Workshop 2: Creating a fantastical setting
During their visit to the exhibition, children will be encouraged to explore the whole site -to look, to listen and to touch the things around them. In the exhibition itself they will have the chance to look at the installations which show a variety of different settings.
The aim of this workshop is to create a picture in words. Once again children will be encouraged to use their 5 senses and invent a landscape the reader can actually become involved in.
The outcome of this workshop will be a short piece of prose - their picture in words. This may be further incorporated into and extended piece of fantasy writing or indeed may lead to further opportunities to experiment in creating other settings and landscapes.
Designing a Board Game
Think about board games
Can you name some examples? List them below.
What sort of things do board games normally have?
You are now going to invent a new board game based on a fantasy quest like for example The Lord of the Rings.
Working as a group you will need to discuss the design of your board game, what your quest will be and the instructions on how to play it.
You will produce a poster displaying your ideas which you will present to the rest of the class.
Assignment 1 - The planning stage
As a group you have a number of decisions to make. Try to think about the following:
- What sort of quest - i.e what is your game about?
- How many players will be involved?
- What dangers do players face?
- Include some extras e.g forfeit cards, secret
Assignment 2 - The Design Stage
You should now work together to produce a basic outline of your board - a rough idea of what it will look like. Indicate where you will put forfeits, bonuses etc.
Now you need to write the rules or instructions for playing the game.
Assignment 3 - The production stage
This is the fun part - now you get to do the actual art work and create your poster. Take your rough plans and create the finished product including the board, playing pieces and any extras you have invented.
Assignment 4 - The marketing stage
Now you and your group have to present your ideas to your classmates who for the purposes of this exercise are the committee of a large toy and game manufacturer.
You need to show what you have created, present your idea and the rules as well as talk about the actual design.
Remember the committee have to be impressed by your designs if they are going to manufacture your game.
Teacher's Notes for Board Game Activity
Although they are a little out of fashion as computer games have become more popular, children should be familiar with what board games are. As an introduction to this activity it is worth discussing board games - how they work, how they involve a number of players and examples they are familiar such as Monopoly, Snakes and Ladders, etc.
They must take as their inspiration the exhibition and workshops they attended and their individual knowledge of the Fantasy genre. Their board game should try to follow the pattern of a quest or journey.
From here they should move on to consider what makes up a board game -the design, the board itself, layout, players, additional cards for clues etc.
Explain that they are going to become inventors and as a group they are going to plan and design a traditional board game. They will then have to present their ideas to the rest of class in a 'marketing meeting'.
Throughout this activity it is important that they work as a team as they have to make important decisions about their product. The Pupil Worksheets act as a guide to what needs to be done.
The planning stage is when they have to make decisions about the form and content of their game. Liscuss ideas about secret codes, clues, forfeits and riddles which are features of fantasy quests. They also need to make decisions about characters/players.
The design stage is important. At this point they must create and agree on their basic desi.gn. They must also write the instructions for how to play the game. It may be useful to incorporate a little language work on how instructions are written bearing in mind purpose and audience. Further more they could they create writing rules for writing instructions for example:
Instructions
- You must use simple language so people can understand them.
- It helps to have a list of materials or parts at the beginning.
- Each step must follow a certain order.
- It helps if all the steps are numbered.
- You have to be very exact or things will go wrong.
- Give as much detail as possible.
Once this activity is complete pupils can proceed to the next stage - production. Each group should be provided with a large sheet of card (preferably coloured) on which to display their ideas for the finished product using all the material they have already decided on.
After pupils have completed this stage they must work together to create their 'marketing pitch'. Encourage them to be as creative as possible. The whole idea is to make their presentation lively and entertaining to impress the others.
Completed posters can be displayed on the wall.
Outcomes of this activity - 5-14 curriculum.
- Group discussion -throughout the activity
- Functional Writing - instructions
- Imaginative Writing - riddles, codes, even poems etc
- Individual talk - presentation skills
- KAL - language skills for functional writing
- Awareness of genre - Fantasy elements
Introduction | Genre | Dragons | Creating a Fantastical Setting | Reading List