Are you good at guessing? In this “Who am I?”-style challenge, you’ll need sharp clues to guess concepts and figures related to soil strength. Each turn is a test of memory, strategy, and—of course—lots of focus to avoid… slipping!
Content covered: soil strength, strength tests (triaxial, direct shear, unconfined compression), theoretical concepts, and historical or contemporary figures relevant to the field of geotechnical engineering.
Target audience: undergraduate Civil Engineering students, especially those in Soil Mechanics courses.
Number of players: 2 to 4 participants.
Average playtime: 30 to 45 minutes.
Game type: Who am I?”-style board game with riddle, concept, and test cards.
Objective: be the first player to reach the final square on the board.
Format: physical print-and-play game with board, cards, and rules available in colorful PDF files.
How to use it: Ideal for use in review classes or creative decompression moments after dense content. It works well in both small and large groups (in teams), encouraging memory, logical deduction, and collaborative review.
What do you need? Only the PDF files available on this page are required. No glossary, answer key, or additional materials are needed: the correct answers are already indicated on the cards themselves, allowing students to play independently with minimal supervision. We recommend printing the board in A3 for better visibility. The rules can be printed double-sided on an A4 sheet. The cards should be printed single-sided on A4.
During the game, students develop cognitive skills related to the consolidation of technical content, at the following levels of the revised Bloom's Taxonomy:
The Shear Me game was supervised by Dr Bruna Lopes and Dr Mariana Chrusciak. The content was developed by Feliphe Araújo, Arine Agrella, and Vitoria Eduarda, based on the key topics about soil strength covered in the Soil Mechanics course.
Before the final version, the game was tested with a student focus group (Ethics Process No. 65813722.0.0000.5302 – 2023 – UFRR), and the feedback was essential for improving the clarity of the clues and the overall game dynamics.
Game: Shear Me
Bio: In a "Who Am I?" style game, you’ll need sharp clues to guess geotechnical concepts and characters. Stay alert — one slip could cost you the game!
Last update: 25/06/25
