WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL student enjoy ancient board games

Since the beginning of mankind, people wanted to be entertained. One of the very first forms of entertainment from early Egyptian times was a variety of board games. Ms. Sarah Mullersman, an archaeologist from the Kelsey Museum in Ann Arbor visited West Middle School seventh-grade students on December 15.

Mullersman explained how several of these board games are very similar to our present-day board games. To the excitement of our students, Mullersman brought four of these board games school so students could experience playing these games with their classmates.

These games were similar to chess, tic-tac-toe, Chutes and Ladders and Sorry. Not all the games came with directions, since archaeologists were not able to uncover them. Other games were discovered in their entirety. In some instances there are picture records of early Egyptians playing these games. Therefore some of the directions were based on speculation.

The students found it is interesting that in early times knuckle bones were used as dice. 

    

Students enjoyed challenging their peers when playing these games. Sportsmanship and higher order thinking skills were needed to beat an opponent. It was fun to see students strategize before moving their game piece.

     

West Middle School wants to thank Mullersman for sharing her knowledge and board games with us. Now when we play today's board games we will appreciate that these games had their beginnings in ancient Egypt.

The staff at West Middle School encourages all families to play board games. Higher order thinking skills, sportsmanship and a variety of strategies are needed in order to play a board game. We support and encourage parents to play games with their children in order to cultivate these qualities and skills. 

Submitted by Sara Bochenek