Looking for a fun way to end the year that is still about literature, but is not an essay or a test? Try transforming a short story, novel, or poem into a board game. For example, Candy Land is a great game that fits a journey or pursuit type of story. Students can use an old game board (or buy a new one at the dollar store), or use poster board to create a new game. For the short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell, students can make images of the chateau, Death Swamp, the Burmese tiger pit, and the Uganda knife trick. The playing cards can have “special” cards with whatever brought Rainsford luck – the cartridge, Zaroff’s cigarette, his knife. Students can examine language, imagery, and dialogue to create board games that connect thematically with the short story. I’ve used Candy Land with “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” also, and it works just as well.
