SIMCC Games · Teacher guide
Shape Trails
Rotate and place every tile to cover a winding trail.
- Trains
- Rotation in quarter turns · Area by counting squares · Spatial planning
- Ages
- 8 to 14
- In class
- On your own. One device each. Choose First steps: six teaching trails, from two dominoes to a five-piece bend. Then Pathfinder.
A ten-minute starter
- Show about 2 minDraw a trail of squares and two or three pieces made of squares. Pieces turn in quarter turns but never flip, and must not overlap or stick out of the trail.
- Play about 6 minStudents choose First steps and work through the six trails, then try Pathfinder.
- Talk about 2 minAsk: which cell was hardest to cover, and which piece fitted it?
Questions to ask the class
- A trail has 10 cells. The pieces have 3, 3 and 4 cells. Could they cover it?Listen for: The count fits, 3 + 3 + 4 = 10, so it is worth trying.
- Why might a piece fit only after a turn?Listen for: Pieces are handed out turned, so most cards need rotation.
- Which cells are best to fill first?Listen for: Ends and corners, which few pieces can reach.
A common mistake
Filling the easy middle first, and leaving an end cell no piece can reach.
How to help: Start from the ends of the trail. A hint names the next open cell to cover and a piece that can cover it.
Assign it
On the coach dashboard, choose your class under Cohorts. In Assign practice, pick Shape Trails and the drill First steps or Cover the trail, add a due date if you want one, then press Assign. Students find it on their Train page.
Set First steps for a new class, then Cover the trail.
Results show on the dashboard by student and by game once the server has checked them.