Grades 6-8 Classroom

Start here with Tactical Masters

Use this page as the teacher launch sheet for the five-session grades 6-8 classroom kit. Your kit arrives printed and ready: one kit is designed for up to 25 learners, with a default classroom build of 5 teams of up to 5. This page tells you what's in your kit, how to set up, and how to run the systems-and-design sequence in order.

Download the Facilitator Book (PDF) Browse & reprint any file

The Facilitator Book is the all-in-one print path: a single coil-bound, press-ready PDF (cover, gutters, 49 pages). Print everything at 100% / Actual size, never "Fit to page." The class sets and every individual printable are collated the same way.

Run the week

Run one day at a time. Each day's printables are linked in its row: open to preview or reprint a replacement. Put finished journals, maps, and artifacts in a class folder so the Day 5 match rounds and portfolio check are easy to stage.

Day	That day's materials
1. Systems Analysis	Day 1 plan · Card Anatomy Reference · Systems Mapping Template · Strategy Journal · systems card pools
2. Data Science & Probability	Day 2 plan · Deck Ratio Lab · Resource Curve Sheet · Draw Probability Lab · analysis pools
3. Optimization & Engineering Design	Day 3 plan · Deck Building Constraint Sheet · Hypothesis Testing Log · controlled build pools
4. Game Theory & Expected Value	Day 4 plan · Decision Tree Template · Expected Value Worksheet · Risk Scenario Cards · scenario pools
5. Match Rounds & Portfolio Showcase	Day 5 plan · Match Operations Kit · Portfolio Checklist · Strategy Journal Rubric · Completion Certificate · Badge Sheet

Facilitator references used across the week (all bound into the Facilitator Book): 6-8 Teacher Run Guide, District Evidence Appendix, 6-8 Quick Check (optional pre/post), and the Gameplay Next Steps guide.

Do this first

Open your coil-bound facilitator book and skim the overview, sequence, materials list, and success signals.
The 6-8 Teacher Run Guide is bound into the front of the book. Keep it at the teacher table. Keep the District Evidence Appendix handy for a principal, curriculum manager, grant, or program review.
Check the contents list below against your kit so you know what's included for the full 25-learner classroom.
Before Day 1, open all 25 booster packs, combine the cards, and sort them into 5 shared table pools (~40-60 cards each) plus a small spare pool.
Run one day at a time using the table above. Put finished journals, maps, and artifacts in a class folder so the Day 5 match rounds and portfolio check are easy to stage.
Use the Gameplay Next Steps guide only as a light facilitator reference for next-step play, not as the main lesson.
Need more of any page? Reprint it from the kit index linked in the hero above.

School format note: use shared, teacher-controlled card pools and classroom copies. Do not prepare one sealed pack per learner.

What success looks like

Controlled material flow Teams work from teacher-controlled pools, and completed maps and journals go back into one folder or bin.

Observable systems language Listen for system, role, function, probability, evidence, curve, trade-off, fair, format, and justify.

Evidence saved daily Keep one map or journal artifact from each day so the Day 5 portfolio check is easy to stage.

Print-ready class sets

Collated, press-ready PDFs sized for one 25-learner classroom, the same files we send to the print vendor. Reprint any single piece from the kit index.

Facilitator Book (download in the hero above) · Learner set · Table set · Journal booklet · Certificates · Facilitator extras

What's in your 25-learner kit

Everything below ships printed in your kit. Reprint anything from the kit index.

Material	Included	How it's used
Facilitator Book	1 book	Your master run copy. Keep it at the teacher table.
6-8 Teacher Run Guide	1 copy	The first teacher-facing document after the packet cover.
District Evidence Appendix	1 copy	Use for principal, district, grant, or curriculum-manager review.
Day 1-5 lesson plans	1 facilitator copy each	Bound into the facilitator book in day order.
6-8 Quick Check (optional pre/post evidence)	50 copies (25 pre + 25 post)	Use only if the school wants pre/post evidence. Store completed sheets with the portfolio.
Strategy Journal (68)	25 copies	One per learner. Carries the systems claim, data, hypotheses, and decisions across all five days.
Card Anatomy Reference	25 copies	One per learner for the Day 1 field-labeling warm-up before the systems map.
Systems Mapping Template (68)	6 sheets (5 groups + 1 spare)	One per group for the flagship Day 1 systems map deliverable.
Deck Ratio Lab	13 copies (1 per pair + spares)	One per pair for the Day 2 category percentages.
Resource Curve Sheet	13 copies (1 per pair + spares)	One per pair for the Day 2 resource curve graph; carries into Day 3.
Draw Probability Lab	13 copies (1 per pair + spares)	One per pair for the Day 2 opening-hand trials.
Deck Building Constraint Sheet (68)	13 copies (1 per pair + spares)	One per pair for the Day 3 constrained build.
Hypothesis Testing Log (68)	13 copies (1 per pair + spares)	One per pair for the Day 3 opening-hand hypothesis and iteration.
Decision Tree Template (68)	13 copies (1 per pair + spares)	One per pair for the Day 4 portfolio-centerpiece decision tree.
Expected Value Worksheet (68)	25 copies	One per learner for the Day 4 expected value calculations.
Risk Scenario Cards (68)	6 sets (5 groups + 1 spare)	One cut set per group for the Day 4 risk-reward scenarios. Sort each set into a table envelope.
Match Operations Kit (68)	5 copies (1 per table)	Pairing sheet, match result slips, and round/standings tracker for the Day 5 structured rounds.
Portfolio Checklist	25 copies	One per learner for the Day 5 portfolio curation.
Completion Certificate	25 copies	One per learner. Fill in names and date before the final close.
Badge Sheet	5 sheets (60 badges)	One badge per learner plus spares. Sort before Day 5.
Gameplay Next Steps	Facilitator reference	A game-neutral guide pointing to the official rules for whatever card game your group owns.

Non-print kit supplies

Item	Quantity	Details
Shared systems, analysis, and scenario card pools	5 team tubs + 1 facilitator/spare tub	The trading-card-game booster packs included in your kit — pool them into comparable team tubs in one quick prep for systems, analysis, build, and scenario use across the full 25-learner setup.
Learner folders or clipboards	25	Hold each learner journal, maps, and saved artifacts across all five sessions.
Team envelopes or baggies	8-10	Use for scenario card sets, build pools, and spare cut pieces.
Basic classroom supplies	1 class set	Pencils, markers, sticky notes, calculators, dice or counters for probability, timer, scissors, and labels.
Storage container	1 box or tote	Large enough for the Facilitator Book, learner folders, team pools, and cut-apart envelopes.

What goes where

Kit part	Put these materials here	Who uses it
Facilitator Book	Five day plans, 6-8 Teacher Run Guide, and District Evidence Appendix, all bound in. Keep loose facilitator extras (including the Gameplay Next Steps guide) with it.	Teacher or facilitator only
Learner folder	Strategy Journal (68), Card Anatomy Reference, Expected Value Worksheet (68), Portfolio Checklist, certificate, optional 6-8 Quick Check if collecting pre/post evidence	One learner folder or clipboard per student
Pair envelope	Deck Ratio Lab, Resource Curve Sheet, Draw Probability Lab, Deck Building Constraint Sheet (68), Hypothesis Testing Log (68), and Decision Tree Template (68) clipped together for the two-person Day 2-4 work	One envelope per pair of students
Group / table kit	Systems Mapping Template (68), a cut Risk Scenario Cards (68) set, Match Operations Kit (68), pencils/markers/calculators, dice or counters, and one shared systems or scenario pool	One kit per group or table
Evidence and closeout envelope	Completed optional Quick Checks, saved sample journals and artifacts, badges, spare certificates, and labels	Facilitator keeps and uses during Day 5 closeout