Methods and apparatus for educating

Abstract

A method of educating includes providing a collectible trading card game with a plurality of trading cards. Each card may contain educational information including a consonant, vowel, number or mathematical operator and the cards are used to form a properly spelled word or to form a mathematically correct equation. In some forms, the method includes providing a game with a playing field and a set of game components with game component types having a predetermined power for affecting play of the game by affecting a power, effect, or value of the game component. The level of skill necessary to play the game may be varied by selectively implementing or disregarding the predetermined power of the game components. An educational game includes first and second game components with different expressions, powers, point values, and identifiers for distinguishing game components and facilitating game play.

1 . A method of educating an individual comprising: providing a trading card game having a plurality of trading cards with each card containing educational information thereon; and
 awarding the individual points, currency or victories based on how the trading cards are played.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the educational information on each card comprises at least one of a consonant, vowel, number or mathematical operator and awarding the individual points, currency or victories comprises awarding the individual points, currency or victories for using at least one card to form a properly spelled word or to form a mathematically correct equation. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises providing character information on each card and awarding the individual points, currency or victories based at least in part on the character information of each card played by the individual. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises providing indicia for grouping the cards into a plurality of different categories. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the indicia comprise themes relating to earth, wind, water, or fire and grouping the cards into different categories comprises grouping the cards into one or more of the earth, wind, water or fire themes. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the indicia for grouping the cards comprises a color scheme that may be used to break the cards up into different sets and the method further comprises associating the color scheme with a specific type of card. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the color scheme used comprises a first color and a second color and associating the color scheme with a specific type of card comprises associating the first color with consonant cards and the second color with vowel cards so that the color scheme may be used to break the cards up into sets of consonants and vowels. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the color scheme used comprises a first color and a second color and associating the color scheme with a specific type of card comprises associating the first color with number cards and the second color with mathematical operator cards so that the color scheme may be used to break the cards up into sets of numbers and mathematical operators. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein associating the first color with number cards includes number cards having a number from 2 through 9 and associating the second color with mathematical operator cards includes associating the second color with number cards  0  and  1  as well as mathematical operators. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the indicia for grouping the cards comprises a border and the method further comprises grouping the cards into a deck of cards based on each of the cards having a common border. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4 , where the indicia for grouping the cards comprises a plurality of borders and the method further comprises grouping the cards into a plurality of decks with each deck of cards having a common border. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing a game playing field having a first row for placing cards that are being played by the individual, a second row for placing cards of a first type that have yet to be played by the individual, and a third row for placing cards of a second type that have yet to be played by the individual. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first type of cards placed on the second row are one of consonant cards or vowel cards and the second type of cards placed on the third row are the other of the consonant cards or vowel cards, and the method further comprises dealing the first type of cards onto the second row and the second type of cards onto the third row and placing the cards that are being played by the individual onto the first row. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first type of cards placed on the second row are one of number cards or mathematical operator cards and the second type of cards placed on the third row are the other of the number cards or mathematical operator cards, and the method further comprises dealing the first type of cards onto the second row and the second type of cards onto the third row and placing the cards that are being played by the individual onto the first row. 
     
     
         15 . The methods of  claim 13  or  14  further comprising dealing additional cards to the individual that are to be held by the individual and not placed on the second or third row of the game base. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the game playing field includes designated spots for the first and second types of cards that are not placed on the second and third rows and the method further comprises dealing a portion of the first and second types of cards onto the second and third rows, respectively, and placing any remaining first type of cards on the designated spot for the first type of cards and any remaining second type of cards on the designated spot for the second type of cards. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the second row of the game board is color coded to match a first color on the first type of cards and the third row of the game board is color coded to match a second color on the second type of cards. 
     
     
         18 . A method of facilitating learning using an educational game, comprising:
 providing a user with a game having a playing field and a set of game components, wherein the set of game components comprises a first game component type having a first expression portion and second game component type having a second expression portion, wherein the first and second game component types have a predetermined power for affecting play of the game by affecting a power, effect, or value of a game component;   adjusting the level of skill necessary to play the game by selectively implementing or disregarding the predetermined power of the of the first and second game components; and   instructing the user to combine the first and second game components to form an expression from at least the first and second expression portions.