Posted: September 13th, 2017

The Circle Game

The Circle Game

Paper details:

you will need to build some keys for future games.  I have given you two keys that show how the finished game would look after all the pieces had been placed. This is easier to see the “true” picture if you color those keys. You need to build at least two keys with two circles and one key with three circles to turn in.  You may do this on the computer with a draw program or you may do it on paper and scan it to turn in. (FYI…Pasting the pictures into a Word document works best!)

First, review the attached presentation. (Be sure to press F5 to see the animation.)
Use the attached patterns and rules to play the circle game. You will need to make the pieces.  There are 6 pieces and 4 colors, so you will have 24 pieces total.  It is best to use cardstock for this, but construction paper will work.
Next, you will need to build some keys for future games.  I have given you two keys that show how the finished game would look after all the pieces had been placed. This is easier to see the “true” picture if you color those keys. You need to build at least two keys with two circles and one key with three circles to turn in.  You may do this on the computer with a draw program or you may do it on paper and scan it to turn in. (FYI…Pasting the pictures into a Word document works best!)
If you have students that you work with or children or family handy, try playing the game with them. If you have a magnetic board, use small pieces of the magnetic tape to put on the back of the pieces.  If not, use colored string on the floor or table to make your circles. Yes, this can work in kindergarten as well as in high school!  Actually, adults usually struggle with this more than younger students because our minds are so cluttered with too many details.  If you only work with one student or have only family members to try this with, change the rules.  Instead of playing against another team, they will try to figure out the names of your circles after placing 16 of the pieces, one at a time.  You will still be using the same rule as the team rules, that is, you will only tell them yes or no when they try a piece. Another version is to give them 20 attempts to find the correct location of pieces.   Keep in mind, with two circles there are four locations to try pieces.  In the left circle, the right circle, in the overlap (union) of the two circles or on the outside of both circles.  There is only one right location for each piece!!
Alternate Activity: After you make the pieces, try making a “train” where each piece is just one difference to the piece next to it.  Example:  a small red triangle could be next to any of the other colors of small triangles, or it could be next to a small red circle or square, or it could be next to the large red triangle.  In each case, it would have only one different attribute than the piece next to it.  Have someone else check it and see if they agree that each piece is just one different than those next to it.  Can you make it so that the train turns into a circle and all pieces are one different?