Lesson Fifteen Teaching Guide:
Suggested timings for today’s 1 hour class:
Get seated and settled - Class Intro (5 mins)
Read/Listen to Lesson/Story and review Demo board exercises (20 mins)
Students play on individual boards with partners. (25 mins)
Cleanup (5 mins)
Regroup/Debrief for review and awards for daily challenges completed. (5 mins)
Summary: Briefly review of last week’s lesson + chess challenge. Cover today’s story, demo board exercises + review questions, and the daily challenge.
Story + Demo Board Exercises/ Puzzles:
Story: In the quiet dawn of the city, the Giraffe Queens and the Bishop sisters set out on a secret mission. But when the closing of a bridge stands in their way and a stranger’s test awaits, they find that the path forward isn’t as simple as it seems.
Demo board: Review castling and the rules allowing it. Do puzzles: Can we castle now? How about now?, etc. Revisit the Pillar of Power from Lesson 5. Display the various scenarios that would disqualify a player from castling… having pieces standing between the K and R, having previously moved either the K or the R, being in check, passing through check, or landing in check (danger).
Game Instructions: Full boards.
Game Objective/How to Win:
Checkmate your opponent's K! to win. Most points captured wins if no checkmate occurs.
Practical Lessons Learned:
Know when and how to castle. Understand the rules that allow or disallow this special move..
Emotional Lessons Learned:
How to rely on your friends for help when unexpected events arise. How to problem-solve. How to grieve.
Daily Challenge:
Check the K 3+ times. Checkmate the K!
Review Questions for Lesson Fifteen: (Suggestions)
What problem did the group face when they reached Bow Bridge? How did they overcome it?
What are the five rules of castling?
What happens to the K and the R when they castle?
Why do you think it castling is an important move in chess?
How does castling show teamwork on the chessboard?
What does castling teach us about taking care of each other in real life?
How did K Mateo and the Q’s react when the Bishop sisters began to cry? Did they comfort the girls or leave them to comfort themselves? What does that teach us? How can we react when we see someone sad?
Introduce Game:
Who is ready to ready to play? Let’s go!
Post Game Debrief:
Review how the game went, if there were any problems/successes. Reward students for challenges completed.
Piece Abbreviations
Kings = K, Puppy Pawns = P, Bull Rooks = R, Pony Boy Knights = N, Billy Goat Bishops = B, Queen Giraffes = Q
Piece Values: (See lesson 3 & 10)
K = Infinity
P’s = 1 pt each
R’s = 5 pts each
N’s = 3 pts each
B’s = 3 pts each
Q’s = 9 pts each
Demo Board Setup and Explanations:
Boards 1 & 2: Let’s see if you can spot the right answer on today’s Castling Quiz! In each of these puzzles we want work out if, in their next move, either white or black is allowed to castle.
Board 1: White & Black: Yes or No? (White = yes, they’ve not yet moved their K or R, the K is not in check, nor will he pass through or land in check were he to castle now. Black = no, their K has moved from his starting square.)
Board 2: White: Yes or No? (No, the K would pass through check by the Q should he attempt to castle.)
Boards 3 & 4: Let’s see if you can spot the right answer on today’s Castling Quiz! In each of these puzzles we want work out if, in their next move, either white or black is allowed to castle.
Board 3: White & Black: Yes or No? (White = No, the K is currently in check by the Q. Black = Yes, K & R have not moved from their starting squares, the K is not in check, will not pass through, or land in check if he were to castle.)
Board 4: White: Yes or No? (White = Yes, the K is safe to castle and has not yet moved from his starting square. Black = No. The K has moved from his starting square.)
Bonus Questions: On boards 1-4, if either White or Black is able to castle, to which side (Long-side or Short-side/Queen-side or King-side?) can they castle?