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Course Syllabus

Course Information
ED 4358 Using Chess in Elementary Schools

Instructor Contact Information


Dr. Alexey Root, 940-484-2265, aroot@utdallas.edu, GR2.240 (administrative assistant's
office)--her name is Debbie Buckner and her phone is 972-883-2057. Dr. Root’s office
hours by appointment.

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions


(including required prior knowledge or skills)
Students must have access to the Internet and to their UTD email during the semester that
they are enrolled in Chess Online. Students do not need prior knowledge of chess.

Course Description 3 semester hours


This course provides a curriculum development model for chess. In this model,
humanistic and academic goals for learners are addressed through chess. For learners,
chess enables experiences of flow and competition. Chess may help develop an internal
locus of control. By tapping into visual-spatial intelligence, chess makes accessible
hierarchical reading and math concepts. Chess exemplifies how people solve problems.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes


The student will read, then discuss with the instructor and classmates, theories of
curriculum and the role of chess in K-12 schools. The student will interact with two
classmates through chess games. The student will create two lesson plans that combine
educational goals and chess subject matter. The student will teach those two lesson plans
and then reflect on the teaching to look for what went well and what could be improved.

Required Textbooks and Materials


Ashley, M. (2005). Chess for success: Using an old game to build new strengths in
children and teens. New York: Broadway Books. ISBN-10: 0767915682.
Root, A. W. (2006). Children and chess: A guide for educators. Westport, CT: Teacher
Ideas Press. ISBN: 1591583586.
Root, A. W. (2008). Science, math, checkmate: 32 chess activities for inquiry and
problem solving. Westport, CT: Teacher Ideas Press. ISBN: 1591585716.
Root, A. W. (2009). Read, write, checkmate: Enrich literacy with chess activities.
Westport, CT: Teacher Ideas Press. ISBN-10: 1591587549.
Check out or buy a literature book to read during Unit Six, or plan to read two articles on
Library Reserves (electronic reserves) within our course.
Course texts are on reserve at the UTD library. Course texts are also available for
sale at the UTD bookstore, Off Campus books, and through online book retailers.

Course Syllabus Page 1


Students also receive a First Lessons in Chess© CD, available from UTD
Interdisciplinary Studies, Debbie Buckner <dbuckner@utdallas.edu> or (972) 883-2057.
Although Web sites and computer software display two-dimensional chess sets and
boards, I recommend that each Chess Online student acquire a chess board with algebraic
notation on its borders and a chess set. You can find such chess boards and sets at
www.uschess.org or www.amchesseq.com.

Suggested Course Materials


Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York:
HarperCollins. ISBN: 0060920432 (Paperback issued March 1991).
Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st Century.
New York: Basic Books. ISBN: 0465026117 (Paperback issued Sept. 20, 2000).

Technical Requirements
ED 4358 will be offered through eLearning. For information about eLearning, please go
to http://www.utdallas.edu/oee/distance/index.html

Assignments & Academic Calendar


Each unit takes around two weeks if a student follows the 16-week schedule. Each
unit takes around one week if a student follows the second 8-weeks schedule. It is highly
recommended that each student register early for the courses so that he or she may follow
the 16-week schedule. Your course will be officially listed as a second 8-weeks course by
UTD, but these two different schedule options (16-week and second 8-weeks) are offered
within your course by your instructor.
Schedules are stated on the Course Calendar, a separate document from this
syllabus. Each student completes assignments according to the Course Calendar schedule
(16-week or second 8-weeks) that he or she elects to follow when first in contact with the
instructor. You must check the Course Calendar (a separate document created for each
semester) for specific due dates and deadlines.
There are no exams in the course. Please note that in weeks where there are not
reading assignments that there are other types of assignments: playing chess with a
classmate, teaching a chess lesson, etc. And since this course is online, students read my
units (my lectures) online. Most lectures are about six single-spaced Microsoft Word
pages long.
All assignments within a unit must be completed by midnight at the end of that
unit.
Here are the points broken down by unit, with each unit being worth 100 points, and then
the grading scale for the entire course. Read each unit online, and the reading
assignments listed in each unit, to be successful.
Unit One: Meeting classmates, learning chess, and buying course texts.
The pages in the online Unit One provide greater detail for each of the assignments. Read
Unit One online within the course.
I. Buy the course texts, Science, Math, Checkmate: 32 Chess Activities for Inquiry and
Problem Solving by Alexey Root, Read, Write, Checkmate: Enrich Literacy with Chess

Course Syllabus Page 2


Activities by Alexey Root, Chess for Success: Using an Old Game to Build New
Strengths in Children and Teens by Maurice Ashley, and Children and Chess: A Guide
for Educators by Alexey Root. Check out from a library or buy a literature book with a
chess theme to read during Unit Six, or plan to read two articles from our Library
Reserves (found within the course). (0 points)
II. Establish a UTD email account and notify the instructor of your UTD email address.
In this same email, tell the instructor whether you will follow the 16-week or second 8-
weeks schedule of due dates on the Course Calendar. Check your UTD email everyday
when enrolled in ED 4358. (20 points)
III. Read and print the Syllabus and Course Calendar for your course. Links are posted
within the course. (0 points)
IV. Post on the Discussion Board your Discussion A. Self-introduction: Where you teach,
or what you study, or your job; your interest in the course; and your level of chess play.
(30 points)
V. Play through the entire (about 30 chapters) First Lessons in Chess© part of the CD.
This free CD is available when you register from UTD Interdisciplinary Studies, Debbie
Buckner <Dbuckner@utdallas.edu> or (972) 883-2057. If you cannot get the CD to work
for you, your alternate assignment is to play through the 66 ChessKIDS Academy
lessons, located here http://www.chesskids.com/lessons04.shtml (0 points)
VI. Compare three chapters in the CD (or three individual lessons on the ChessKIDS
Academy) with the corresponding sections in chapters 2 or 3 of Read, Write, Checkmate:
Enrich Literacy with Chess Activities. Email your comparison to Dr. Root. (50 points)

Unit Two: Read, Write, and Play Chess


The pages in the online Unit Two provide greater detail for each of the assignments. Read
Unit Two online within the course.
I. Read chapter 4 of Read, Write, Checkmate: Enrich Literacy with Chess Activities. Then
post on Discussion B at least one new thing you learned about how to notate and annotate
a chess game from reading Chapter 4 of Read, Write, Checkmate. If you are an
experienced chess player (and didn’t learn anything new), comment on which pages of
chapter 4 are particularly important for beginning chess players, and why you think the
topic covered in those pages is important. (25 points)
II. Play at least 5 moves of chess with a Chess Online classmate. Dr. Root will assign you
a classmate to play with, but you may email Dr. Root if you have someone in Chess
Online that you would particularly like to be paired with. You will need to finish the
game by the end of Unit Five. You will post the notation and annotations of the first five
moves of the game in Discussion C. (50 points)
III. Reply to another classmate’s Discussion B or Discussion C posting. That is, you can
comment on what they learned about notating and annotating (Discussion B) or you can
offer your comments on their first five moves (Discussion C). (25 points)

Unit Three: Lesson Plan One (adapted from Science, Math, Checkmate) and Ashley
Discussion posting
The pages in the online unit provide greater detail for each of the assignments. Read Unit
Three online within the course.

Course Syllabus Page 3


I. Adapt an activity from Science, Math, Checkmate: 32 Chess Activities for Inquiry and
Problem Solving into a lesson plan for your student or students. Later you will teach this
plan, and a Reflection on your teaching of it will be due during Unit Four. But for now
you select your student or students and write the plan only. Do not teach it yet! Email me
your adaptation (lesson plan tailored to your student or students) in lesson plan form. (50
points)
II. Post on the Discussion Board your Discussion D, about Chess for Success up to page
54. That is, read the Introduction, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2 in Ashley’s book. In your
Discussion posting, tell what most struck you about Ashley’s life history. For example,
did his transformation in high school remind you of someone you know or have heard
about who was lifted up by an interest in a hobby or sport? Quote from the text, using
different quotes from those students who posted before you, to prove that you did the
reading. Alternate assignment: Reply to someone who already posted on Discussion D,
but you still need to include a quote from Ashley’s book. (50 points)

Unit Four: Reflection One, flow Discussion posting


The pages in the online unit provide greater detail for each of the assignments. Read Unit
Four online within the course.
I. Teach your Lesson Plan One to your student(s). Email the instructor your Reflection
One of how your teaching of your Lesson Plan One went. (50 points)
II. Post on the Discussion Board your Discussion E. Read Chess for Success (pages 55-
106, which is Chapter 3) and Children and Chess: A Guide for Educators (Chapter 2).
Compare the readings on the topic of flow, quoting at least once from each book. Also
mention flow experiences from your own life, and what you think the value of flow is in
education. (50 points)

Unit Five: Chess game and competition Discussion postings.


The pages in the online unit provide greater detail for each of the assignments. Read Unit
Five online within the course.
I. Post on the Discussion Board your Discussion F, the notation and annotation of your
chess game with your in-class opponent. Please repeat the first five moves from Unit
Two/Discussion C. Then continue with posting the remaining moves (from move 6 until
the end of the game). Please have one annotation for every five moves or so, i.e. a 20-
move game would have at least four annotations. (50 points)
II. Post on the Discussion Board your Discussion G: Compare what you learned about
competition and tournament chess from Ashley (pages 107-186, chapters 4 and 5) and
Children and Chess: A Guide for Educators (Chapter 3). Cover at least two of the
following three topics: 1) females and chess, 2) how tournaments are run 3) feelings
about wins and losses. Alternate assignment: Instead of writing your own original
posting, you may reply to another student’s posting. For your Discussion G, you must
have at least one quote from each book to show that you did the readings. (50 points)

Unit Six: Lesson Plan Two (rough draft), chess in literature Discussion posting
The pages in the online unit provide greater detail for each of the assignments. Read Unit
Six online within the course.

Course Syllabus Page 4


I. Email the instructor a rough draft of your Lesson Plan Two. To write Lesson Plan Two,
review Chapters 1 and 8 of Children and Chess: A Guide for Educators. Your Lesson
Plan Two can be original material, or it can be an adaptation (for your particular student
or students) of a lesson plan in Science, Math, Checkmate: 32 Chess Activities for Inquiry
and Problem Solving. It must be emailed in lesson plan format. Do not teach the plan yet!
(50 points)
II. Post on the Discussion Board your Discussion H: Read a literary work (or a small
portion of a literary work) in which chess is featured. Explain how you would meet one
or more reading objectives using excerpts from this work. A list of literary works that
include chess themes is on pages 38-39 (Sacrifice chapter) of Children and Chess: A
Guide for Educators. You may not pick chess instructional books for this assignment.
Alternate Assignment: If Library Reserves are available within the course, you may pick
two articles from Library Reserves to analyze instead. (50 points)

Unit Seven: Lesson Plan Two (final draft), life lessons Discussion posting
The pages in the online unit provide greater detail for each of the assignments. Read Unit
Seven online within the course.
I. Email the instructor the final draft of your Lesson Plan Two. Once she has responded
by email to your final draft, you may go ahead and teach Lesson Plan Two to your chess
student or students. (50 points)
II. Post on the Discussion Board your Discussion I. Read Ashley (pages 187-203, chapter
6) and Children and Chess: A Guide for Educators (Chapter 7) and post regarding what
chess can teach people about life. Quote, giving different quotes than students that posted
before you. Also include your own story (or that of your chess student or students) about
how life skills have improved because of chess. (25 points)
III. Play at least 5 moves of chess with a new Chess Online classmate. That is, you play
someone that you didn’t already play in this course. Dr. Root will assign you a classmate
to play with, or you may email the instructor if you have someone in Chess Online that
you would particularly like to be paired with. You will need to finish the game by the end
of Unit Eight. You will post the notation and annotations of the first five moves of the
game in Discussion J. (25 points)

Unit Eight: Reflection Two and Chess Game notation/annotation Discussion posting
The pages in the online unit provide greater detail for each of the assignments. Read Unit
Eight online within the course.
I. Email the instructor your Reflection Two of how the teaching of Lesson Plan Two
went. (50 points)
II. Post on the Discussion Board your Discussion K, the notation and annotation of your
chess game with your second in-class opponent. Please repeat the first five moves from
Unit Seven/Discussion J. Then continue with posting the remaining moves (from move 6
until the end of the game). Please have one annotation for every five moves or so, i.e. a
20-move game would have at least four annotations. (50 points)

Grading Policy

Course Syllabus Page 5


Each Unit is worth 100 points. Thus, for undergraduates, 800 points is the highest
possible grade.
ED 4358 Grading Scale:
790-800=A+
740-789=A
720-739=A-
710-719=B+
660-709=B
640-659=B-
610-639=C+
580-609=C
560-579=C-
480-559=D
Below 479=F

Course & Instructor Policies


Each unit is valued at 100 points. Because the course is 8 units long, the highest possible
score for unit completion is 800 points. Most assignments within each 100 point unit are
worth 20-50 points. You must finish all assignments listed within a unit by midnight of
the last day of that unit. Late assignments are only accepted with a doctor’s note or
hospital admission record for you or an immediate family member. Computer
malfunctions or other emergencies are not acceptable excuses, so plan to do assignments
EARLY during the unit because you never know when disaster will strike. If you are past
midnight, and don’t have doctor or hospital documentation, you will get a zero for that
assignment. For the chess game assignments, contact your partner on the first day of the
unit to allow time for the chess game to be played. If you have an unresponsive partner,
notify Dr. Root immediately and she will help you.
The undergraduate ED 4358 grading scale is based on 800 points, and the
graduate ED 5344 grading scale is based on 1000 points. The Gradebook will show the
graduate grading scale, but undergrads need to keep in mind the 800 point scale available
above.
Depending on what special chess and education events are available, one or two
extra credit assignments may be offered to you. Such extra credit opportunities will be
emailed to you and posted within your course. Extra credit opportunities will be valued at
30 points each. But they are not guaranteed to be offered, so make sure you do all your
regular unit assignments on time.

Student Resources
Access to many University resources are available to students. Some sources of interest
include:

UTD Distance Learning: http://www.utdallas.edu/distancelearning/students


McDermott Library: Distance Learners (UTD students who live outside the boundaries of
Collin, Dallas, Denton, Rockwall, or Tarrant counties) will need a UTD-ID number to

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access all of the library’s electronic resources (reserves, journal articles, ebooks,
interlibrary loan) from off campus. For UTD students living within those counties who
are taking online courses, a Comet Card is required to check out materials at the
McDermott Library. For more information on library resources go to
http://www.utdallas.edu/distancelearning/students/libraries.html

Technical Support
If you experience any problems with your UTD account you may send an email to:
assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911. For eLearning
assistance, see http://www.utdallas.edu/oee/distance/index.html

Field Trip Policies


Off-campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law
and University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities.
Information regarding these rules and regulations may be found at the website address
http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm. Additional
information is available from the office of the school dean. Below is a description of any
travel and/or risk-related activity associated with this course.

No risks anticipated with this online course.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility
of each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and
regulations which govern student conduct and activities. General information on student
conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is
provided to all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the
Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1,
Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the
university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations
are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are
available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-
6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the

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Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to
discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or
off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work
done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high
standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related
to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s
own work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty
involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying
academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary
proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from
any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on
plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of
turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication
between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises
some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange.
The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a
student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from
students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the
university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual
corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each
student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with university
personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method
for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level
courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog.
Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle
withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any
student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final
grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

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Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other


fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a
serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or
committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”).
Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and
evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be
submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If
the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the student
may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the
School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate
or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic
Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the
academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably
missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An
incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the
subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the
incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is
changed automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational


opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in
room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to
6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30
p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:


The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

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Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable
adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example,
it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals
(in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment
requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation
for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility
impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or
university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or
mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty
members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations.
Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or
during office hours.

Religious Holy Days


The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required
activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose
places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas
Code Annotated.
The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused,
will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time
after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one
week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or
assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the
exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that
exam or assignment.
If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose
of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the
student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or
examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief
executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or
designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student
and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.
These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Instructor.

Course Syllabus Page 10

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