe and see students using skills of multiplying positive and negative numbers as well as applying strategies and problem solving approaching
• students could also discuss afterward what they learned about math thinking from the game