Teaching RPG's in Math

MrOsterman · April 24, 2007, 10:34:51 AM

Hey all,

I posted a quick request in the "Conversation" area last week but I have since gotten over my panic and am refining the way I'm organizing my work so I'm posting about it again and doing it here for us gamers.

In short I'm trying to teach my kids the basics of Pen and Paper RPG's and I'm having trouble coming up with good ways to communicate exactly what RPG's are to the kids and to my coworkers who might try to integrate this into the probabilty curriculum.

To help organize this, and maybe even get some help with writing it, I set up a Wiki to organize what I'm trying to do and I'm inviting any gaming friends to feel free to help us flesh this out and make this unit project something *any* teacher can integrate into thier teaching.

http://mro.wikispaces.com/RPG+Project+Frontpage

I would love some help with the describing RPG's and with the "user CYOA" story if people want to take them and run. Just please be responsible. :) It's currently open for anyone to edit and I'd prefer to keep it that way.

Mr. O

Movie Sean · April 26, 2007, 02:41:57 PM

RPG's are playing pretend like we all did as kids, but there are rules.

Or it's like telling a story, but everyone helps write one character does in it.

MrOsterman · April 26, 2007, 06:50:39 PM

Quote from: Movie Sean on April 26, 2007, 02:41:57 PM
RPG's are playing pretend like we all did as kids, but there are rules.

Or it's like telling a story, but everyone helps write one character does in it.

That's what I tried to do for the "description" but unfortunately I had several coworkers just read that and say "I don't get it". and that's that....

Kind of a bummer really.

Anyways, here's the official description I wrote for the wiki:
A Role Playing Game or RPG is a game in which players work together to create some type of story. Each player focuses on one character (often taking a sense of ownership of that character), and how he or she fits into the story with the rest of the players. Usually one player assumes the role of a "Game Master" and is responsible for interpreting game rules, mediating disputes, playing the roles of any kind of character not played by a player (refered to as Non Player Characters or NPC's).

Game play is much like participating in a radio drama. Each player gives a voice to their character and describes their actions as a narrator. The story is usually not writen down but discussed in a small group setting. When a player describes any action where the result is not assured, dice are used to determine if the action was successful or not. This can range from hitting an orc with a sword, to scaling a wall, to singing a pretty song. Using the last example, a player might state that her character is going to impress the crowd by singing a moving song about the power of unity. She then rolls a die and if she rolls a high enough number then the story continues with the crowd impressed. If her roll is low, then the story continues as well, but this time with an unimpressed crowd, and a different set of options for the players to consider next.

This means that RPG's at their root encourage many kinds of learning. The creation of the story spurs creative writing, while the regular die rolls make for regular applications of probabilty and statistics.

Mr. O

Movie Sean · April 26, 2007, 07:12:33 PM

Hmm....I used to work in a gaming store, and I always used those two to describe them to people.

Good luck!

Darkmolerman · April 26, 2007, 07:26:06 PM

Quote from: MrOsterman on April 24, 2007, 10:34:51 AM
Hey all,

I posted a quick request in the "Conversation" area last week but I have since gotten over my panic and am refining the way I'm organizing my work so I'm posting about it again and doing it here for us gamers.

In short I'm trying to teach my kids the basics of Pen and Paper RPG's and I'm having trouble coming up with good ways to communicate exactly what RPG's are to the kids and to my coworkers who might try to integrate this into the probabilty curriculum.

To help organize this, and maybe even get some help with writing it, I set up a Wiki to organize what I'm trying to do and I'm inviting any gaming friends to feel free to help us flesh this out and make this unit project something *any* teacher can integrate into thier teaching.

http://mro.wikispaces.com/RPG+Project+Frontpage

I would love some help with the describing RPG's and with the "user CYOA" story if people want to take them and run. Just please be responsible. :) It's currently open for anyone to edit and I'd prefer to keep it that way.

Mr. O

I may give the link to MY teachers!

MrOsterman · April 27, 2007, 11:18:50 AM

Quote from: Darkmolerman on April 26, 2007, 07:26:06 PM
I may give the link to MY teachers!

Please do! I would love any collaboration on this project!

Mr. O

Darkmolerman · April 27, 2007, 12:43:46 PM

yeah cause we need MUCH more fun things best we did was go to a Challenger simulation and get yelled at *sigh*

Locutus · April 27, 2007, 12:59:16 PM

Quote from: Movie Sean on April 26, 2007, 02:41:57 PM
RPG's are playing pretend like we all did as kids, but there are rules.

Or it's like telling a story, but everyone helps write one character does in it.

I personally think it's a bit sad and indicative of our current teaching culture that your colleagues didn't get these fairly obvious and very simple descriptions.

I also think it's very cool that you are trying to open up young eyes and minds to something as wonderful, communal, and creative as pencil-and-paper RPGs.