Blog

On February 9 I had 12 students (9 boys and 3 girls) in the after-school chess club at Strickland Middle School. For the first time, we didn't get our classroom. Rather, we were in the cafeteria with other after-school groups. On the plus side, this attracted four students who had either never come to chess before or who had come only once or twice before. Also, we had more room to move around. On the minus side, some of the tables weren't the best shape for chess boards and it was noisier.

Today, February 2, 2010, I had 8 students (6 boys and 2 girls, all of whom had attended at least once before) for after-school chess club at Strickland Middle School. Here is what happened during the class (3:45-5p.m.)

Objectives: Students begin to learn notation. Students play a ladder game.

Barnes & Noble Chess in Education event: 1989 U.S. Women's Chess Champion Dr. Alexey Root and Denton High School Chess Club officers host an all-ages FREE chess event including a book signing, activities like "Pawn Game" and "Battleship Chess," and chess information for educators and parents. Saturday March 19, 2011 1:00 PM

Today students played ladder games. Officers also reported that chess club T shirt pre-orders will be available next Friday. Chess club officers want T shirts in time for their bookstore presentation with Alexey Root on March 19.

Seven boys and two girls showed up January 26 after school for chess club. Here was the lesson plan that we followed.

Objectives: Students will work in trainer-trainee groups on the rook section of the trainer-trainee worksheet. They may then go on to another section of the trainee worksheet of their choice, or go over a previously played chess game (post mortem).

At the meeting on January 21, Denton High School (DHS) chess club members discussed our goals for the rest of the year. DHS wants to have club T shirts, run a non-rated middle/high school tournament, donate chess books to the school library, and participate in a chess and education event at a bookstore (to be held alongside my signing my books). Also, students elected a new officer to replace the absent Treasurer.

This week I had five boys and two girls. Some students may have forgotten it was chess day because Monday was the MLKjr. holiday. So today was the first day of a school week and a Tuesday.

Here was my lesson plan for January 19:

For week two, I again had 11 students, with the same proportion of 9 boys and 2 girls. But one of the boys and one of the girls were new as compared to last week.

Objectives: Students will learn how to make a chess diagram and how to fill out a record for a ladder game. Students will play Simon Says with chess instructions. Students will play a ladder game.

On January 7, 2011, Denton High School chess club had its first meeting of 2011. Twelve students attended, as well as two Denton High School alumni. Ladder games were completed, followed by post mortems and chess for fun.

This is the lesson plan I wrote for the January 5, 2010 first meeting of the after-school chess club at Strickland MS. In reality, the plan was followed. Clarifications about what actually happened compared to the plan or additional helpful comments on resources are added in [brackets]. Supplies used are in CAPS. The day went well for the 11 students that attended. A teacher also dropped by for the second half of the class.

On Tuesday, January 5, 2010, I will begin my after-school chess club at Strickland Middle School. The club will be hosted by the Communities in Schools program. Chess club will be free and open to all Strickland Middle School students. For the previous five years, I volunteered teaching chess at Strickland during the school day from 1:15 to 1:55 p.m., known as advisory period.

My fifth chess book, The Living Chess Game: Fine Arts Activities for Kids 9-14, arrived on my doorstep on Christmas!