{"id":1608,"date":"2016-09-21T21:23:14","date_gmt":"2016-09-22T01:23:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/nwcenter\/wordpress\/?post_type=lessonplans&p=1608"},"modified":"2025-10-24T11:38:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T18:38:15","slug":"difference-a-philosophy-game","status":"publish","type":"teachertoolkit","link":"https:\/\/plato-philosophy.org\/teachertoolkit\/difference-a-philosophy-game\/","title":{"rendered":"Difference: A Philosophy Game"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is Difference?<\/em>
\nDifference is an easy-to-learn, fast-to-play, negotiation game that is designed to promote philosophical discussion about equity both inside and outside of the game.<\/p>\n

Set-up<\/strong>
\nDivide the class into groups of exactly 3 students each. Each group consists of a green, purple, and yellow player. Each group is given player cards at random (1 green, 1 purple, 1 yellow), a pool that begins with 9 stones (in the middle of the play area), and a supply area that starts with 21 stones.<\/p>\n

See PDF above for print and play materials.<\/p>\n

Turns<\/strong>
\nPlayers take turns choosing one of the following actions: Taking stones from the pool, adding new stones to the pool, or doing something special (giving stones to yellow player, or trashing all the stones in the pool). See the action chart below.<\/p>\n

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End<\/strong>
\nThe game lasts for exactly 7 rounds of play. Facilitator or players will need to keep count of each round.<\/p>\n

Winning<\/strong>
\nDifference is a tournament style game where you are trying to outperform the players at other tables who are playing your same position (player color). There will be three winners (or more if ties) at the end – 1 green winner, 1 purple winner, and 1 yellow winner. To determine the green winner all the green players count up their stones and whoever has the most wins! Same for purple and for yellow.<\/p>\n

Debrief Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n