Teacher's Guides
Math
Science
Critical Thinking

The group assembled at Skywalker Ranch was eclectic--two teachers, a puzzle designer, a mathematician specializing in visual representations of mathematics, the head of an educational foundation, and four members of our Lucas Learning® staff. The ideas flowed as we talked about the importance of learning to think mathematically and the challenges of working with kids and mathematics. We talked about the gender divide and about kids who do not believe they are capable of learning math. Chart paper covered the walls with imaginative and practical suggestions. Out of this wealth of ideas emerged the concepts for the critically acclaimed Star Wars Pit Droids.

The team started design with the conviction that everyone is capable of higher-level mathematical thinking. They accepted the challenge of creating a game that would grow out of important mathematical ideas, yet be accessible and engaging for a wide range of users. An attribute-based game that would require the use of logical reasoning and mathematical thinking emerged.

An early prototype called "Flatland" was developed to allow experimentation with puzzle types and attributes. Inspiration came from classical math puzzles and books, master puzzle designers, and mathematicians. Puzzle types were created and tested. Our teacher advisors reminded us that there are many opportunities for people to practice arithmetic skills, but relatively few for engaging in the mathematics needed for the next century-the math that underlies computers, networks, and the digital age.

We began to develop and test the puzzles in "Flatland"-a two-dimensional grid, at first even devoid of color. Before we knew it, the whole team was creating puzzles and exchanging them. Informal discussions popped up about the puzzles. Clearly there is something inherently engaging in this form of game play. These experiences told us two things: solving engaging puzzles is fun and making challenging puzzles is equally rewarding.

The handcrafted puzzles reflect four areas of mathematics: set theory, geometric and spatial relationships, ratios, and functions. The geometry is varied to include puzzles on both square and hexagonal grids. The game structure is designed flexibly, allowing players to move through a series of increasingly complex puzzles or to select and play puzzles at a level of their choice. Reflection and problem solving are encouraged because the student has opportunities to pause the game to think or replay a puzzle without penalty. A Puzzle Maker feature gives kids the opportunity to design and exchange their own puzzles.

On the surface, Pit Droids is a crazy, somewhat addictive puzzle game filled with whimsy and humor; at its heart it engages players in sophisticated mathematical thinking.