Invasion Differentiation Strategies

The Invasion game can easily be differentiated for a variety of grade levels. We recommend allowing all students to independently explore the first portion of the game. Draw students’ attention to the food sources and competitors shown the game. Guide students to understand that carp eat up to 40% of their body weight in a day and also jump out of the water when they are startled.

More advanced students can then move on to the second portion of the game, either independently or in pairs. The objective is to stop carp from progressing through the waterways to Lake Michigan, and to win, students must keep the carp out of the lake for 25 turns.

Talk with students about what they are learning through game play. How did they adjust their strategies after each random event altered the system?