Two Words, One Answer.
scheme
 Exploring Computer Science with Scheme (Undergraduate Texts in Computer Science) $109.00 The first part of this book will give the basic programming `how to' knowledge: Common abstractions and basic program design.The second part introduces Computer Science and will show you what others have been doing with the techniques explained in the first part. It will give a panoramic view of modern CS: databases, operating systems, artificial intelligence, compilers, `soft-computing', etc... Only the chapter on compilers seems a bit confusing, everything else is clearly explained.You won't need a good background in maths to follow it.  Color Scheme $32.99 Color Scheme is a new addition to the connect family of games. It looks similar to Connect 4, with its vertical playfield, but it is a bit more than that. You only have to connect 3, but the tiles are primary colors and each player chooses a secondary color to connect 3 of before play begins. Components The game comes with 30 rectangular plastic tiles which are made to drop into the game board. There are 10 each of red/blue, red/yellow, and blue/yellow. The tiles are transluscent and form secondary colors once two are in play occupying the same square. The game board is a vertical grid designed to hold two colors in each space (essentially, the playing field is a 5 x 6 x 2 grid). The board is probably the most annoying part of the game. It comes with a stand so it can swivel and once assembled it can't be taken apart (or put back in the box) without breaking it. I deliberately broke mine and I haven't had any regrets. There are two tabs that you must break if you want the board to go back in the box and it will be much easier to break them before assembling the board for the first time. The board itself is actually made of three pieces, the grid, the base and another piece which fits into the bottom of the grid and then attaches to the feet. Once attached, the feet cannot be removed and the game won't fit back in the box. Removing the tabs which hold the feet to the connector has little to no effect on play and eases storage problems considerably. Gameplay Play of the game is fairly simple. Each player chooses one secondary color (orange, green or purple) as his own and attempts to form three in a row of that color. On his turn, a player chooses a tile and drops it into the gameboard. The tile can be placed in any direction, any orientation. It can even go in with one piece sticking out of the top of the grid. The one thing the dropped tile can't do is leave a "hole" where no place can be played beneath it. Intelligences This review is part of a series of reviews I'm doing as I evaluate games my wife may use in her classroom or that I'm using with my Boy Scouts. Apart from the normal review, I try to identify the kinds of intelligence that the game will use. For an explanation of multiple intelligences, see: my blog post at: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/786097 Logical-Mathematical Intelligence This is a game of planning and the same skills that would work in any connection game are in play here, just with an added twist. Spatial Intelligence The game relies on colors and positions on the board. Being able to look ahead a few moves or visualize the results of your current move is critical to success in the game. Spatial and visually oriented students are at an advantage. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence Playing the pieces does require some level of care, as dropping into the wrong side or space can definitely provide a disadvantage. Most children should be able to handle this, but those with manipulation problems may find it frustrating. Age Appropriateness My wife's first-graders have had little trouble with this game. They are mostly 6 at this time of year. The manufacturers suggestion is 7, which might make it easier. The game is easily handicapped by, for example, letting one player choose tiles to play and the other be forced to draw them randomly (this is suggested as a variant for both players in the rules). You could also allow one player to win on two of the three secondary colors. Recommendation The game works pretty well for learning colors. In my wife's classroom, Connect 4 is still one of their favorite games and this one is a strong second. The young ladies seem to enjoy the colors as much as they do the actual play and so this is nicknamed "the sparkly game". The game is not recommended for the color blind and must be played in a fairly well let area in order for the colors to come through. In some cases we've found it's easier for both players to play on the same side and have the light behind the game. [...]  Simply Scheme - 2nd Edition: Introducing Computer Science $75.00 This is a very basic, but very important book for an introductory course in computer science based on Scheme. If you are trying to learn the basics of the Scheme language, this book is for you. |
|
