What's in a name?
by Giles Pritchard

In all my various articles and podcasts I have spent a lot of time writing about the value of games; how important they can be to a class setting, how relevant they can be to learning, both personal skills and academic.  Much of what I have written has been from a more mechanical view point – this game is useful because the mechanics of the game require the student to add, subtract and calculate interest.  I have commented how games are useful because the mechanics of the game encourage interaction – whether direct or indirect, or are co-operative games and require the students the work together.

This article I want to look at another key aspect of games – the theme.  Many of the schools I have taught at thrive on engaging and broadening students through the use of thematic units, units of work (ranging from a single project to an entire term focus) that revolve around a theme.  Themes can be a great way of engaging students with learning, for some reason most of us find counting dinosaurs more interesting than counting maths blocks.

In this light the theme of a game can be as important a consideration as the mechanic, and in some cases the theme can be more useful than the mechanic.  Now, I’m not talking about the use of games in a game club, I am specifically talking about using a game in a classroom setting.

Games tend to run the gamut from a veneer of theme (where it is really just a window dressing), through to full simulation.  What best suits your needs will depend on a range of factors, but I would generally hold that games that tend towards the more realistic simulation are more suitable for older students.

Whatever you choose, one single truth is clear: a game can be used as a legitimate way of exploring a theme, event, or concept.

I have recently bought several copies of a game called ‘Downfall of Pompeii’, designed by Klaus Jurgen-Wrede and published by Mayfair Games.  In class we are looking at the disaster of Pompeii, a Roman city that was buried in the ash and destruction of the volcanic eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79AD.  The game has two phases, in the first phase players move people into the city, in the second Vesuvius erupts, and players are trying to get their citizens out of the city as lava slowly fills it up.  There are several reasons why I selected this game: firstly the game-board depicts a map of Pompeii, secondly the mechanical integration of the theme takes the players through two phases and gives students a point of reference that is uncomplicated and broadly useful.  An ideal discussion could run something like this:

Teacher: After the Earthquake the Romans rebuilt Pompeii, and again it became a bustling and important place, people were attracted to what was becoming a major city in the Roman Empire.
Student: Like when you are moving people into the city in the first part of the game?
Teacher: Exactly.

Now of course we all know that conversations in the classroom are rarely, if ever, ideal, but it gives some idea of the general point in including and playing this game.  The game itself includes the knowledge of number facts, spatial intelligence, an idea of probabilities and a whole range of other skills.  The key reason for picking and playing Downfall of Pompeii however, does not revolve around these mechanically orientated benefits, but rather on the use, integration and relevance of the theme. 

This is but one example.  Most games published today have themes of some sort or other, some are just a veneer; others go more than skin deep. In my mind though, the theme of a game can be a vitally enriching aspect of the game experience.

If you have any games that have been a useful window into a theme or topic, share your story in the forums here at www.gamesforeducators.com!