Amusement devices: games – Puzzles – Take-aparts and put-togethers
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-16
2002-07-30
Wong, Steven (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Puzzles
Take-aparts and put-togethers
C273S282100, C434S153000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06425581
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to teaching aids, and more particularly to a map puzzle game especially suited for teaching geography to children and adults.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Geography is a unifying subject that describes our world. As we watch or read the news, we organize the information we assimilate in many ways. One category always exists—location. Everything happens somewhere. Geography is the subject that relates what we learn to where we are, and provides a frame of reference for learning about subjects such as history, politics, geology, culture, or religion.
A solid grounding in geography is fundamental to understanding today's complex international issues. It is increasingly obvious that our actions in the USA can have profound effects on the rest of the world. Similarly, the impact of decisions made in other parts of the world is felt by Americans. The quality of our lives and that of generations to come depends on geographic sensitivity. Knowing the whereabouts of Serbia, East Timor, Rwanda, Bangladesh and China is prerequisite to understanding global affairs, foreign policy, human rights, world hunger, and international trade. Perhaps most importantly, knowledge of the world's places, peoples and cultures is the starting point for cultivating the kind of global understanding that is a pre-condition for world peace. Yet, despite the pivotal role of geography in the global context, year after year of national testing continues to show less than satisfying results of student knowledge and understanding of basic geography. The results might well be even more dismal if adults were tested.
The activity of locating countries on a map is oftentimes referred to as “political geography”. Learning political geography can be tedious, since students have usually not visited the places they are asked to locate on a map. There is thus no “visual memory” relating abstract shapes on a map to images that help students remember which political entities such abstract shapes represent. Instead, conventional methods for learning political geography rely chiefly on rote memorization, and are fraught with frustration and boredom on the part of students.
Geography teaching aids have utilized various types of fabric charts, learning maps, display devices and other planar panels inscribed with map indicia in combination with a plurality of manipulative elements. Such manipulative elements are said to consist of relational tabs, labels, or cut-apart cards, which are detachably removable with one- or two-member self-adhesive hook-and-loop fasteners. Representative examples of geography teaching aids are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,937,181, 5,259,763 and 5,800,182.
In each of these disclosures, iron velvet or other hook-compatible or Velcro®-compatible fabric is used for a base or background. The hook-compatible fabric obviates the need for separate loop-type fasteners. However, the fabric requires hemming or binding for structural integrity; or requires a rubberized lining and attachment to a rigid or flexible backing. Each of these structures significantly increases the bulk and weight of the fabric. Portability is decreased and the fabric is cumbersome to move or store when not in use. Moreover, the sewing and other labor required substantially raises production costs, thus compromising affordability of the product.
A further shortcoming of hook-compatible fabric is that, when printed with ink indicia, the fabric's hook engagement capacity is diminished throughout the area in which ink indicia are applied. The manipulative elements can fall off the panel, distracting students and hindering implementation of the teaching aid. Moreover, hook-compatible fabric is esthetically unappealing, and projects a decidedly “synthetic” look, feel and smell. Likewise, manipulative elements such as color-coded tabs, printed words, icons and the like, have typically been flimsy. (See, for example, the Fabric Chart Kit referenced by U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,182, the tabs of which must be laminated by end-users to be rendered durable.)
Manipulative elements having the form of postage stamps have not been disclosed or suggested. Fabric chart kits of the conventional type are not recyclable, which is disappointing to environmentally sensitive consumers. Panel indicia and manipulative elements conventionally employed are esthetically and emotionally uninspiring. They fail to captivate the imagination and sustain the attention of participants, or otherwise assist children and adults to retain and apply lessons taught.
Continental map puzzles of the jigsaw variety are known, for example, from “Ravensburger/F.X. Schmid Maps of the World Frame Puzzles.” Also known are geography learning toys and games that assist with reinforcement of geographic educational concepts. None of these puzzles, games, or teaching aids suggests use of postage stamp images or reproductions to indelibly relate an abstract shape on a map to something memorable about the political entity such abstract shape represents. Postage stamp images are compelling, distinctive, intrinsically interesting pieces of miniature art, and thus present a unique opportunity to capture the imagination of children and adults alike. These factors have not been recognized by prior art workers; postage stamps have not been suggested for use in geography teaching aids.
US and non-US postage stamp reproductions have been used in fields unrelated to geographic games and teaching aids. U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,043 discloses a stamp collector display card device. The device involves reproductions of U.S. and non-US postage stamps on the front surface of 2½ inch×3½ inch stamp collector cards. No disclosure is contained therein regarding use of stamps as manipulative elements for geography teaching aids or games.
U.S. and non-U.S. postage stamp reproductions have been used in a self-correcting tutor game sold by Educational Insights, Dominguez Hills, Calif., under the trademark Geosafari Learning Game®. This game includes a plurality of twenty-lesson card sets, each set of which includes lessons in a plurality of disciplines, including geography, science, world history, modern languages, ecology, and biology. One of these lesson card sets is entitled “Exploring Stamps,” and contains cards imprinted with indicia comprising a plurality of full-color, enlarged or reduced reproductions of non-canceled U.S. and non-U.S. postage stamps. The postage stamp indicia relate to plants, animals, inventions, world geography, and flags of the world. Lesson cards feature questions related to the postage stamp indicia. No attempt is made to relate the images on the postage stamps to places on a map; no use is made of postage stamp images as manipulative elements or playing pieces.
There remains a need in the art for a method and means that facilitates the study of political geography in classroom, home and other environments. Especially needed is an amusing, compelling, and exciting teaching aid that effectively enables students of political geography to retain and apply lessons learned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a multidisciplinary geography learning aid that enables both children and adults to learn to locate the world's countries, territories and other political entities on a map in an enjoyable and effective manner. It inspires curiosity about each country's culture, thus helping to facilitate mutual understanding, respect and peace. Game participants also develop heightened awareness concerning the importance of cultural preservation and ecological protection in a rapidly changing world.
Adapted for both classroom and home use, and for children and adults alike, the method and means of the invention features U.S. and non-U.S. postage stamp reproductions as puzzle game pieces. These pieces are appointed for deployment on a relational puzzle base imprinted with an artistic, accurate, large-format outline map of a world continent or region. Self-adhesive
Buff Ernest D.
Ernest D. Buff & Associates LLC
Wong Steven
LandOfFree
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