4.2. April 18, 2002: Nine Men's Morris

"A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems."--Paul Erdös

Caveat Lector: This is a web-friendly version of the activity sheet NINE MEN'S MORRIS. You can also download the file (RTF) for your own use. (RTF is Rich Text Format, which can be opened in Microsoft Word, AppleWorks, ClarisWorks, Okito Composer, TextEdit, Mariner Write, and likely other word processors of varying vintages on varying platforms.)

COORDINATE SYSTEMS: NINE MEN'S MORRIS

Here are the group roles. We will use the die that Ms. Lee has handed out to our group to decide who gets which role.

Remember, no islands!

highest number
question person/reporter
authorized to ask Ms. Lee or Mrs. Sooy the group's questions

next highest
reader
reads directions and makes sure everyone understands them

3rd highest
materials person
organizes necessary materials and makes sure everyone has something to work on

lowest number
scribe (monitor)
writes notes (keeps everyone on-task)

Today, we will learn about a coordinate system that shows up outside math classrooms.

NOTE: If someone doesn't know how to play Nine Men's Morris (it's a British game), don't worry. Everything the group needs to know is in the Morris Packet.

If anyone does want to play some Nine Men's Morris, stay in at lunch and ask to borrow a Morris Packet. That's what it's for.

MATERIALS: Before we start, we'll need the Morris Packet, paper, and pens or pencils.

Take a few moments to see what's in the packet. Don't break anything and don't lose anything. It's not fair to the people who'll use the packet afterward.

1. Read the rules as a group before reading the SITUATION and SOLUTION below. When we're done, everyone should know how the game works.

THE SITUATION

You play a game of Nine Men's Morris at a friend's house. However, you know that you'll see Zap the Martian in class tomorrow and Zap will want to hear all about your game. You have a board at school, but no pieces that you can use to recreate the game (assuming you remembered it all).

A SOLUTION

Chess players use algebraic notation to describe the moves. We will invent our own notation to describe the moves in a game of Nine Men's Morris.

2. Divide into two teams of two people and play a game a Nine Men's Morris for 5 minutes. The materials person will keep time.

3. Here's another example: Battleship comes with a built-in coordinate system to keep track of the game. (If you're not familiar with the game, pull out HOMEWORK #1 and look at question #2.) Discuss whether a similar coordinate system might work for Nine Men's Morris, or whether something different would work better. The scribe should take notes.

4. We will create a coordinate system that can describe moves in Nine Men's Morris and make a poster that explains it so everyone in the class can understand.

5. Play a game again, but this time use the system on the poster to record all the moves.

6. Visit another Nine Men's Morris group and exchange records. Both groups should discuss how the coordinate systems were same/different, whether they were easy to understand, and write about the discussion.

7. Both groups should turn in:

• group discussion notes
  
• posters and records
• individual reports
  

Each individual report should say:

• how I contributed to the group, with 2 specific examples, such as "I showed how to adapt the system from Battleship for coordinates" or "I noticed that both our groups used numbers to describe points."
  
• a scenario where I might use a coordinate system to describe a game, which can't be the same as the SITUATION in this handout
  
• comments from two group members on your contributions
  

Remember:

• 1. Be polite.
  
• 2. Be constructive.
  

Copyright © 2002 Yoon Ha Lee <requiescat@cityofveils.com>
Last updated on 18 May 2002