US20070052169A1

US20070052169A1 - Educational board game and method of playing

Info

Publication number: US20070052169A1
Application number: US11/210,177
Authority: US
Inventors: Heather Shanks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-08-23
Filing date: 2005-08-23
Publication date: 2007-03-08

Abstract

An entertaining and educational board game is disclosed which requires players to answer questions 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 arranged into categories 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 and includes a playing board 50, a playing course 46 of interconnecting squares 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, a plurality of question and answer cards 52, a plurality of movement cards 54, and a plurality of playing pieces 48. The players take turns in their attempts to traverse the playing board 50 answering questions 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 printed on question cards 52 correctly. The particular question category 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 selected by each player as a result of his/her playing piece 48 landing on a respective playing space 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 corresponding to the question category. It is the intent of each of the participants in the game to be the first player to reach a specific END space 24 located within the playing course 46 and to correctly answer the question or questions from the category 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 indicated on the END space 24.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention
This invention generally relates to educational board games, specifically to question and answer trivia games pertaining to different aspects of Foreign Studies Education such as, history, culture, geography, and language learning.
2. Prior Art
While an abundance of board games exist, none could be found which relate to the various aspects of Foreign Studies Education such as, history, geography, culture, language, etc.
Originally these games cover topics such as TV shows, movies, US history, African American achievements, English language structure, popular culture, new events, etc., none of which focus on subjects dealing with Foreign language, history, geography or culture.
The prior art reveals a number of board games having varying objectives, modes of play, and goals. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,739 to Yu 1998 a learning aid that focuses on Foreign Language grammar and vocabulary.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,816 to Hunt 1979 relates to a game apparatus for teaching, rewarding, and enjoying language facts and concepts by accumulating or losing point totals while classifying examples of grammar or language facts into categories.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,439 to Lott 1992 relates to a multi-colored game board with a plurality of squares and method of playing a game that pertains to the history and culture of African American people.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,354 to Easley 1998 relates to board games and to education and entertainment by answering questions in a hierarchy extending from most to least difficult questions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,346 to Dillhoff 1994 relates to games and more particularly educational word games involving reading, pronunciation, spelling, and/or defining of selected words.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,370 to Morris 2000 pertains to a board game that includes several elements of gaming together with education and entertainment covering different subject matters.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,398 to Kolleth 2000 relates to a board game in which a player throws a dice and progresses around a board answering questions dealing with educational, recreational or promotional purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,939 to Robinson, et al. 1993 relates to a board game providing, primarily, thought provoking questions on various educational disciplines allowing participants to challenge each other's responses to questions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,569 to Walker 1995 relates to an Afro American educational quiz game that works to enlighten the general public on the contributions and achievements of black people in various fields.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,854 to Weiss 1991 relates to an educational board game that is intended to teach and familiarize people of all ages to the meanings of figurative expressions used in the English language.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,805 to Medlock 1991 relates to an educational board game wherein players move along respective paths answering questions chosen by a spin of a question and answer selector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,546 to Rita 1986 relates to a game utilizing cards and answer boards with the objective of all players playing along with each question.
In the past, attempts to make learning more enjoyable have produced some games. The problem being that none of them focused on the Foreign Studies domain, instead they were focused on and developed in conjunction with the core curriculum classes such as, language, math, social studies, and science.
Although there are a few entertaining products for supplementing Foreign Studies education, many of those products are computer oriented and only allow for one participant to have access to the program at a time, thereby requiring him/her to play and compete against the computer wherein making competition difficult and unrealistic for the player as the game has been programmed to produce all of the correct answers.
Also, such programs are focused strictly on the basics of Foreign Studies, more specifically on language leaning basics such as simple word translations and/or conjugations thereby eliminating the availability of complete Foreign Studies education. Also, these programs are produced for young learners and are difficult, if not impossible, to adapt to the more complex minds of secondary or higher level students.
A variety of different board games have heretofore been known which have, as an object thereof, winning of the game by successfully answering questions. Such games, however, are often protracted and slow moving, thus losing the interest of younger participants who desire a quick progression from start to finish. Yet further, prior games have not been readily adaptable for use of the same game board with a variety of different question and answer cards whereby questions in different category groups may be readily substituted.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION—OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
(a) to provide a game board to provide a method of play pertaining to the language, history, culture and geography of foreign countries in a way that is positive, educational, and entertaining.
(b) to provide an enjoyable game that focuses on the arts and electives part of school curriculum.
(c) to provide an interactive means for supplementing Foreign Studies education wherein a plurality of players may participate at the same time and compete against other players of varying levels of Foreign Studies competency.
(d) to provide a game that goes beyond the very basics of Foreign Studies education and incorporates many aspects of learning including, language, geography, culture, and history.
(e) to provide a game that is easily adaptable to varying levels of knowledge and brain complexity thereby providing a suitable challenge for beginners upwards to experts.
(f) to provide a game that has a path that moves from a definite start position to a fixed stop position in a reasonable amount of time whereby maintaining the interests and desire of participants.
(g) to provide a game board that is easily adaptable for use of the same game board with a variety of different question and answer cards whereby questions in different category groups or different difficulty levels may be readily substituted.
Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present invention, an educational question and answer board game that comprises a multi-colored game board on which is illustrated a path of a succession of eight ninety degree angles. The playing course defines the path of travel for the players, and is further composed of a plurality of joined playing spaces. The majority of the playing spaces contain indicia which denote one category drawn from a plurality of question categories and the remaining spaces contain indicia which direct that any player landing thereon must then move in a certain prescribed manner. In addition, one playing space contain indicia which designates that playing space as the playing space upon which the play of the board game is to commence. Also, an end space is located within the playing course. The first player to traverse the playing course enters the end space and the first player that correctly answers a plurality of questions drawn from a predetermined category is the winner of the game.
The educational question and answer board game includes a plurality of question cards, and each card contains questions from each of the possible categories. The question categories are drawn from the arts and electives part of school curriculum and include, but are not limited to the following topics, foreign language, history, culture, and geography.
Also, the game includes a chance device that indicates how many spaces a player is to traverse during each turn of play.

DRAWING—Figures

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of game board.
FIG. 1 a shows a view of playing board.
FIG. 2 show a perspective view of playing piece
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a question and answer card with category headings only.
FIG. 3 a shows a close-up view of a question and answer card with examples of possible questions and answers.
FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a movement card without indicia.
FIG. 4 a-4 h show close-up views of forward movement cards with examples of indicia.
FIG. 4 i shows a close-up view of a backward movement card with an example of indicia.

DRAWINGS—Reference Numerals

10 category B playing space
12 category O playing space
14 category R playing space
16 category Y playing space
18 category G playing space
20 backward movement playing space
22 Start playing space
24 End playing space
26 category B spot on question and answer card
28 category O spot on question and answer card
30 category R spot on question and answer card
32 category Y spot on question and answer card
34 category G spot on question and answer card
36 example of category B question and answer on question and answer card
38 example of category O question and answer on question and answer card
40 example of category R question and answer on question and answer card
42 example of category Y question and answer on question and answer card
44 example of category G question and answer on question and answer card
46 playing course
48 playing piece
50 laying board
52 question and answer card
54 number card

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a board game that has a plurality of interconnecting squares, playing spaces, or category squares 10,12,14,16,18,20,22,24 which can be played by a plurality of players and which is designed to both provide entertainment for the players and enhance and test their knowledge of the world. The board game includes a playing board 50 manufactured from a durable and water-resistant card/poster board or plastic material. Illustrated upon the playing board 50 is a playing course 46 which is in the form of a path that proceeds upwards for nine squares 10,12,14,16,18 turns right at a ninety degree angle and continues horizontally for one square 20 and then proceeds downwards for nine squares 10,12,14,16,18, turns left at a ninety degree angle, continues horizontally for one square 20 and repeats that process one and a half more times. Said playing course 46 defines the path of travel which the players take during play of the game and said playing course 46 is divided into a plurality of joined playing spaces 10,12,14,16,18,20,22,24 each of which contain indicia relating to the actual play of the game and the overall theme of the game. A playing space 22 has the word “START” contained within its borders and this START space 22 designates the playing space on which the play of the game is to commence. The termination of play of game is designated by one playing space 24 which is located within the playing course 46, and is represented by the word “END.” Said END space 24 denotes the space on which the winner of the game is determined and play of the game is concluded. In addition to this game having a START and an END space 22 and 24, it also contains colored playing spaces 10,12,14,16,18, 20, 22, 24.
As shown in FIG. 1, a majority of the spaces 10,12,14,16,18, 22, 24 contain indicia which denote or designate one particular question category representative of and corresponding to one question category 26,28,30,32,34 drawn from a set or plurality of question cards 52 which comprise one of the main features of the board game. There is also a playing space 20 that requires the players to retreat their playing piece 48, should said playing piece 48 land in said playing space 20, back to the start space 22. Said question categories are representative of every sphere and realm of the world. The present board game derives questions from the following categories, but will not exclude other categories: Foreign history, geography, culture, language, music, literature, sports, show time (entertainment), wildlife, government, law, transportation, food, architecture, art, and religion. In the present design of the board game, only five question categories 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 are used and the question categories 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 illustrated in FIG. 3-3 a are verbs and conjugations 36, word translation 38, adjectives and adjective phrases 40, sentence structure and grammar rules 42, and history, geography, and culture 44. However, the above-listed question categories 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 can be combined in a variety of ways so that each board game includes a unique set of five question categories 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 such as, archeology, indigenous life, travel, communication, current events, popular culture, and philosophy, could be added to said list. Said question categories 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 have been selected with the intention that anyone playing with even the slightest bit of Foreign Studies education should at least have some familiarity with one of the topics from one of the question categories 26, 28, 30, 32, 34. To enhance the appeal and attractiveness of the game, all of the said playing spaces 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 will be color coded with a distinctive color.
In order to physically represent each question category 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, FIGS. 3-3 a of the board game illustrate a plurality of question cards 52. Said question card 52 in FIG. 3 a corresponds to each of the five question categories 26, 28, 30, 32, 34. The present board game includes one set of question cards 52 pertaining to Foreign Studies. FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a question card 52 with only the abbreviations for the respective question categories 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 FIG. 3 a illustrates a representative example of a particular question card 52 with a question and answer 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 from all five question categories 26, 28, 30, 32, 34. As shown in FIG. 3 a, both questions and answers 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 are printed on a side of the question card 52 that is the same. The questions 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 being typed with a regular faced font and the answers 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 being typed with a bold face font. The questions and answers 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 are arranged in a pattern, the same as exemplified on the playing course 46 by the interconnecting, multi-colored playing spaces 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 22, 24. The question 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 being asked is a direct result of the color of the playing space 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 on which the player's playing piece 48 lands during their turn of game play.
As shown in FIG. 2, a token means 48 is used to represent the players as they move on the playing course 46 during play of the game. Said token means 48 are placed on the playing course 46 for forward or backward movement thereon. The token means 48 of the board game includes a plurality of playing pieces 48 in the form of upright molded figures; but other playing pieces or icons such as, any small toy, household or classroom item, can be used as long as they can fit within the playing spaces 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24. Using such items as a small toy or household/classroom item/figurine can add personalized touches to play of the game.
FIGS. 4-4 i illustrate an indicator means. The preferred indicator means includes a plurality of number cards 54 which determine how many playing spaces 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 a player may move in a forward or backward motion during a turn of play. FIGS. 4 a-4 h represent only forward movement while FIG. 4 i represents a backwards movement along the playing course 46.

OPERATION

The rules of the board game are straight forward and simple. The board game must be played with at least two players. Each player should set their playing piece 48 upon the START space 22 so that the playing pieces 48 move forward from the START space 22 in order to advance around the playing course 46 to the END space 24. When the playing piece 48 of a player commences on the START space 22, he/she must first answer a question 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 from the category 26 indicated on the START space 22 by the indicia of the playing space 10, 22. In order to advance around the playing course 46 to the END space 24 the players must continue to correctly answer questions 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, the category of which is indicated by the indicia on the playing space 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 22, 24 when said player answers a question 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 correctly, he/she may continue their advancement around the playing course 46 by drawing said number card 54 and moving forward or backwards as many spaces as indicated by the indicia on the card 54. Said player's turn ends when they incorrectly answer any said questions 36, 38, 40, 42, 44. Game play then moves to a player that is to the left of said previous player. Should a player, during their turn of game play, land on said playing space 20, they must regress their playing piece 48 back to the START space 22 and wait for their next turn. Game play continues in this manner until the first player successfully traverses the playing course 46 from the START space 22 to the END space 24 where said first player must answer a plurality of questions 36 from the category 26 indicated by the indicia on the END space 24.

ADVANTAGES

From the description above, a number of advantages of my Foreign Studies board game become evident:
(a) to provide a game board to provide a method of play pertaining to the language, history, culture and geography of foreign countries in a way that is positive, educational, and entertaining.
(b) to provide an enjoyable game that focuses on the arts and electives part of school curriculum.
(c) to provide an interactive means for supplementing Foreign Studies education wherein a plurality of players may participate at the same time and compete against other players of varying levels of Foreign Studies competency.
(d) to provide a game that goes beyond the very basics of Foreign Studies education and incorporates many aspects of learning including, language, geography, culture, and history.
(e) to provide a game that is easily adaptable to varying levels of knowledge and brain complexity thereby providing a suitable challenge for beginners upwards to experts.
(f) to provide a game that has a path that moves from a definite start position to a fixed stop position in a reasonable amount of time whereby maintaining the interests and desire of participants.
(g) to provide a game board that is easily adaptable for use of the same game board with a variety of different question and answer cards whereby questions in different category groups or different difficulty levels may be readily substituted.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

Accordingly, the reader will see that the Foreign Studies board game can be used as an effective and entertaining means of learning, studying, practicing, and acquiring foreign country knowledge, and of self-evaluating the acquisition of that information. Furthermore, the Foreign Studies board game has the additional advantages in that

- it permits and promotes teamwork among students;
- it promotes socialization;
- it provides a means of educational entertainment appropriate for the subject matter and classroom;
- it promotes the study of foreign countries;
- it provides a means of supplementing the arts and electives part of school curriculum;
- it provides a means of in-depth learning that goes beyond just the basics of Foreign Studies;
- it allows for easy adaptation of game questions and categories to meet the needs of a wide range of people from young to old and beginner to expert;
- it provides a game that is completed in a reasonable amount of time as to keep players engaged and interested.

Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the game can utilize other question categories such as, indigenous life, archeology, travel, current events, popular culture, etc.
Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

Claims

1) An educational foreign studies board game for play by a plurality of people, the educational and entertaining board game comprising:

(a) a game board having a playing surface divided into a plurality of sections, each section comprising a subject category,

(b) a plurality of question and answer cards, each said question and answer card having a question and answer from each of said subject categories,

(c) a plurality of playing pieces for marking each player's forward or backward movement on said playing surface,

(d) a plurality of movement indicators for directing player's forward or backward progress on said playing surface.

2) The educational foreign studies board game of claim 1 wherein said game board is a sheet of stiff and flexible material and said question and answer cards have an indicia for each said subject category corresponding to an indicia on said game board.

3) A method for playing a game, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing said playing pieces on said playing surface, said playing surface having a plurality of interconnecting playing spaces, and a plurality of individual indicia are displayed in a plurality of said playing spaces; moving said game pieces along said playing spaces according to the indicia appearing on said movement indicators and according to correctly answering questions from said question and answer cards which are to be drawn and answered as each player takes a turn; and

(b) requiring a player to successfully perform at least one action from a group of actions comprising translating, defining, conjugating, and answering said individual questions from said question and answer cards, said action being determined by said indicia from said playing space where said player's playing piece landed for said player to be entitled to advance said player's playing piece on said playing surface.

4) The game method of claim 3 wherein said subject categories pertain to a plurality of predetermined aspects of foreign studies.

5) The game method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

(a) including a plurality of movement spaces on the rows that offer said players an opportunity to catch up to said other player's game progression whereby increasing said player's chances of winning.