Abstract:
An apparatus and method to improve reading, particularly the reading of young children. The game objective is to score points by answering questions posed by sets of cards. The card set is determined by a spinner. This game is designed to help children to read fluently.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/708,327 filed on Feb. 21, 2007 now abandoned titled READING GAME. 
    
    
     GOVERNMENT RIGHTS 
     This invention was not made with Government support. The Government does not have any rights in this invention. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     From several decades of research from the National Institute for Literacy, U.S. Department of Education, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, it has been learned that learning to read can start at home. Learning to read can start before children go to school. Children can start down the road to becoming advanced readers from birth. Early experiences with spoken and written language are a foundation and set the stage for children to become successful readers. Research of the Maryland State Assessment Test from 2003 to 2006 indicates that many schools are below 70% in reading proficiency. The groups identified were African Americans, American Indians, Hispanic, those residing on farming communities, and special education students. The Maryland State Assessment Test in 2007 indicated that there was an increase of 2% to 5%. However, students are still below reading proficiency. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,431 discloses a game that may include “linguistic questions.” 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,391 discloses a game that relates to illegal chemical substances. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,503 discloses a game that relates colors to alphanumeric characters. 
     What is needed is a game that helps children who have difficulty reading and non-readers, to enjoy playing a reading game, so that they will play often and learn to read sooner than they would if they did not play the game. 
     What is also needed is a game that young children enjoy playing so that they play often, so the non-reader or child learns to read sooner than they would if they did not play the game. 
     What is also needed is a board game that is an educational game designed to help early childhood and school age children build reading skills and have fun learning at the same time. What is needed is a board game that will help to teach children to read. The accumulation of points may be the result of the player or team&#39;s knowledge in spelling, parts of speech, reading comprehension, critical thinking, problem solving, and greed. 
     What is also needed is a board game to teach children to read, build vocabulary, develop literacy skills, and become the first player or team to accumulate a point total, such as 550 or more points. The accumulation of points may be the result of the player or team&#39;s knowledge in spelling, parts of speech, reading comprehension, critical thinking, and greed. What is needed is a board game that is designed so that teachers can incorporate the game in their reading curriculum to help build their students reading skills. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An aspect of the present invention comprises a board game ( 1 ), comprising: a game board ( 90 ); said game board ( 90 ) having a one-directional playing track ( 94 ); a spinner ( 110 ); rotatably disposed on a spinner board ( 112 ); said spinner board ( 112 ) having a category ( 130 ), said categories ( 130 ) having a greed category ( 230 ), a read category ( 200 ), a tell the story category ( 210 ), and a spelling category ( 220 ); a set of read cards ( 50 ); a set of spelling cards ( 60 ); a set of tell the story cards ( 70 ) a set of greed cards ( 80 ), whereby the spinner ( 110 ) may land on either said read category ( 200 ), said tell the story category ( 210 ), said spelling category ( 220 ), or said greed category ( 230 ), and then, based on the category ( 200 ,  210 ,  220 ,  230 ) a card is selected from said respective set of cards ( 50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80 ), and the card is read to a player. 
     Another aspect is a process of a board game ( 1 ), comprising the steps of: rolling a pair of dice to determine the order of play; spinning a spinner ( 110 ) to determine what type of card should be selected; selecting a card ( 50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80 ) based on where the spinner ( 110 ) lands; responding to a question posed by the card ( 50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80 ); advancing a pawn ( 20 ) on along a one-directional playing track ( 94 ) disposed on a game board ( 90 ) if the player responds correctly; and placing a wink ( 40 ) over a number on the spinner board ( 112 ) when that number relating to the respective category ( 130 ) is answered. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention showing three steal buttons; 
         FIG. 2  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention showing a read pawn; 
         FIG. 3  is a is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention showing 2 dice; 
         FIG. 4  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention showing a round wink; 
         FIG. 5  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention showing a front and back view of a read card; 
         FIG. 6  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention showing a front and back view of a spelling card; 
         FIG. 7  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention showing a front and back view of a tell the story card; 
         FIG. 8  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention showing a front and back view of a greed card; and 
         FIG. 9  is a is a pictorial view of one embodiment of a game board of the present invention showing; 
         FIG. 10  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of a score sheet of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of a spinner of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 12  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of a bonus spinner of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               1  reading game 
               10  steal button 
               20  read pawn 
               30  die 
               40  wink 
               50  read card 
               60  spelling card 
               70  tell the story card 
               80  greed card 
               90  game board 
               92  steal indicia 
               94  one-directional playing track 
               96  starting point 
               97  point range 
               98  ending point 
               100  score sheet 
               110  spinner 
               112  spinner board 
               120  bonus spinner 
               130  number category (on spinner board  112 ) 
               140  number location (on board  90 ) 
               200  read category 
               210  tell the story category 
               220  spelling category 
               230  greed category 
           
         
       
    
     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , in one embodiment of the present invention reading game  1 , the game board  90  may be have a one-directional playing track  94 . A read pawn  20  (illustrated in  FIG. 2 ) may be movably placed on the board  90 . A team or player may move a read pawn  20  along the playing track  94  based on successfully answering a question indicated on a respective card (read card  50 , spelling card  60 , tell the story card  70 , or greed card  80 ). The respective card  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80 , may be chosen based on where a point of a spinner  110  of a spinner board  112  ( FIG. 11 ) lands. The spinner  110  may rotate about an axis when pushed with a finger. In a further embodiment the spinner  110  may be rotated automatically. In a further embodiment, the board  90  may be a visual on a computer screen. In a further embodiment, the spinner  110  may be a visual on a display, and the spinner  110  may be rotated via a touch screen interface. 
     One goal or objective of the player or team is to become the first player or team to accumulate a point total, such as 550 or more points. The accumulation of points may be the result of the player or team&#39;s knowledge in spelling, parts of speech, reading comprehension, critical thinking, and greed 
     To begin play, the game board  90  may be set on a table (not illustrated). The game board  90  may consist of four one-dimensional playing tracks  94 . The game may be played by four teams and/or players. The game may be played by or with a teacher. The teacher may control how the game is played by the players or teams. The teacher may be referred to herein as a scorekeeper. The teacher may also keep score. 
     Each separate player or team may use their own spinner board  112 , pawn  20 , and steal button  10 . 
     The spinner  112  may be spun to indicate what card (i.e. read card  50 , spelling card  60 , tell the story card  70 , or greed card  80 ) is drawn, from which a question may be placed on one side of the card  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80 . The questions may be on the fronts of the respective cards. The back of the card  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80  may have the category  150  (i.e. read, spelling, tell the story, greed) indicated. The teacher may ask the question from the card. The player or team may attempt to, and may answer the question correctly, or incorrectly. The goal is to answer the question correctly. 
     When the spinner  110  lands on a number category (i.e. greed category and number  50 ) that has already been answered, then the player or team may lose a turn. Then the next player or team may spin the spinner  110 . Once a number category  130  question has been answered, then the player or team may cover the number location  140  on the board  90  with a wink  40 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , if, at the end of the game, there is a tie score, then a player may use the bonus spinner  120  to break the tie. Upon successfully answering the question, the player may be awarded the points indicated on the bonus spinner until the tie may be broke. At one turn, the player may spin the bonus spinner  120  twice. If a player cannot answer the question posed after spinning the bonus spinner  120 , then another player may steal. This player may indicate their intent to steal by placing a steal button  20  on a steal indicia  92  on the game board  90 . To steal means to answer the question posed to the player who did not correctly answer the questions. The other player who stole answers the question, then that player, the “stealer” would win the game. 
     When a player spins the spinner  120  and it lands on the number category  130  identified as “greed,” then the greed card  80  is selected, and the player attempts to answer the question on the respective greed card  80 . The questions on the greed card  80  may be more difficult than other number categories  130 . Thus, the points may be higher. The game may also be structured so that if the player does not correctly answer the question, then that player may lose points and the other team/player can steal if they so choose. If not, then the game  1  continues clockwise. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a steal button  10 . The steal button  10  may be placed on the board  90 , on a steal indicia  92  of the board  90 . This placement of the steal button  10  may occur when a player or team of players miss a question in any category, including a bonus question. In one embodiment the steal button  10  may be made of plastic, metal, composite, or wood. The steal  10  may be a circular disk, or it may be another shape, such as square, or even a cube. 
     If a player ties a second time, then the teacher may select a greed card  80 . The first player to answer two questions correctly wins the game. The game may be ended when the winning player or team shouts, “I read!” 
     The read cards  50  may help players learn the parts of speech and develop writing skills. For example, the read cards  50  may have text that displays words and/or sentences that the player reads correctly before advancing. 
     The spelling cards  60  may build vocabulary may help with spelling or reading. The spelling cards  60  may have the words spelled phonetically, which would require the player to recite the correct spelling. Or they may have pictures of figures, and the player would have to recite the correct spelling. In a further embodiment the spelling card  60  may have a picture and some of the letters, and the player would have to complete the word with the correct letters. 
     The tell the story cards  70  may build reading comprehension and develop critical thinking skills. The tell story cards  70  may have stories on them. In a further embodiment the tell story cards  70  may recite portions of well known tales or stories, and the player may have to correctly complete the tale or story correctly to advance on the board  90 . 
     The greed cards  80  may expand the player&#39;s knowledge of all subjects in school and the world. The greed cards  80  may do this by having questions regarding demographics, science, math, technology, or other subjects. 
     The spinner  120  may have a diameter of 5 inches. The spinner  120  may rotate upon an axis in a circular fashion. The spinner board  112  may be divided into four number categories  130 , a read category  200 , a tell the story category  210 , a spelling category  220 , and a greed category  230 . Each number category  130  may be subdivided in to point ranges, such as 10, 20 . . . etc. The point range may be from 10 to 100. The greed category  230  may have two subdivided point ranges, such as 50 and 100. This allows the team to earn the respective number of points in each category. 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the spinner board  112 , when the spinner  110  lands on a tell the story region  210 , the tell the story card  70  is selected and the player is to attempt to answer the question. The teacher may read the story from the tell the story card  70  while the player or team whose turn it is, listens to comprehend what is read. The teacher may then ask a question related to the story so the player can earn the points indicated on the spinner board  112 . The tell the story cards  70  may be designed to help students build comprehension, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the spinner board  112  may have a spelling category  220 . When the player spins the spinner  110 , and if it lands within the spelling category  220 , then a spelling card  60  may be selected. If so, the card has a word, which the player tries to spell correctly. Spelling is essential in order to read. Spelling cards  60 , as seen in  FIG. 6 , will help students build their vocabulary and read fluently. 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the spinner board  112  may have a greed category  230 . If a player lands on the greed category  230 , then a greed card  80  is selected. The greed cards  80  may ask questions that are more difficult, and the points in the subdivided point sections may be worth more than the other categories  130 . This category  130 , the greed category  230  may create excitement among students that are more knowledgeable in school and world subject matter, thus building positive self-esteem as well as self-confidence to meet academic challenges. 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , when the spinner  110  lands on the read category  200 , a read card  50  is selected. The read card  50  may have a question on reading concepts necessary to help students build their reading and writing skills. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the game board  90  may have four one-directional playing tracks  94  with a starting point  96 , a running point range  97 , and an ending or finishing point  98 . There may be four (4) one-directional playing tracks  94 . 
     All cards  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80  may have questions and answers on the respective card  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80 . The cards  50 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80  may have questions at the top and answers at the bottom. 
     The read cards  50 , spelling cards  60 , and tell the story cards  70 , may be placed facedown not on the game board  90 . The greed cards  80  may be placed face down on the game board  90 . 
     Dice  30  may be used to determine who goes first, second, etc. . . . For