Equilibrio is part of the Architecto line by FoxMind Games, a series of puzzle games that focus on spatial visualization by building structures out of blocks. The game provides players with a rule book that includes sixty puzzles that gradually progress in difficulty. This allows for differentiation for students to play at the level they are comfortable at. The rule book also provides students with a clue section for beginner players.
Equilibrio is comprised of eighteen solid plastic building blocks, referred as “Geoblocks”. The Geoblocks are various geometric shapes, and are represented in a variety of transitions in the puzzle book. The object of Equilibrio, is to successfully and accurately build the structure illustrated in the puzzle. Each illustration should be constructed vertically and when finished, should maintain equilibrium. One wrong move, and the whole tower could come crashing down! This game is meant for one player, but can easily be 
modified for students to work in pairs. The extensions for game play are unlimited. It is amazing how this non-competitive game can be intrinsically motivating for students, allowing students to act as agents in their own growth decreasing the need for external rewards. This game provides an amplitude of opportunities for students to use dexterity, ingenuity, and spatial visualization. It is deeply encouraged that each player uses their imagination!
How to Play
Pieces:
18 geoblocks
Puzzle Book
Setting up:
Select which puzzle will be built and have the geoblocks accessible to all players.
Playing:
Equilibrio is a non-competitive game in which the students try to make increasingly challenging towers. Players use the geoblocks to recreate the 2D image of the puzzle in 3D building vertically.
Teaching Resources
Below are resources that you can adapt for your own classroom:
- Equilibrio Instruction Sheet
- Equilibrio First Reflection Sheet
- Equilibrio Second Reflection Sheet
- Equilibrio Third Reflection Sheet
- Equilibrio Performance Assessment
- Equilibrio Performance Assessment Rubric
Extensions:
- Have students work in pairs. One student must verbally describe the puzzle while their partner builds it. This teaches the students to be articulate in their explanations and provides a deeper understanding of geometric shapes.
- Get students to create their own tower design, allows them to make geometric connections between their drawn puzzle and their concrete tower design. Students will learn to communicate the attributes of the two dimensional drawing to create the three dimensional geoblocks.
- Ask students to draw a puzzle for another student to build. This can lead to collaboration and discussion of different problem solving methods.
Mathematical Processes
Communication [C] : Equilibrio provides opportunities for students to communicate in mathematical terms, thereby fostering interaction and exploration of ideas related to course curriculum. While building the puzzles, students can communicate directions to one another, based on their mathematical ideas. As students advance through the puzzles the teacher can use prompts to start introducing correct mathematical language such as symmetry, geometric attributes, transitions, and more.
Connections [CN] : Equilibrio allows for students to make in-depth connections to building towers, geoblocks, and puzzles. The language they use to analyze and describe the blocks and towers can be a gateway to correct terminology. This creates a more in-depth understanding when students make connections between previous knowledge and the new materials of Equilibrio.
Mental Mathematics and Estimation [ME] : When students are playing Equilibrio they must consider what pieces may be hidden. In the challenging structures, pieces can rotate by 45 degrees so students must visualize to estimate how that piece may be placed.
Problem Solving [PS] : Equilibrio provides students with sixty puzzles, gradually increasing in difficulty. As the puzzles increase in difficulty, the more strategies and reasoning the player must use to be successful at building the tower. Since this game is meant for one player, it is fantastic at motivating students intrinsically to solve problems. This may lead to the students taking risks, realizing there are multiple methods/solutions and developing mathematical confidence.
Reasoning [R] : Equilibrium helps students build a strong foundation in geometric reasoning. When students are playing Equilibrio in pairs, they will need to communicate their reasoning for different strategies and work together to complete the task. Through game play, students are able to generalize patterns of previously tested strategies, and reach new conclusions from their background knowledge.
Visualization [V] : Equilibrio provides rich tasks for students to interpret and describe a visual representation by developing their spatial sense (the ability to mentally visualize objects and spatial relationships) and reasoning. As the students look at the puzzle book and 2D representations of the shape, they must make connections with the geoblocks, 3D objects, and use their connections to build the tower correctly. This enables a great opportunity for students to form relationships among the 2D shapes and 3D objects. With the use of extensions, students are also able to actively interpret and describe visual representations of their tower and it’s composed shapes through spatial reasoning.