PYRAMID TRAPS OR OBSTACLES     

The pyramid traps or Problem Cards test the knowledge and decision-making skills of your students.  Should they incorrectly respond to a Problem Card, tragedy can befall the expedition such as they can become buried alive under tons of sand, their bones can be broken by huge limestone blocks, and/or they might obtain lacerations resulting from glass-like rocks embedded in the walls of narrow corridors.

These are only a few of the grotesque misfortunes and disasters that await your students as you allow them to make unilateral and multilateral decisions as they travel through the interior of the pyramid.

 

SAMPLE PROBLEM CARD:  Here is one of the 50 sinister obstacles that were actually confronted by real life expeditions and await your students: As your team progresses through this portion of the corridor, the team members realize that they have stumbled upon a hazardous situation.  Either due to an earthquake or the devious mind of the pyramid builder, a very large cavernous shaft exists in the floor of this hall.  The mouth of the hole takes up all of the floor space except for a narrow ledge on the east (or right) side of the corridor.  It is agreed that the hole is too large to bridge with wooden beams.  It is the group's consensus that each member will slowly inch across the two-foot-wide ledge to the other side.  Some experts feel that the depth of this shaft is more than 100 feet. If you answer the question correctly, your group moves across the ledge with few problems.  Take a PASSAGE PROGRESS CARD, move your marker the designated number of spaces, and collect the designated number of hieroglyphic cards.  If you answer the question incorrectly, one of the members gets only half way across the ledge before saying, "I can't do this," as he/she stands frozen with panic.  As a team member approaches to help, the frightened individual frantically reaches for the rescuer.  Both members of this expedition fall into the dark abyss below.  Only one of the fallen members is responding to your calls.  The goal of the team has changed now from exploring to rescuing.  When the rescue is complete, one member has broken both legs and the other received a concussion.  The team leaves the pyramid to take the injured members to the field hospital.  Your team loses its next turn.

The cross-sectional interior view of this simulation's pyramid is identical to the interior view of the Great Pyramid.  Several additional outer passageways have been added in order to adapt this pyramid to the simulation created.