Fifth-Graders LOVE

CHESS!

While surfing the web looking for ways to improve critical thinking, I came across many research-based articles that site playing chess and adding it to the curriculum improves thinking skills for a majority of students (2007). Also, it is a game. Chess is fun. Students learn strategies, patience, and endurance. I have purchased a variety of chess sets and chess teaching sets (see below) to implement this new teaching tool.

. . . Chess has proven to be a great success. I introduced 3-4 lessons at the beginning of the school year. With the demands of the daily class curriculum, I ended up coming back to the chess lessons toward the end of the the school year. This seems to work best for my personal style of teaching. The students love playing and learning about chess. Many of them play at home with their families and friends during the school year. They also teach parents, younger & older siblings, and grandparents to play with them. Our tournaments were successful & fun! I will continue to include chess in my 5th Grade lessons for 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and beyond. . .

Chess...

demands both inductive and deductive reasoning.

requires students to look at a problem.

requires students to break a problem down.

requires students solve the problem.

involves recall.

involves analysis.

involves judgment.

involves abstract reasoning.

improves decision-making skills.

increases students' self-confidence.

improves organizational habits.

  

Click on the Education World Logo to read Chess, Anyone? -- Chess As an Essential Teaching Tool

Teach your kids how to play chess with this free online chess course!

Lesson Plan Ideas:

Make a life-size chess board with poster board and tape. Students become the playing playing pieces.

Make a chess board using felt or on a pocket chart. Make and laminate your playing pieces. Secure them with velcro on the felt playing board. Simply place them in the pockets on the pocket chart. This creates a great tool for the visual learner.

As an end-of-year activity, have a class chess tournament complete with playing brackets and medals for the winners. To make quick brackets, go to Tournament Brackets . Find chess medals at Crown Awards .

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