Memoir 44 History Club - Jewell Elementary

Reinforcements Arrived...

2011-01-22T09:08:00.000-08:00

My parents embarked on a whirl wind trip through East Africa this winter and stopped to visit my wife and I in Abu Dhabi on their way. They brought me reinforcements!!

When we moved here in August, we could only bring four bags of stuff for two+ years of life and my wife said that we couldn't afford to haul a whole bunch of Memoir '44 stuff across the world, even if it was for a history club. So when I found out that my parents were coming to visit, I convinced them to use some of their extra space to bring me what I would need to run a Memoir '44 History Club in Abu Dhabi. They brought me two base games, two Easter Front expansions, two Pacific Theater packs, and a Campaign Book. I now have the supplies to launch a new club across the world!

I'm currently coaching the U-14 boys football team (soccer for you Americans) so I don't have time after school but the season ends soon and I'm already thinking of how I might start my club. I'll keep everyone updated of my progress...

UAE In World War II

2010-10-16T04:27:00.000-07:00

Stig Morten asked how the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was involved in World War II. To be honest I wasn't sure and I had to ask around a little bit and do some quick research. It's not a large part of their history, so I hadn't heard much about their involvement in the war and that made me think they must not have played a very active role.

I found a recent quote from the ruler of one of the emirates (Fujairah), who said, "The Second World War was the deadliest military conflict the world has ever seen, with over 60 million people being killed. We in the United Arab Emirates were fortunate not to be directly involved, although forces from Britain, the United States and other Allies made use of bases in the Emirates." During World War II the United Arab Emirates (not yet a nation in its current form) was a British protectorate and was therefore used as locations for Allied airfields.

As far as I can tell, only one Allied soldier died in the United Arab Emirates during World War II. Sergeant William ("Billy") Donnelly, a British navigator, was killed on 14 February, 1943 when his Wellington Bomber crash landed. After a refuelling stop in Sharjah the plane took off again for Gwadar, a city on the coast of Pakistan. About half-an-hour into the flight (when it was over the sea), oil started to leak from an engine before the propeller flew off the engine. The pilot turned back and crash-landed at Sayh Dhadnah. Sergeant Donnelly died of his injuries from the cash and was buried close to the site in a nearby local cemetery. A memorial was recently dedicated to honor Donnelly and his family was able to attend the event.

I will continue to look for other ways the United Arab Emirates was involved in World War II, but since it didn't become a nation until 1971 I'm not sure I'll find much. Thanks for the question, Stig Morten! I hope this gave you some information you hadn't known before.

Long Silence Explained

2010-10-15T02:45:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long silence! It's been over 7 months since my last post and many of you may not even be reading this any more...that's all right, I would understand if you weren't. For those who are still interested, I want to explain what happened and where I've been.

My third year of the Memoir '44 History Club ended well. My students seemed to enjoy it to the end and many were sad that they were moving on to middle school and wouldn't be able to participate any more. A large number of students own Memoir '44 now and told me that they would keep playing on their own. I hope that's true!

I've moved schools this year, so the fourth grade students who were in my club last year weren't able to continue playing with me this year either. Not only did I move schools, I also moved countries! My wife and I now live in the United Arab Emirates (in Abu Dhabi)

and I'm teaching 5th grade here. Because of our large move, I didn't update the blog over the summer or do a whole lot of anything except pack!

I put all of my Memoir '44 equipment into storage so that I can restart the club when I return to Oregon. If I could have, I would have loved to bring at least some of my Memoir '44 stuff so that I could run a club here in Abu Dhabi but we had limited space and weight...and we had a lot of stuff to bring. Luckily my parents are coming to visit in December and have agreed to bring me some Memoir '44 stuff so that I can run an after school club again!

Once that club gets underway I'll post some pictures and start updating thing a little bit more. Until then I might just share some thoughts on this blog about teaching World War II history, things that I'm learning about World War II as I read, or other things that relate to Memoir '44 History Clubs! If anyone has questions, simply ask and I'll be happy to answer!

A Simplified Campaign

2010-03-04T06:53:00.000-08:00

Spring break is barreling down on us and we have a lot to do at school before the break, so Memoir '44 Club is on hold for a little while. However, the week after spring break I'm going to open the club to all of my students from last year who are now 4th graders. We'll see how many kids sign up but as long as there are 6 students interested, I'm willing to put in the time and give them a chance to play the first campaign of the Battle of Normandy campaign.

We'll meet for 5 sessions and play those first 4 scenarios. Our first meeting will be spent watching some video clips about the push into France out of the D-Day beachhead. If we still have time after watching the video, we'll spend some time remembering the rules and getting ready for the campaign.

I've created a very simplified way to incorporate the Reserve Roll element into this small campaign for the students. Before each battle, the kids will roll battle dice for the Reserve Roll and 2 dice for the Victory Events. They will apply the results of these rolls just like they would if they were playing a real campaign, but they won't have to use any reserve tokens. This way, the kids get to experience some of the excitement of receiving reinforcements and where to put them, without having to worry about choosing which battle to use them for.

Once we get started with the 4th grade group, I'll update everyone on how the plan goes. Thanks for your continued support and dedication to the Memoir '44 History Club at Jewell Elementary!

Come and Gone

2010-02-26T22:44:00.000-08:00

Sorry that it has been so long since my last post! I've had some other things going on and sadly this blog has fallen to the wayside. I'll try to be better about posting what we're doing for the next few months of school.

I opened the club to my current 5th grade class and had a great bunch of students step forward and want to join. Three of them had already been in the club before but I had five new students sign up. Even though it was only a group of eight, I found that having such a small group actually allowed me to teach them more and assure that their games were going smoothly.

We met for only five days, but in that time we learned about the Allied push out of the Normandy beachhead and we played the four battles that make up the first part of the Normandy Campaign found in the Campaign Book Volume 1. The students loved it and they seemed to have fun playing. We finished the group on Thursday, February 25th.

Welcome, 2010!

2010-01-07T07:17:00.000-08:00

The new year is here, and we're close to half way through the 2009-2010 school year. Students are back at school and are starting to adjust to using their brains again after a two week hiatus. I'm getting used to being on my feet all day and teaching a class of 31 kids.

Even though we've only been back in school for three days, students are already asking me when our next Memoir '44 History Club session is going to start. I'm going to have to sit down and figure out a schedule because I have several groups of students who want to participate, and they're all at different levels of familiarity with Memoir '44 and World War II.

I have three groups of students to accommodate. The first group is comprised of the students who were part of the Memoir '44 History Club last year. These students are in 5th grade now and many of them already had 10 sessions where we focused on the Pacific Theater.

The second group is made up of my students from last year who are in 4th grade now. Three of these students joined the 5th graders (and held their own) but there are many students in this group who couldn't join the Memoir club before Christmas because they played Fall sports.

The last group of students who have expressed an interest in the club are my current 5th graders. I don't know how many students from my current class would actually sign up for the club, but several of them have asked when they can join.

If I wanted to, I could try combining students from all three groups into one club for a few sessions, but I'm afraid their knowledge base it just too different. Students who where in the club last year are extremely familiar with the rules of Memoir '44 and have a solid understanding of D-Day and World War II in general. The current 4th graders know the rules of Memoir '44 but don't know very much about World War II, and my current class has been introduced to Memoir '44 but would need to practice the rules for several battles because they've had so little exposure to the game so far.

I'll have to think about this dilemma and see what I can come up with. Anyone have a suggestion?

Merry Christmas to all!

2009-12-25T07:39:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! It's been a good year for Memoir '44 and a great year for the Memoir '44 History Club.

It's hard to imagine that a year ago I hadn't had any History Club classes yet and the club was just theory. Since then we've learned about D-Day and the Island hopping of the Pacific Theater. We've practiced strategies, worked on the rules, learned how to play Overlord, and enjoyed this great game. It's been good for all of us.

Looking at the rest of the school year, I anticipate running two or three other sessions of the club for different groups of students. Members of my current 5th grade class have expressed interest in joining the Memoir '44 Club so I may look into providing a short session for them. Students from last year are eager to sign up, so I'll determine if there's enough interest to run a full session for the 4th grade students I taught last year (as 3rd graders). Last but not least, I want to provide another session for my original crew of students who are now in 5th grade. This will be their last time to be part of the Memoir '44 History Club and I want to make sure we get some great battles in before they graduate from Jewell Elementary.

It looks to be a busy spring with a lot of Memoir '44. I wouldn't have it any other way. Merry Christmas!

Let the Wild Rumpus Start - Again!

2009-11-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry for the long silence over the summer and the first few months of school! I had high hopes of writing some blog entries about books I was reading or battles I was playing during my summer but it just never happened.

We're back and the Memoir '44 History Club has started up again. I only have 10 members for this session. In part this is because some of the students who were in the club last year have moved, a few students play Fall sports and have practice during the club, and one student said that she "wants to take a little break". Most of them want to join up again in the Spring so I may end up with a large group later on.

Even with fewer students, I'm having a great time and I'm happy to offer the club again. We welcomed three new students to the group this year; students I had last year who were eager to join the club even though they playing with 5th graders. They have some catching up to do, but they're smart kids and seem to be doing just fine

Our focus this session is on the Pacific Theater. We started the club last week by watching a few short videos on Pacific battles. I'm trying to make sure the students realize how different the war in the Pacific was from what we've studied in Europe. All of our battles will focus on the Japanese against the US Marines.

Because there are less kids, I have enough Memoir '44 sets for the students to play 1 v. 1 instead of in teams. They love being on their own! It will take a few more battles before they feel comfortable with the new rules in the Pacific expansion, but they have a good base of knowledge and are catching on.

Thanks for your interest in our little game club in Oregon! Welcome back to another great year of the Memoir '44 History Club!

Weiler-Putscheid

2009-05-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

When Tom Myers came in to visit, he explained his experience in World War II to my students in relatively general terms. The students still got a good idea of what he had been through but weren't subjected to a gory account of the war. While he was in my class, Tom lent me an original comic that was all about his experience. The comic is called "G.I. Thomas R. Myers, Prisoner of War in Germany" and it was writen and drawn by Marcel Scheidweiler, a man who lives in the town of Weiler and talked with Tom extensively about December 1944.

The comic described in very exact detail how I Company, 3rd Battalion, 110th Regiment, 28th US Infantry Division was stationed at Weiler when the Battle of the Bulge started. Tom was part of the 28th Infantry Division and was sleeping when the first artillery shells started hitting the town. He quickly headed out to face the advancing Germans who turned out to be from the 5th Parachute Division. Tom was positioned in a foxhole in front of Weiler but retreated to the town when his foxhole buddy was killed. Tom and the rest of his comrades held Weiler throughout the day on December 16th, 1944 against a far superior German force.

Completely surounded and out of ammo, Tom and his surviving friends tried to escape during that night but most were either killed or captured as they tried to slip through German patrols. Tom spent the rest of the war in a German work camp. Years after the war, the citizens of Weiler remembered the heroic stand of the 28th Infantry Division and named a round-about after Tom Myers. I believe Tom said it was named Myers Square.

In honor of Tom Myers and his incredible experience, I designed a Memoir '44 scenario titled Weiler-Putscheid. This map, as far as I know, is the most historically correct scenario I have ever designed because I used the detailed maps that were included in Mr. Scheidweiler's comic who happens to be a resident of the area. Enjoy!

High Desert Rendezvous

2009-05-07T07:12:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, May 6th, was the High Desert Rendezvous. Many of the teachers who had attended the different history lectures and most of the teachers who received a mini-grant were there. I did a short presentation about my Memoir '44 History Club by showing a movie that I made about the club. The other teachers were very interested in how I used the game to teach history. Most of the people I was talking to were high school or middle school history teachers and Memoir '44 fits perfectly with that age. I had several middle school teachers talk about starting their own clubs!

My presentation elicited a lot of questions. The teachers wanted to know how long we meet for, how the game works, how long it takes the students to set up the battles, and how well the game follows history. I was happy to explain the game system and was able to tell them what a powerful tool Memoir '44 has been for teaching history to my students.

Outside the conference room I set up two Memoir '44 battles: Omaha Beach and Ste. Mère-Église. Days of Wonder very generously donated a Memoir '44 poster for me to use in my presentation and it created quite a stir. Along with the poster and battles, I also displayed pictures from the club, one of our Campaign Bags, some resources I've created, and the three expansions we used in the Memoir '44 History Club (the Air Pack, Terrain Pack, and Pacific Theater). Before they left, every teacher received an educators discount coupon from Days of Wonder to start their own Memoir '44 Club!

The High Desert Rendezvous was a great platform for me to outline how I taught history this year through Memoir '44. I hope the other teachers had as much fun as I did.

History Club Final Session

2009-05-01T06:19:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 30th was our last Memoir '44 History Club session for the 2008-2009 school year. Students and parents brought in snacks and juice. The kids sat around and chatted for the first little while and then we started our last battles.

Two students played Operation Cobra while everyone else settled in for The Cadets of Saumur Overlord battle. As I looked around my classroom, I realized that this was our last time together for a long time. I have plans to resume the Memoir '44 History Club next year with any of these students who are interested and adding in students from my current 3rd grade class, but it'll never be the same as this glorious first year. Who knows, maybe it'll be better.

The students are starting to get really good at Overlord Battles (for 9-10 year old kids) and this battle was exceptionally close. The Germans won with 12 medals to the Allied 11 but it could have gone the other way. Everyone was excited to have such a satisfying battle to close out the year.

Now that we're done meeting for the club I have a lot of work to do in the "off season". I need to consolidate all of the Memoir '44 equipment I have into the most efficient storage equipment, prepare a basic schedule for next year and determine what we're going to study. I plan to design additional tools to help me teach some of the more complex rules to the kids and I hope to make about six or seven Dice Towers following the plans I was given by Jim M.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this club and encouraged us to keep playing. I especially want to thank the Teach American History organization for the grant money that made this project a reality and for their excitement about our activities. Days of Wonder has also been extremely supportive of the Memoir '44 History Club, so I want to thank Eric and his team for their help! I look forward to next year and I'll keep everyone updated on my "off season" projects.

Student Experts vs. Parents

2009-04-28T17:11:00.001-07:00

Parents came in and challenged my students to a battle on Tuesday, April 28th. By the end, six parents were able to make it although they couldn't all make it for the very start of the session. Most students chose to pair up with their parents instead of trying to play against them because the adults didn't know the rules very well, if they knew them at all.

Everyone had fun and several times I heard parents comment on how well the kids understand the complex strategies that go into playing Memoir '44. It was fun to watch students explain the rules and explain strategies to their parents.

I chose a relatively simple battle to set up and one that has a good balance of interesting terrain and units but wouldn't overwhelm the parents too much. We played Operation Goodwood. We had enough time for almost every table to switch sides and play both the Axis and Allied side.

The results were mixed and so was the level of parent involvement in the decision-making process. Some parents sat and watched their child play, asking questions about the game or the kid's thinking. Other parents acted more like a teammate and they discussed strategy before each turn. Both methods worked and I was excited for the students to have a chance to show off Memoir '44 and demonstrate how good they are at the game. All of the parents were very impressed and several asked me where they can buy the game to continue playing at home!

The Allies Make it Through Hedgerow Hell

2009-04-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

The Memoir '44 Club played its last Overlord Battle of the year today. It's actually only our second Overlord Battle (Omaha Beach was our first) but the students were much better about following the rules and knowing what to do.

The boys on both teams chose to be the Field Generals, while the girls were happy to act as Commander-in-Chiefs. Once the battle was set up, an easy task since it's a pre-printed map, we started in. The Allies tried to break out of the Normandy beachhead in this battle and make their way through Hedgerow Hell, hence the name of the scenario.

In a close battle, the Allied pulled out the win with a score of 13 - 10. Both sides were a little surprised the Allies won, but everyone had a lot of fun. Once again students told each other they were going to get this expansion, but I was just happy to see an improved understanding of Overlord tactics and rules.

Next week some parents are coming in to challenge their kids to a Memoir '44 showdown. It'll be experience against age!

Introducing the Air Pack - Mightier Yet!

2009-04-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

Today we played with the Air Pack for the first time and the kids loved it! I heard at least half the group vow that they were buying it as soon as they could, which might be a while given that they also want to buy the Terrain Pack, the Pacific Theater, and the Campaign Bag.

We played a battle of my own creation called Orel. It actually takes place on the Eastern Front around the same time as Kursk (the largest tank battle ever). I chose it because it is a well balanced scenario that allows for the use of lots of planes. I took the opportunity to quickly explain how the Russians were connected with the Western Allies we've been learning about before we launched into the battle.

It took a while for the students to learn the Air Rules and I actually simplified them for this first scenario. We limited the planes to only Strafing enemy units in stead of allowing Ground Interdiction because that might have been too much. As it was, I was still busy the whole time fielding questions and clarifying the rules. By the end of the day though, most of the students understood how the planes worked and at least one team used their Messerschmitt with devastating efficiency. They managed to take out three full armor units before succumbing to an Air Check roll (being shot down).

As our club winds down this year (we have three more sessions), my students are already talking about plans and hopes for next year. Kids were asking if we'll be able to play with the Air Pack again next year or if we can use some of the other planes in battles next year. It's encouraging to hear them talk about the club like that because it confirms that the Memoir '44 Club is something they want to do. Spending an extra hour and a half at school every Tuesday and Thursday is a big time commitment and it would seem my students are prepared to make the same commitment next year.

Harold Kurtz - Glider Pilot, Grandpa

2009-04-17T14:39:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 16th, was a day that everyone in the club has been looking forward to since January. For a long time none of us knew which day he would come, but we all wanted my grandpa, Harold Kurtz, to come talk to the club. Yesterday was the day we had been waiting for.

Harold and Polly, my grandma, live in Portland, Oregon and he made the 3 hour drive over the mountains to Bend and arrived just a little before the club started. After asking what I wanted to kids to learn about, he settled into his chair and started explaining his personal history of World War II.

He joined the US Army when he was 18, following two of his brothers into the Air Force. Another brother was in the 5th Armored division and the last was in the Navy. Amazingly, all five brothers survived the war. My grandpa went through flight school and graduated at the top of his class. Because of his skill, he was asked to become an instructor; not liking the idea, Harold failed the instructors test on purpose and as punishment was put in charge of the physical training of recruits.

When he finally got to Europe, Harold was trained to fly gliders and assigned to help fly troops over the Rhine River as part of Operation Varsity. On the morning of March 23rd, his glider made a successful landing under heavy enemy fire and that night he helped hold their perimeter against the only German counter-attack in his sector. After British armor broke through to their position, Harold and the other glider pilots were ordered back across the Rhine to prepare for another landing. The second invasion ended up not being necessary because Paton and his tanks captured a bridge intact.

My students were riveted by his stories and experiences. It might have helped that Harold is an excellent story teller! After questions had been answered, the students gathered around to look at pictures of the gliders, Harold's dog-tags, and his Glider Wings. In all, I believe grandpa's visit will be something the students will remember for a very long time.

Learning about Gliders

2009-04-17T06:39:00.000-07:00

In preparation for learning about Operation Varsity, we spent Tuesday, April 14th, learning about gliders and what they did in World War II. The students came in without hardly knowing what a glider was, let alone how they were designed to go into combat and deliver troops, supplies and heavy equipment behind enemy lines.

We spent some time on a slide show that I had created to teach them the basics about gliders and how they were used in battle. Most of the session was spent watching clips from a great movie about gliders called "Silent Wings". They left the club on Tuesday with a lot of background knowledge about Operation Varsity so that when my grandpa comes in, they will have a context to help understand his stories.

If you want to know anything about the creation and use of gliders in World War II, "Silent Wings" is a great resource. It outlines the creation of military glider planes and follows their development through the war, highlighting every conflict where gliders were used. Interviews with surviving glider pilots helps bring this part of World War II history alive.

An Introduction to the Pacific Theater

2009-04-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

It was a week of firsts for the Memoir '44 History Club. Today, Thursday, April 9, we played a battle from the Pacific Theater called Bloody Ridge that was a good introduction to the new rules that come with the Imperial Japanese Army and the US Marines. Both sides only have Infantry and a single Artillery unit, which meant the students could focus on remembering the new elements of the battle.

After seeing their excitement and interest in learning more about the Pacific Theater, I'm planning to spend some time next year studying that part of the war and playing battles set there. I think it also helps that this Memoir '44 expansion is new to the kids and takes the game to another level for them. As always, I was amazed at the questions and interest my students had. Without them even realizing it, I think I've created a group of young historians!

Next week we launch into more of the history once again. We'll be studying about the Rhine Crossing and specifically about the glider operations that helped the troops hop the Rhine River. Check back in next week to find out why we're studying this.

Breakthrough!!

2009-04-09T09:52:00.000-07:00

We pulled out the Breakthrough map for our session on April 7, 2009 and students had the chance to try this new battle format for the first time. They loved it.

The Breakthrough map, for those of you who don't know, is basically two normal maps placed top to bottom and creating an extra deep map. The kids weren't sure how to change their tactics for this new format and the Axis players never really tried to break through to the Allied baseline. Instead they got bogged down fighting the Allied defensive positions and often suffered because of a lack of cover. When we try this format again, I think they will improve their strategy and enjoy more success.

We were also visited by Carrie Carpenter (right, talking to students about the game) from Teach American History (TAH), the organization that provided the funds for this whole club to happen. She said that she was very impressed with the level of critical thinking going on and the amount of excitement from the students. I don't always realize how much is going on every Tuesday and Thursday because I see it every day, but in retrospect I would have to admit that I don't usually see the same level of engagement every day in class.

There's something genuinely fun about playing this board game with friends twice a week that the kids apparently look forward to (although the boys in the picture to the left look pretty intense). When I see my club members in the halls during school, almost without fail they say something like, "I'll see you at the club" or, "See you this afternoon for Memoir '44".

I'm glad they're having fun!

Editing Scenarios - Part 2

2009-04-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

Our second day of editing our Hurtgen Forest scenarios went much better than our first. It often happens in education that the students do better on the second day of an activity because they know what to expect and they understand the task better.

We had time to play through 5 different versions of the battle on Thursday, April 2nd. One table played a long battle that took most of the time but the other two tables flew through their battles and were able to set up and play another one. Each student took notes while their battle was being played and I helped them work to improve the design and historical accuracy of each scenario.

Only one student had time to get on a computer and finalize his battle but the result turned out better than I had expected. I've posted it on the Jewell History Club User Page on the Days of Wonder web site for everyone to look at. As other scenarios are edited and completed, I'll make them available as well.

I know that the students would be thrilled to see people playing their battles. If you decide to try one (or all) of their scenarios, keep in mind that these students are 9-10 years old and this is their first effort. We worked on the historical backgrounds together so those will look remarkably similar but I allowed them full creative license with the map itself. As a result, you'll see some interesting terrain features in Hurtgen Forest that might not be realistic (a moat around one of the towns, for example).

After playing one of their scenarios, please take a moment to write a short AAR (After Action Report) so the students know that you played their scenario. If you would like you can also rate their scenario but again, I don't want them to feel discouraged because they got low ratings...so be gentle with them.

The students had a lot of fun designing these scenarios and are proud of their first efforts. They'll probably look back in a few years and shudder, but for now they're riding high.

This picture shows Francisco taking notes on his scenario while his group continues.
He is the only student who has finished his battle and published it for people to play.

Editing Scenarios

2009-04-01T21:43:00.000-07:00

Students worked on editing the Hurtgen Forest scenarios that they created a while back. I printed off all of their different versions of the battle and they grouped up to test the battles.

You could sense the pride of the students who's battles were being played and the quiet determination they had to improve the map. Armed with pencils, they played the battle and listed ideas that their fellow group members suggested. We will work on improving the scenarios before we post them for everyone to see.

The students are still young and many of the nuances of creating successful scenarios are beyond them, but their efforts are noble. This first scenario is an important step in their educational journeys and may be something that they shake their heads at later in life. Having said that, I believe they should all be proud of these scenarios and judging by their behavior on Tuesday I think they are.

History Week

2009-03-27T12:17:00.001-07:00

Sorry it's taken so long to update everyone on last week's activities. I'm on Spring Break and it's been a busy week of doing nothing!

We had visitors to our club last week and unfortunately I forgot to get any pictures of our first guest. Luckily he wants to see how Memoir '44 works so we'll have him back another time and I can get a picture then.

On Tuesday, March 17th, we were visited by Tom Myers. Tom (as he prefered to be called) is a veteran of World War II and was a reserve for the 5th Armored when they hit the Siegfried line. Later he was transferred to the 28th Infantry Division and fought in Hurtgen Forest. When he was finally moved out of that dark forest, he helped defend the small town of Weiler as part of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 110th Regiment 28th US Infantry Division. On December 16, 1944 the Germans started the battle that became known as the Battle of the Bulge and attacked Weiler. Tom and his unit successfully defended the town until they were surrounded and then pulled back to rejoin their battalion HQ. Most of the men didn't make it and Tom was captured on December 17, 1944.

Tom shared his amazing story with the students and then they had a chance for some very interesting questions. Tom was very humble as he showed them his medals (including a Bronze Star) and when he was asked what he got the medals for, simply said, "I did my job."

On Thursday, March 19th, Peter Hawkins came to talk with the club. Because it was just before Spring Break, many of the students couldn't be there but Mr. Hawkins (as he wanted us to call him) provided some good information for the students that were there. Mr. Hawkins was in the military starting in 1967 and had family from Germany who were in World War II. He studied the war and received a Masters in Military History with a focus on World War II from American Military University.

Mr. Hawkins helped put the War in context for the students and answered many of their questions. He also brought some of his World War II collections including several GI Joe collectables, a dummy pineapple grenade, and some .50 caliber bullets. This is a picture of Peter Hawkins with the students who were able to come learn from him.

Thank you to both guests who came to spend time with my students! They will never forget it and I believe they now have a better understanding of World War II history because of your visits. Thank you.

Scenario Design

2009-03-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

Last week we spent both days researching a battle and then designing a scenario to match it. I discovered that designing a Memoir '44 scenario may be expecting too much from 9 year-olds, but I've been surprised by these kids before so I won't give up yet. It may just take a few tries before they manage to create a quality scenario.

We read about the battle for Hurtgen Forest in the lead-up to the Battle of the Bulge. The students helped me write the historical background and then worked on the map design by themselves. They had some trouble knowing where to place the terrain and units to make an interesting and even battle, but they had a lot of fun trying to figure it out.

We'll do some editing work but the most important step will be when we play them, which will show them what changes they need to make. While the scenarios may not be incredibly accurate, they do give a sense of the battle and they are a good first try.

I meant to take pictures of the students working on computers but got so engrosed in our work that I forgot. I'll make sure to get some pictures next time.

D-Day Landings Completed

2009-03-06T07:17:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009 was an historical day for the Memoir '44 History Club, here at Jewell Elementary. It marked the start of Operation Overlord for a group of 13 young generals as they stormed the beaches of Normandy and defended the coast of France.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009 marked the end of those landings with the completion of Omaha Beach. The D-Day Landings Tournament is over. We learned about the Allied invasion of France, talked about the Allied deception, and reviewed the historical results of each landing beach. Students played each of the Memoir '44 D-Day beach landing battles from both sides.

The top two teams played in the finals for the title of D-Day Champion. The Pickled Ponies were in the lead with 4 previous victories, but they were up-set by FS 101 Duel Shock. In a close battle, the Pickled Ponies lost the advantage in the first round of Omaha Beach and never managed to recover from their medal deficit.

Our D-Day Champions are Francisco and Skyler, members of FS 101 Duel Shock. Congratulations boys, you earned it!

Launch Operation Overlord

2009-03-02T18:26:00.000-08:00

As we come to the end of our D-Day Landing Tournament, I decided it was time to take a quick break from tournament battles to try an Overlord battle. For those of you who don't play Memoir '44, an Overlord battle is where you take two boards and put them end-to-end. Two teams face off on a map that is more detailed than a normal map can be.

In an Overlord battle, each side has three Field Generals who are in charge of the troops in their section only. Behind the Field Generals are Commanders-in-Chief who hold the cards and hand out orders as they see fit. The whole process is designed to mirror the real complications and limitations that Generals and Commanders faced on the battle field.

My students squared off on the Omaha Beach Overlord Battle. They chose their teams; three Field Generals on one side and four on the other. The Commanders-in-Chief reviewed their cards while I reviewed the Overlord-specific rules with them. The battle was crazy, noisy, fast, and surprisingly close. In the end the Germans won by a single medal. Everyone had fun.

In a discussion afterward, the students could see how difficult communication during battle could be for generals and their staff. They are eager to try another Overlord battle.

WWII game gets kids hooked on history, Bulletin says

2009-02-24T13:34:00.000-08:00

The article about the Memoir '44 History Club apeared in the local newspaper, the Bend Bulletin, on Wednesday, February 18th. It was the central article on the Local page and continued onto a second page.

With a little bit of help I now have access to an online version of the newspaper article for people to look at. With as many international and cross-country fans as we have, it's nice for everyone to have the chance to read the article. Click here to read it or click on the picture I took of the newspaper.

Thank You, Bend Bulletin and Sheila Miller!

2009-02-19T22:05:00.000-08:00

The Bend Bulletin ran an article on our Memoir '44 History Club on Wednesday, February 18th. The article was very informative for readers who have never played Memoir '44 before, but also explained what the students are learning from the club and how history is a huge part of every session.

The students and I were thrilled with the article and most of my students are convinced that they're celebrities now. The result in the local community couldn't have surprised me more. I have received e-mails from people who are almost as excited about my club as I am. One couple even donated a 24-volume set of World War II encyclopedias that we can use for researching battles or to answer questions we might come up with. Possibly the most exciting development is that several local veterans have expressed interest in talking to the club since they found out about our club. If they are able to come, it'll be a new and amazing way for the students to learn about World War II.

Thank you Bend Bulletin and Sheila Miller.

I'm not sure why, but my students wanted a serious picture. We really were happy about the article, promise!

Green Recruits Dream of Joining the Club

2009-02-16T13:49:00.000-08:00

My current 3rd grade class knows all about the Memoir '44 History Club and many of them are looking forward to joining next year.

Many lunch recesses in 3rd grade are spent battling at our Memoir station in my classroom. We play one battle at a time and are currently in our second class tournament. This picture shows the teams of two playing Pegasus Bridge. Other students are welcome to stay in and watch, but they aren't allowed to help with strategy or moves.

My goal in 3rd grade is for the students to learn the rules of Memoir '44, develop a love for the game, and create an interest in World War II history. The Memoir '44 History Club is a place where all of those lessons are continued and developed further. 3rd grade is a good training ground for the History Club and it looks like I could have more than twice as many members in the club next year.

Utah Beach Successfully Concluded

2009-02-13T06:39:00.000-08:00

After two sessions away for the game, the students were eager to start playing Memoir '44 again and did a great job setting up Utah Beach. Energy was high and everyone was working hard to emerge on top; with only Sword Beach and Omaha Beach left, they're realizing that the tournament is coming to an end.

Excitement was also high because we were being visited by the local media! Sheila Miller, a local reporter for the education section of the Bend Bulletin, contacted me about visiting our club and doing a story on kids learning history through a board game. She slipped into my classroom as we were reviewing the historical background for Utah Beach and then followed us out to the library to watch the club in action. Her colleague took pictures of the club while Sheila interviewed me and talked to the students.

After the media had left, one of my students asked what newspaper they were from. When she heard they were from the Bulletin, her face lit up. "Everyone reads that! We're going to be famous," she said. While that may not be entirely true, it was a very exciting experience for all of us. The story should appear in the paper this weekend.

Proof of Learning

2009-02-10T17:35:00.000-08:00

As I handed out the ten-question quiz, I was impressed that I didn't hear someone say, "What!? We have to take a quiz in the History Club?" I did see some surprised faces and maybe a little indignation, but the students got right to work and proved what I've been hoping. They are learning history from the Memoir '44 History Club!

Last Thursday was spent learning about D-Day, and after a quick review of what we had talked about, the students answered 10 questions about D-Day and Memoir '44. Five days after learning about the Normandy invasion, every student remembered what day the landings began, some of the code names given to the beaches, and why the Germans thought they would be safe on June 6, 1944.

After the quiz, students chose new World War II books to read. We spent the rest of the time reading about a minor battle and learning how to design historical scenarios on the Memoir '44 scenario editor.

When we packed up to go, the students were excited to hear that we start the D-Day Tournament back up on Thursday with the Utah Beach scenario. They will charge the beaches with a better understanding of how the Allies prepared for the battle and how Utah Beach fit into Operation Overlord.

Battlefront History

2009-02-06T06:57:00.000-08:00

The students finished Juno Beach on Tuesday afternoon. Everyone is being a good sport and enjoying their time playing the game. After the third D-Day battle, the teams are in the following order:

Pickled Ponies - 3 wins
FS 101 Duel Shock - 2 wins, 1 loss
Elite Aquamarines - 2 wins, 1 loss
The Rock stars - 2 losses, 1 win
Spicy Cinnamon Girls - 2 losses, 1 win
The Trench Gunners - 3 losses

Thursday, February 5th, we spent the whole time learning about D-Day and the factors that helped the invasion succeed. Being a history club, I felt it was important that we spend time building background knowledge about World War II. Since we're playing the D-Day landings, I chose to teach the club members about the Allied plan, their deception tactics, and the factors that lead to a successful landing. At the end of our time, we watched a clip from WWII Battlef ront that reviewed what I had just taught them and even had commentary by a US Ranger who helped capture Pointe-du-Hoc. The students were very interested to hear from a primary source and had lots of questions about D-Day, Hitler, the Holocaust, and World War II in general. It was a good time to dispel misconceptions and a good time of learning. Now that the students have some background knowledge, when we launch into the Utah Beach landings next week, they'll have a better understanding of the context in which the battle happened.

In the middle of our lesson, one of the club members asked a great question. She raised her hand and asked, "Why do we even have war? What was World War II really about? I mean, why were they fighting?" There are the typical answers of fighting against evil and fighting for freedom, but at its core, she asked a very good question and one that has no simple answer. I'm glad the Memoir '44 History Club is a place for students to discover questions like this and start thinking critically about them.

The Longest Day Begins...

2009-01-30T09:17:00.000-08:00

The D-Day Landings have begun and the Allies are charging the beaches all along the Normandy coast. My ten-year-old generals are experiencing some of the challenges that faced the invading forces as they encounter bunkers, barbed wire, and the fact that there's no place to hide when you're on the beach. History is coming alive in a new way.

On Tusday, January 27th, the students quickly set up Gold Bea c h and all of the teams managed to play the battle twice, switching sides. As we were cleaning up, I asked one of my students how the battle went. His answer confirmed that Memoir '44 is teaching them history in a way that books never could. He said, "I thought it would be easy to win. I had so many more soldiers, but the Germans had much better protection. They could shoot me as I came up the beach and I didn’t have anywhere to go. I can’t believe the Americans ever won like they did!”

On Thursday, the 29th, we didn't have time to switch sides so the battle of Juno Beach will have to be concluded next week. Part of the reason we ran out of time was because students looked through our club library of World War II books and chose one to read at home. Some students chose books about specific battles while others wanted to simply learn more about World War II in general. When they finish the book they are currently reading, they will have a chance to exchange it for a new one.

I fianlly got around to posting our tournament results, so check the rankings on the right bar. These results are after teams finished Yellow Beach and Gold Beach. The results for Juno Beach will be provided next week after they finish that battle.

With Thanks for Service and Support

2009-01-27T12:53:00.001-08:00

When my brother-in-law introduced me to Memoir '44 in June 2007, I was amazed by the game play and intrigued by the theme of World War II. I poured over every historical background in the base game and wondered how historical the battles really were. That weekend started a journey that my wife may never forgive her brother for.

I bought Memoir '44 and began reading everything I could find on World War II. I soon discovered that the game was designed around real events, which only served to increase my interest. In the fall of 2007 I taught my 3rd grade students how to play Memoir '44 and during the year we played three tournaments at lunch recess. This year I once again taught my 3rd graders how to play Memoir '44 but also received a grant from Teach American History in the fall of 2008 to buy the materials to start my History Club (only a year after introducing the game to my '07-'08 class for the first time). Thirteen of my students from last year joined the club and another just signed up last week. Their excitement and dedication is the reason I created the History Club.

Although the Memoir '44 History Club was my idea, there are many people who have helped me make this project a reality. The Teach American History committee provided the funding for the club and Grace Nielsen is responsible for the research material. Malcolm Green of Vancouver, BC, is helping get the word out about the History Club in the Memoir '44 community and Steven E. from Irvine, California has made a generous donation of material and time. Charles Cabell of Fort Mill, South Carolina is our first financial contributor and continues to search for other people interested in being part of our support base through his Facebook group and other contacts. Edward J. Kemp from San Diego, California, has offered to support the History Club through his skills and time. Ed is also responsible for helping me create the Jewell Expeditionary Force (J.E.F.), a support team with details coming soon. Finally, I would like to thank Eric Hautemont and the Days of Wonder team for their support and help. I salute all of you for the service and support you've given the Memoir '44 History Club here in Bend, Oregon.

The interest and excitement from Memoir '44 fans from across the world is also overwhelming. Thank you for your support!

Jesse Rasmussen
3rd Grade Teacher and Memoir '44 History Club Director
Bend, Oregon
USA

D-Day Landings Commence

2009-01-23T06:38:00.000-08:00

This week was dedicated to our first battle of the D-Day Landings Tournament. Our first battle was actually Yellow Beach, one of the failed Dieppe landings, a whole two years before what we usually think of as D-Day. We played this battle as an introduction to the Allied invasion efforts on the French coast and next week will jump forward to June 6, 1944.

At the beginning of our session on Tuesday, January 20th, we read through the historical background of Yellow Beach and discussed some of the reasons for the failed invasion. The students were a little disappointed, but we skipped snack and hurried out to the library to set up the battle and get started. I had hoped that we would have time for the teams to play both sides.

I hadn't anticipated how long the set-up would take or how difficult the process would be for the students. It was only their second time setting up a board and they still haven't learned any of the tricks to setting up quickly. Some students watched as their friends worked while some goofed around, further slowing down the process. They searched for each Terrain Tile as they went instead of collecting them at the beginning and they waited until the very end before setting soldiers on the board. Needless to say, they only had time to play one side of the battle before 5:00 when parents came to pick them up.

Thursday's session was much more efficient. Students set up the battle much more quickly and we even had time for a brief snack. I encouraged them to also play faster and think about their moves while their opponent was taking their turn. The second Yellow Beach battles were finished in time for students to get on the computers and experiment with the scenario editor.

Next week begins the June 6th landings with Gold Beach. I'm hoping that because the set-up is less complicated and students have more experience, we'll have time to play both sides of the battle in one session. More important than anything else, though, is that the club members are having fun and learning about World War II history!

Help Support the Jewell History Club!

2009-01-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

The Memoir '44 History Club was financed through a history grant that I applied for in November. I learned about the mini-grant opportunity through some history lectures I went to called Teach American History. I came up with the Memoir '44 club idea as a fun way to teach 4th and 5th grade students about United States involvement in World War II and develope a love of history and boardgames. The rules of the mini-grant require the funds be used to teach American history so I used the $600 they gave me to buy Memoir '44 components that involved United States forces. I got six Memoir '44 base games but I was only able to get five Terrain Packs and Pacific Theater expansions.

Several Memoir '44 fans have contacted me and expressed an interest in supporting the History Club in some way. One fan suggested that I establish a way for Memoir '44 players from around the world to donate funds that I can use to expand the club. Because of his suggestion, I added a safe and secure way for people to donate money to the Memoir '44 History Club through PayPal. Look for the Donate button on the right side of this web page that looks like this, choose the amount you want to donate, and safely send us your donation.

Money that is donated to the History Club will only be used to buy items for the club or students in the club. I would like to get the Terrain Pack and Pacific Theater expansions we are missing, although one supporter from San Diego has already said that he might help with those. Ultimately I would like to get six copies of the Winter/Desert board and matching Eastern Front expansions, but that may have to wait for a while. Another idea is to get each student who is in the club some kind of Memoir '44 item, expansion, or prize! What student wouldn't love that?

Thank you for your interest in the History Club and for any donations you decide to make. Every little bit counts and it is always appriciated!

Let the History Begin!

2009-01-14T07:24:00.000-08:00

The first week of the Memoir '44 History Club has come and gone! I hope the students had as much fun as I did, and are excited about our plans for this year. We have 13 members in our club right now (one member is behind someone in our picture) and all of them were in my class last year so they know the basic rules and the concept behind Memoir '44. This picture was taken in the school computer lab on Thursday, just at the end of our session.

Our first session began on Tuesday, January 13th, with a quick review of the basic rules, a short overview of our plans for the club, and a snack. We headed into the library and got back into the game with the scenario "Carenta n Cau seway", a quick battle that mostly uses infantry. For many of the club members, this was their first time playing Memoir '44 since June 2008 when they were in my class.

Students will need to have a steep learning curve during the start of this club because I'm expecting a lot from them. They are now expected to set up their own battles, remember most of the rules, learn Tactic Cards that they didn't use last year, and learn new terrain and rules that come with expansions that they've never used. To help with all of the information they are getting, I provided each club member with copies of my Memoir Player Aid, Roll Calls and various other cheat sheets. From what I've seen, their excitement and interest is going to make the necessary learning easy.

Our second session dealt more with housekeeping and less with playing, which was hopefully still fun. We reviewed all of the basic rules, covered the Tactic Cards that are new to the club members, looked at new terrain from the Terrain Pack and Pacific Theater, and learned about how to read the scenario maps. The rest of our time was spent on computers in our computer lab learning how to create scenarios and navigate around the Memoir '44 web site and User Pages.

Next week we will start our first tournament; The D-Day Landings.

Researching World War II Battles

2009-01-04T12:48:00.000-08:00

Students in my Memoir '44 History Club will have to research a battle from the Western Front or the Pacific Theater and design a scenario based on their research. We will have chances in our club to try student-designed scenarios, but the research will be more important than balanced and fun scenarios so the first round may need a lot of fine tuning before they work for the game; education and research is, after all, a large part of this club.

Grace Nielsen, the Jewell Elementary librarian, spent over $300 on books that the students can use for their research. Some of the books will give great general information about World War II and United States involvement. Other books will allow students to learn about a specific battle in-depth. Some of the books will help the students grasp the tactics used in a battle or the importance of battles for each side. It's important for students to know all of that information and I believe the wealth of books we now have in the Jewell Library will foster deeper research.

There is one book that stood out as a perfect resource for researching and designing Memoir '44 scenarios. The book is full of 3D artistic drawings of battlefields and overviews of many of the major battles of the war. It's called Great Battles of World War II and was written by John MacDonald. Nearly 200 pages, this hardcover book will be widely used by our club.

Merry Christmas from Jewell School!

2008-12-19T10:41:00.000-08:00

As the 2008 school year comes to an end, I look back at a good year for Memoir '44 and me. In the early winter of 2007 I decided to teach my 3rd grade class how to play Memoir '44 during lunch recess. Every student in my class learned the game and it alerted me to the fact that I might be able to teach history using the game.

Now I'm about to embark on an exciting new endeavor by running a History Club centered around Memoir '44, with those same students. They have proven to be my test group; with them I can gauge how much interest there might be in future years and I can figure out how to link Memoir '44 and education.

Memoir '44 has seen some exciting new expansions come out including the Air Pack, Operation Overlord, Battle Maps, the Mediterranean expansion, and the newest announcement of the Campaign Book! During this past year, I also had the chance to join the volunteer force at Days of Wonder and help with the Campaign Book. In all, it has been a good year for Memoir '44 and me!

Merry Christmas to everyone! Days of Wonder has given Memoir '44 fans a final gift for 2008, so if you haven't already seen it find your gift here. We'll see you all next year!

Campaign Book: Volume 1

2008-12-15T07:26:00.000-08:00

The newest, and possibly most anticipated, expansion has been announced today on the Days of Wonder web site! This expansion, the Campaign Book: Volume 1, provides over 50 new scenarios that are linked in a campaign format. Players can play the battles alone, but they were designed to follow in a sequence.

In a slight change from the normal Memoir '44 games, players choose one side to play throughout the Campaign. In the first campaign you can either be the Allies who are trying to fight their way out of their D-Day beachheads, or play as the Axis who are trying to hold Caen and throw the Allies back into the sea. The second campaign allows players to choose between the Germans who are starting their blitzkrieg across Belgium and France on their way to capturing all of Western Europe, or the surprised Allies who are trying to withstand the overwhelming Wehrmacht (German Army). The final campaign plays out Operation Barbarossa. Players can be the attacking Germans or the Russians as they scramble to defend their vast territory.

This expansion is very exciting for me because it's such a great idea, but also because I had the opportunity to help with it's creation! Eric Hautemont, of Days of Wonder, allowed me to edit and proofread the text for this project so my name is on the cover and everything! Whether you are buying Memoir '44 for the first time or already own all of the other expansions, this book is a wonderful addition to your Memoir '44 inventory.

Location Located

2008-12-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

The Jewell History club will start each meeting in my classroom but then quickly move into the library. The Memoir '44 battles will be decided on the large tables in the library work area. The research and scenario development will take place in the computer lab.

The computer lab, pictured above, has plenty of iMac's for each student to do research or work on building their scenarios.

I couldn't ask for a better place to hold the Memoir '44 History Club because we have plenty of room (even if the club grows), there are nearby restrooms, and the students are all familiar with the location.

The library work are, pictured left, has tables that are the perfect size for a Memoir '44 board. The larger tables can even fit a Breakthrough map or an Overlord map.

My Single Largest Order...Ever!

2008-12-08T17:40:00.000-08:00

My orders are all in and the Memoir '44 History Club equipment is piling up! I now have 24 items to start the club in January:

6 sets: Memoir '44 Base Game
5 sets: Memoir '44 Terrain Pack
5 sets: Memoir '44 Pacific Theater
4 sets: Memoir '44 Hedgerow Hell
2 sets: Memoir '44 Campaign Bag
2 sets: Memoir '44 Operation Overlord

I'll eventually get more equipment (especially if the club is as popular as I hope it will be) but this is the largest order I expect to ever get all at once.

Thanks for your interest in our Memoir '44 History Club!

Starting something new...

2008-12-04T21:54:00.000-08:00

This blog is dedicated to the workings of the Memoir '44 History Club that I'm running at my school. I will work on updating readers of this blog on what we're doing, how I organize the club, and how things are working (or aren't working).

Club Population
Starting in January, my History Club (HC) will be open to 4th grade students who played Memoir '44 with me the previous year. I hope to have 20 students join the club but if there aren't 20 students who played last year, interested in joining the club, I will open membership to students who haven't played Memoir '44 before. During the 2009-2010 school year, the club will be open to 4th and 5th graders and I will accept at least 24 students (maybe more if the interest is there).

Club Fees
Each student (or parent, actually) is required to pay a $10 membership fee. If parents feel they can't afford this, I will discuss 'scholarship' opportunities for those students. The Club Fee is a one-time charge each session. One reason for the fee, is to encourage more participation from the students. If parents have paid for the club, they are more likely to make it a priority and encourage their student to show up to every meeting. The second reason for the fee, is to pay for simple snacks and possibly buy replacement materials when that need arrises.

Club Schedule
Our first session will be from January 13 - March 19, 2009. We will meet almost every Tuesday and Thursday after school, from 3:30-5:00. In total, we will meet 19 times in the first session. Each meeting will start in my classroom with a quick snack. During snack, we will discuss the history behind the scenario being played that day and the strategy each side used.

We will move to the school library (down the hall) no later than 4:00 and students will begin setting up the scenario. Teams begin playing the battles as soon as each board is set up. Parents will begin picking students up at 5:00.

Club Support
I have been very lucky to receive full support for the Memoir '44 History Club from Jewell's principal and librarian. The principal has agreed to let us do fund-raising if we need to, and has offered school funds for club related ideas. The librarian has very generously agreed to use funds from her department to buy research materials from Amazon and a library distributor. In early December, we spent $300 on elementary-level books about World War II battles. These books will stay in the library for the general student population to enjoy, but can be checked out by our Memoir Club.

Club Goals
The Memoir '44 History Club is designed to teach students about American involvement in World War II. To that end, students will learn about specific battles that took place in Europe and the Pacific. They will also be required to choose an historical battle and develop it into a scenario with a partner. Those battles will be tested (slightly) by the club and then published online under the user name "Jewell HC". A wonderful side effect of playing Memoir '44 and designing scenarios, is that the students will leave the club with a positive view of history and a sense that history can be a lot of fun!

Club Activities
During each session, I will invite at least one World War II veteran to come talk to the students. We will dedicated one afternoon to listening to the vet, asking questions, and discussing the war with the guest. Before the speaker comes, we will study the conflicts that person was involved in and play a scenario that represents that history. Through this kind of pre-teaching, students will be able to understand what the vet is referring to and ask better questions.

The guest for our first session will be my grandfather, Harold Kurtz. He is pictured here with a World War II US military motorcycle he is restoring. This model was designed to be paradropped onto the battle field. Harold was a glider pilot who helped transport troops during Operation Varsity. We will study the operation and play a scenario that uses gliders before he comes to visit.

Club Conclusion
By the end of the first session, students will have competed in two tournaments and received a trophy and certificate for each, done historical research, created their own historical scenario, met a World War II veteran, learned about the history of over 10 battles, and practiced good sportsmanship. Parents will be encouraged (by me and I'm sure, by their children) to buy a set of the Memoir '44 base game so the learning and excitement can continue at home.

A Warm Welcome!

2008-11-10T15:08:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the Jewell Elementary Memoir '44 History Club web page!

Memo ir '44 is a board game by a company called Days of Wonder and designed by Richard Borg. The game is set in World War II and players lay out battles that actually happened. Then they play as either the Axis or Allied forces and try to change history or repeat what really happened. As part of the club, students will compete in a tournament.

Students in the Memoir History Club will have a chance to learn the rules for Memoir '44, if they don't already know them, and they can play with other beginers until they are comfortable joining the main tournament. The winners of the tournament will recieve a trophy and everyone will get a certificate of participation.

Playing Memoir '44 is not the only thing this club will do. A main focus of the club is also historical investigation and learning. We will invite survivors of World War II to come talk to our club and share some of their knowledge of history. Students will research a battle that took place during World War II and create a scenario (battle layout) of their own for others to play.

My goal for this history club is not only to have fun playing a great board game, but to also help foster a love of history in the students. I hope students will leave with their eyes opened to a world of board games and a sense that history can be fun and interesting!

Thanks for your interest and support of the Memoir '44 History Club,

Jesse Rasmussen
3rd Grade Teacher
Jewell Elementary School