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Academic games
From TheBestLinks.com
Academic Games is a US competition in which players win by out-thinking each other in mathematics, language arts, and social studies. Formal tournaments are organized by local leagues, and on a national level the Academic Games Leagues of America. The AGLOA has member leagues in eight states and holds a national tournament every year, in which players in four divisions compete in six different games. Some turn-based games require a kit consisting of a board and playing cubes, and other games have a central reader announcing questions or clues, which each player must answer individually. Many school aged students participate in Academic Games tournaments, and some of the games are even taught in schools to enhance the classroom experience.
History
Academic Games Leagues of America was founded in 1991 to encourage the use of Academic Games as an educational tool and for competition. Many of the games used in tournaments, however, were created in the 1960s and 1970s. Brother Neal Golden is the current president of AGLOA. Most of the games played at tournaments are made available by Wff 'N Proof Learning Games. Before the existence of AGLOA, tournaments were held by the National Academic Games Project, which was started by the creator of many of the games. Many AGLOA leaders were involved with NAGP, and created the new league partially because of personal conflict with Robert E. Allen. Allen later sued the AGLOA for copyright, trademark, and tradename infringement[1] (http://laws.lp.findlaw.com/9th/9456593.html).
Divisions
Academic Games players compete with other players in their own age group. These are the four age divisions of the league.
- Elementary - Grades 4-6
- Middle - Grades 7-8
- Junior - Grades 9-10
- Senior - Grades 11-12
However, there is no restriction against playing one of your players in a higher division. Several teams have won national championships in the senior division, even though half their players belonged, agewise, in the junior division.
As a player progresses through the divisions, each game becomes more challenging. Harder variations are added to the cube games.
Games Played
These are the six games that are played in official AGLOA tournaments. Some local leagues also play other games; such as On-Words (a simplified version of LinguiSHTIK) and Wff 'N Proof (the so-called "Game Of Modern Logic", which teaches symbolic logic and the use of well-formed formulas).
Math Games
Equations
- Equations is a mathematics game created in 1965. The game uses a playing mat and 24 cubes which are labeled with numbers and mathematical operations. It is played with two or three players who take turns setting a goal at the beginning of match, and coming up with a solution before their opponent(s). Gameplay can become more complicated through the use of "variations" called on the game. Applicable variations differ by the player's age division. The game progresses with each player moving one cube on their turn, or alternatively challenging that they can create a solution with the cubes in play, or challenging that it is impossible to create a solution with the cubes available. When a player calls a challenge, it is called against the player who made the mistake of making that challenge possible. In a three player game, the indifferent player may choose who he sides with in a challenge. A player who correctly challenges another player also wins the game. Equations games become interesting with the use of factorials, fractions, and even logarithms, in the Senior division.
On-Sets
- On-Sets is a board and cube game that teaches basic logic and set theory. This game also uses a deck of 16 cards that is used to make the Universe. Each card contains a different combination of colored dots. The cubes contain numbers, colors and logic operators. Players learn logic concepts such as union (set theory) and intersection (set theory), and learn to use restrictions such as subset. Variations can be also be used in On-Sets games. A player wins by using the cubes in resources to create a logical statement which equals the goal set using the numeral cubes. Challenges work in a similar way to Equations.
Language Games
LinguiSHTIK
- LinguiSHTIK is a technical game that teaches language arts and linguistics. The game has a playing mat and cubes which are imprinted with the 26 letters of the alphabet. A player has to create a word using the letters available, and the word must be used in a sentence that matches the Demands called. A demand specifies something about the sentence or word, such as number of clauses, part of speech, number of letters, etc. Challenges in LinguiSHTIK work in the same way they do in the other cube games. Some concepts taught in LinguiSHTIK include sentence patterns, clauses, grammar, and verbs.
Propaganda
- In Propaganda, clues are read to all players by a central reader. Each player must decide, from a list, which persuasion technique that clue used. There are several different sections of Propaganda techniques, the reader also specifies which section the persuasion technique is listed in. Different leagues have different scoring methods, but the official AGLOA scoring involves a "bold" and "cautious" rating method. If you rate your answer, "bold," then you receive two points for a correct answer, or you lose a point for an incorrect answer. If you rate your answer, "cautious," then you receive one point for a correct answer, or receive no points for an incorrect answer. A round consists of nine questions, so the highest score possible per round is 18 points, while the lowest is -9 points. Most Propaganda clues involve statements that are likely to be heard in advertising or politics. There are six different Propaganda sections, but only four specific sections are used in each season. Sections A, C, D, and E are being used for the 2004-2005 season. Here are all the Propaganda techniques, listed by section.
Propaganda Techniques
| # | Section A | Section B | Section C | Section D | Section E | Section F |
| 'Techniques of Self-Deception' | 'Techniques of Language' | 'Techniques of Irrelevance' | 'Techniques of Exploitation' | 'Techniques of Form' | 'Techniques of Maneuver' |
| 1 | Prejudice | Emotional Terms | Appearance | Appeal To Pity | Concurrency | Diversion |
| 2 | Academic Detachment | Metaphor/Simile | Manner | Appeal to Flattery | Post Hoc | Disproving a Minor Point |
| 3 | Drawing the Line | Emphasis | Degrees and Titles | Appeal to Ridicule | Selected Instances | Ad Hominem |
| 4 | Not Drawing the Line | Quotation out of Context | Numbers | Appeal to Prestige | Hasty Generalization | Appeal to Ignorance |
| 5 | Conservatism, Radicalism, Moderatism | Abstract Terms | Status | Appeal to Prejudice | Faulty Analogy | Leading Question |
| 6 | Rationalization | Vagueness | Repetition | Bargain Appeal | Composition | Complex Question |
| 7 | Wishful Thinking | Ambiguity | Solutions | Folksy Appeal | Division | Inconsequent Argument |
| 8 | Tabloid Thinking | Shift of Meaning | Technical Jargon | Join the Bandwagon Appeal | Non-Sequitur | Victory By Definition |
| 9 | Casual Oversimplification | --- | Sophistical Formula | Appeal to Practical Consequences | --- | Victory By Definition |
| 10 | Inconceivability | --- | --- | Passing from the Acceptable to the Dubious | --- | Begging the Question |
Social Studies Games
Presidents
- A central reader announces three clues about a particular president. Each player must individually write down which president the clue describes. Players who answer correctly on the earliest clue get more points than players that answer after more clues are given. In the Elementary and Middle divisions, only 24 presidents are used per season. For those divisions, ranges switch between presidents 1-24 and 25-48 every other year. In Junior and Senior divisions, however, all the presidents are used every season. During a tournament, players are assisted by a gazetteer which has a picture of each president, along with their name, birthdate, birthplace, and other basic information.
World Events
- In this game, players answer questions about both recent events, and questions about a topic that is chosen each Academic Games season. This year's topic is "Mysterious World of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca". World Events topics are also divided into subtopics. These are the topics for [2004]-[2005].
- Mysterious World of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca
- History
- Realm of Influence
- Geographic Regions
- Government
- Daily Life
- Dress
- Agriculture
- Social Classes
- Housing
- Transportation
- Music
- Food
- Sports/Games
- Entertainment
- Education
- Technological Advances
- Economics
- Writing
- Medicine
- Mathematics
- Architecture
- Trade
- Astronomy
- Arts
- Calendars
- Domesticated Animals
- Religion
- Temples
- Rituals
- Superstitions
- Gods
- Famous People
- Leaders
- High Priests
- Spanish Conquistadors
- Missionaries
- Scribes
Terminology
A spectator at an Academic Games tournament will hear a lot of jargon being thrown around that he may not be familiar with. Here are some of the most common AG-related words and their meanings.
- One match of a cube game is called a shake. A shake can last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on the cubes rolled and the players involved.
- Resources are the cubes that are rolled at the beginning of each shake.
- Equations and On-Sets require the first player to use cubes from resources to set a goal. This is what players try to achieve a solution to throughout the shake
- A player uses the cubes in resources to create a solution that equals the goal. A solution must be written on paper. After a solution is presented, other players check that solution.
- A player calls Challenge Now when he can create a solution using the cubes in play, and optionally one more cube from resources.
- Challenge Never is called when a player believes it is impossible to create a solution, because of a previous player's move. The player it was called against must try to create a solution, and show that there was a correct solution possible.
- In Equations and On-Sets, players can call a total of three variations that affect that shake. Variations are intended to make the game more interesting and more challenging for experienced players. Some examples of variations are "wilds" where one cube can represent another cube, "upside down", where an upside down number is interpreted as the numbers opposite, etc.
- At the beginning of an On-Sets shake, one player randomly lays out between six and twelve unique cards containing colored dots. This collection of cards is called the universe.
- A LinguiSHTIK demand can be called by stating the name of the demand and placing a green or black cube in the "Demands" section of the playing mat. The word and sentence in a player's solution must meet all demands called in that shake.
- As a courtesy, players say the word "stall" before flipping the one-minute timer during their opponents turn. Most actions in the games have a time limit, ranging from 15 seconds to three minutes. Surpassing the time limit usually carries a small penalty.
- In the case that a game is not finished within the time limit, or that no possible moves can be made that would not create a "Now" or "Never" situation, the game goes into a force out. During a force out, players are given two minutes to create a solution. Players with a correct solutions earn a small amount of points, and the ones with an incorrect solution receive none, or the minimum possible for that round.
National Tournaments
AGLOA holds a national tournament in a different city each year. The last tournament was held in Kissimmee, Florida. The 2004-2005 tournament will be held in April, 2005 in Baton Rouge, LA. The best players from schools in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia will compete for the many awards that will be given out. Players compete in teams of five, usually consisting of students from their own school.
See also
External links
- Has rules, variation sheets, quizzes, general info, tournament results
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