Learn critical thinking skills by playing chess

Students at South School learn critical thinking skills by playing chess, checkers

By Amye Buckley
Neosho Daily News
Fri Oct 16, 2009, 02:38 PM CDT

Neosho, Mo. –

Recess looks a lot like learning at South Elementary.

Students in the third and fourth grades are learning the games of checkers and chess as a special Wednesday library program.

Third graders play checkers on first and third Wednesdays and fourth graders play chess on the second and fourth Wednesdays.

Librarian Krista Rouse said she introduced chess this year so fourth grade students would have something different to look forward to during recess.

Ten boards and their chess pieces waited on tables around the library while Rouse held up each piece, introduced it and told what moves it could make.

“This is your king and once this piece is gone your game is over,” Rouse warned.

Students asked her to define the difference between check and checkmate.

The library also has a couple books on chess strategies.

After a brief explanation of the rules, students sat down to play, teasing each other that they would be the one to win.

Source: http://www.neoshodailynews.com