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| There are tough players and nice guys, and I'm a tough player | ||
| Bobby Fischer | ||
Curriculum for Arbutus Middle School Chess Program
More about the program
MS Word version of the Curriculum
| Month | Content/Essential Questions | Skills | Activities/Strategies | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2007 |
Chapter I.
|
Students will be able to recognize the history of the game of chess and historic versions of chess. | Students will design a histogram of the development of the game of chess. | Project 1. History of chess |
Chapter II.
|
Students will be introduced with mathematical concept
of the chess board.
Students will be introduced with the value of each chess
piece and pawns. |
Activities to make moves with each piece.
Pawn promotion and breakthrough. Students will be asked to write down notation for each square
on chess board. |
Students should notate at least first 10 moves of their own games. | |
| B. Knight. Knight game. | Introduction to Knight game. | "Wolf and sheep" game (p.13) | Complete exercises on p. 14 | |
| C. Bishop. Unusual property of Bishops. | Introduction to Bishop game. | "Wolf and sheep" game (p.14) | Complete exercises on p. 14-15 | |
| D. Rook. Queen. | The most powerful pieces. | Complete exercises on p. 16 | ||
| E. King. Check. Castlening. | A very special piece - King. Check. Protections from checks. Castlening concept. |
Complete exercises on p. 16 | ||
| October 2007 | Lessons 4-5. Checkmate study. | A check-mate concept.
King and Queen vs King check-mates. King and two rooks vs King check-mates. King and a rook vs King check-mate. King and two Bishops vs King check-mate. |
Students will be practicing to give check-mate to the partner with King and Queen vs King; King and two Rooks vs King; King and Rook vs King; and King and two Bishops vs King. Each student should complete at least 10 exercises with different partners. Each time students finishing the game with check-mate they will receive 1 point. Stalemate or no mate - 0 point. | In-class exercises on check-mate.
Complete exercises on p. 24 Complete exercises on p. 26 Complete exercises on p. 30 Complete exercises on p. 34 TEST 1. Check-mates. |
Chapter III.
|
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| A. Pin and skewer. | Students will be introduced with the basic principles of chess tactics. | Students will be given examples of basic tactical ideas to collectively solve the problems and recognize the tactical idea. | Complete exercises on p. 38-39 | |
| B. Double attack and fork. | Introduction to concept of pinning and skewering. | Complete exercises on p. 42-43 | ||
| C. Discover check and discover attack | Introduction to the concepts of double attack and forks.
Introduction to the concepts of discovery check and discovery attack.
|
Complete exercises on p. 46-47 | ||
| November 2007 | Lesson 9-10. Tactical combinations | Students will be introduced to the concept of tactical combinations. | Students will be given examples of basic tactical ideas to collectively solve the problems and recognize the tactical idea. | |
| A. Back-rank mate | Introduction to the concepts of back-rank mates. | Complete exercises on p. 50-51 | ||
| B. X-Ray | Introduction to the X-Ray combinations. | |||
| C. Sacrifice on h7/h2 | Students will be introduced to the concept of sacrificing the material | Complete exercises on p. 54-55 | ||
| D. Practical examples of typical combinations. | Students will be able to apply basic knowledge of chess tactics and check-mate applications to practical games. | Illustration of the best chess games plaid by the world chess champions and top players around the world. | TEST 2. Tactical combinations. | |
| School-wide chess tournament | Students will be able to notate the chess games.
Students will be introduced to the game' analysis strategy. |
School-wide chess tournament | Results of the participation at the school-wide chess tournament | |
| December 2007 | Chapter IV. |
|||
| Lessons 11-12. King + pawn vs King
Basic opposition Pawn ending King + a- or h- pawns vs King |
Students will be introduced to the basic principles of endgame.
Students will recognize the value of a pawn. Students will understand the role of King at the endgame. |
Using general principles of the endgame, students will be asked to complete at least 10 games with King + pawn vs King and promote a pawn. Each time the student promote a pawn he/she will receive 1 point; for stalemate or no completion - 0 points. | Complete exercises on p. 65 | |
| Lesson 13. The rule of squares | Students will be able to apply mathematical model to calculate the pawn promotion. | Using the rule of squares students will be asked to calculate a pawn promotion not moving the pieces. | Complete exercises on p. 67-68 | |
| January 2008 | Lesson 14. King and multiple paws endgame. | Students should be able to understand the concept of creating passed pawn and pawn breakthrough. | Using general principles of the endgame, students will be asked to complete at least 10 games with King + multiple pawns vs King and promote a pawn. Each time the student promote a pawn he/she will receive 1 point; for stalemate or no completion - 0 points. | Complete exercises on p. 72 TEST 3. Basic principles of endgame.
|
| Lesson 15. King + Queen vs King | Students should be able to apply knowledge of piece values to vin a game where they have material advantages. | Students should complete at least 10 games with King + Queen vs King. Each time the K+Q site wins, the student will receive 1 point; stalemate or no completion - 0 points. | Complete exercises on p. 75 | |
| Lesson 16. King and opposite color Bishops | Students should be able to save games where they are material down but have different color Bishops to stop promoting any pawns. | Students should defense the position with different color Bishops. Each time he/she gain a draw for the game - 1 point; loosing the game - 0 points. | Complete exercises on p. 77 | |
| International Scholastic Chess Convention | Students will meet scholastic chess players from other countries | Students gained most points at the chess classes and school tournament will be participated at the International Scholastic Chess convention in Oak Brook, IL | Points gained at the tournament
Convention presentation. |
|
| February 2008 | Chapter V. |
|||
| A. Development B. Center C. Opening catastrophes |
Students will be able to recognize general principles of the opening game: development, control the center, catlening. | Students will be presented with 10 most interested games played 300-400
years ago and completed very fast because of the opening catastrophes.
Students will be given examples of games with mistakes made at the beginning
of the games and will be asked to find the best way to win the game. |
TEST 4. General principles of openings. | |
| March 2008 | School-wide chess tournament | Students will be able to notate the chess games.
Students will be introduced to the game' analysis strategy. |
Results of the participation at the school-wide chess tournament
10 winners of the chess tournament will be participated at the US Chess Federation National High School Chess Championship in Atlanta |
|
| April 2008 | US Chess Federation National High School Chess Championship | Participation at the National High School championship (Atlanta) | Points gained during the tournament |
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