Whiteboard Shipgames - Teachers' Notes

These games are designed to compliment the study of Vikings and Tudor exploration.   They are 'open' games in which a teacher may offer rewards he or she feels appropriate.

They are not teaching resources - more an additional activity played as a reward - however they do offer many opportunities for learning.

Viking Exploration depicts the early voyages of the Norsemen to the cod banks of what the Vikings called Vinland - now the east coast of Canada.

Treasures and Trades depicts the voyages of Tudor explorers to the Spice islands. 

How to Play

You will need dice.

Both games are similar - teams of children move their ship across the play area by shaking the dice.  The aims of the two games are, however, different.

In Viking Exploration children must take their ship across the Atlantic to the cod grounds and return.

In Treasures and Trades each ship must visit each of the islands and return home.

Children can keep a ship's log, or the teacher can keep a record of the voyages.

Important note: The game cannot be saved!  If you wish to continue the game from one session to the next it is important to note down the whereabouts of each ship. 

Further: Each game has hidden keys.  After a move a child may click in the square in which the ship sits.  This may do a number of things:  in the Viking game it may reveal a secret cod ground, release a terrifying whale, or open a whirlpool.  if a ship discovers cod it can return early and win, if it falls under the whirlpool or the whale it must start again. Further the hidden keys do not always trigger the square under the ship - you could sabotage someone else's voyage!  In the Treasures and Trades game there are treasure chests.  I suggest a ship must not only be over the chest to open it but must wait until a six is thrown before a chest is opened.  A crew member clicks on the large chest below to reveal its contents.  If these reveal treasure a ship can return home and then receive three extra moves.  An empty chest gives no additional moves - disease means the ship must return to the beginning, all points lost.  In Treasures and Trades a ship may use its cannon at any time.  To do so the 'crew', instead of moving their ship announce they wish to use the cannon.  To do they must shake a one.  If they don't they miss the turn - if they do they must complete the cannon exercise - a maths game involving multiples.  To fire the cannon they have to get one answer correct - the cannon is fired and the nearest ship to them sunk, all treasures and trades lost, and return home.  If the cannon fails to fire their go is lost. The fog, if released, may hide a ship.  If a team's ship is hidden their go is taken up by using the 'clear fog' button.

Experiment with the game - make up your own rules. 

email whitelite@idlegreen.co.uk for further info.