Word Wars

Based on Massively Multi-Player Online Games You will need some timers, such as a kitchen timer, a watch or a smartphone app, and a ruler Students prepare for the game by writing out 10 words. Each word is a village. Arrange the words however wished on the table, representing the game map. Make sure theyre spread out and intermingled, not just grouped right in front of their owner. Use orientation (perpendicular to the possessing student) to show ownership. (You could define zones on the table where each student can put their word-villages, as long as the zones overlap.) There are no town halls or capital cities. Each student should write their village-words on a chart in pencil to keep track of their units. Villages start with one noun, one verb, and one article, but no adjectives or anything else, each: 3 units. Students will first want to define a vocabulary word, for example from a word envelope or word box, if you use that technique; or from the unit vocabulary. Correct definitions earn points. No word can be correctly defined twice in a row at least 15 more definitions must be completed before a word is used again. Points: earn points by 1) defining a vocabulary word (5 points). 2) attacking an opponents village with a perfect sentence. If the opponent defends with a perfect sentence, the attacker gets 50 points! Units: regardless of type, each unit costs 5 points, or takes 5 minutes to build. It takes 2 minutes to move 1cm on the table (measure with a ruler. Adjust this timing if the village arrangement demands it.) Buildings: Ten (10) points can build army buildings barracks build verbs, stables build nouns, archeries build adjectives, practice fields build articles, and workshops build everything else; or the points build units. Buildings build faster and cheaper: 7 points or minutes per unit at first, and 2 minutes shorter/points cheaper per upgrade; the fastest/cheapest possible is 1. Attack: Attack a village by using its word in a perfect sentence using the words in your army. Defend: Defend a village by using its word in a perfect sentence. This is when the noun/verb/adjective/etc. is chosen. (Its as if theyre formless until an attack; the act of choosing is the procedure for attack.) Nouns may become pronouns; possessives are of course either nouns or adjectives. The sentences created can only use the word classes that exist in the students army. The grammar is the important thing; the sentence can be utter nonsense as long as its grammatical. (E.g. Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.)

(CC) BY-NC Kevin Marston This game is free to use in class. If you print it out, this notice and my name must appear.

Results based on sentence quality: Attacker perfect imperfect perfect imperfect Defender imperfect perfect perfect imperfect Result Attacker wins village Attackers army destroyed Attacker gains 50 pts Defenders village loses 20% loyalty

If a village changes hands, turn the slip of paper to the same direction as the other villages belonging to the victor. New villages can be built, for 100 points. Choose a word from the envelope, whichever you wish. Its unlikely anyone will win during even a 90-minute class period, which is a good thing. Students need to practice more than just the same words; and an eliminated player would not be practicing anything! Consider being a player yourself, in order to lend support to weaker players, thus keeping them in the game; and to provide a challenge to the stronger students or even eliminate them, since they dont so much need the practice. If they do get eliminated, theyre welcome to be hired as advisors to weaker students. Comments on this game will be GREATLY appreciated.

(CC) BY-NC Kevin Marston This game is free to use in class. If you print it out, this notice and my name must appear.