Chess has been around for thousands of years and is commonly referred to as the “game of kings.” Believed to have originated in India, this game has extended to all corners of the world and Myers Elementary fifth-graders are among those to embrace this classic game of strategy.
Last November, students learned about feudalism via a rotation of all three fifth-grade teachers, each offering a different approach to exploring the topic. One such perspective, presented by Mr. Phillip Dietrich, was to learn how the game of Chess as we know it today represents this particular societal structure. They studied its origins and were challenged to reflect on how the placement and movement of each piece aligned with its status in a feudalistic society.
After teaching these elements of the game, Mr. Phillip Dietrich taught students how to play. Since that time, many of his lunch hours have been spent accepting challenges from fifth-grade students wishing to ‘take him on.’ As the waiting list began to grow, it became clear that more than just a few students were itching for the chance to compete at Chess.
That’s when Mr. Phillip Dietrich decided to form a Chess Club, welcoming fifth-grade players of all skill levels. The goals are to help them improve and compete while instilling the values of sportsmanship and a standard of excellence.
Within two days, 35 fifth-graders signed up to participate in this club which meets during lunch and recess twice a week. Future plans for the club are to focus on skill/strategy development and hold “March Mad-Chess” to coincide with the famous NCAA March Madness tournament.