I'm a teacher, and have been one for, wow, 18 years!?! I'm always looking for good games for students, on those rainy school days when my classroom is full of kids just hanging out.

I recently purchased Eldritch Horror, and noticed a lot of "teaching moments:" finances (going in debt is often a bad thing); geography (however, I do wish there were more details-perhaps I'll write the places myself); the learning experience of playing a co-op game (it would make a good study on how kids learn and interact with a new set of rules); and I teach scriptwriting, so I can imagine a game like this can help get over the inevitable writer's block.

Any other ideas?

I'll let you all know how it goes with my students, but first I'll learn EH with my sons!

how old are these students?

I am usng EH to get my girlfriend into roleplaying, gaming and lovecrafts works.

Perhaps I'm reaching, but board games are a great social tool. To see how kids interact with each other and how they respond to new situations is very enlightening.

They are between 13-17 years old.

When I first read this topic the movie Battle Royale came to mind.

I would let them listen to audiobook, watch or read some of Lovecraft works so when they play the game they have behind scenes famliarity that enhances the game. I would use the board game as a reward for after doing their work.

I don't think you're reaching at all. Lately there has been a good deal of attention given to effectiveness of "alternative" teaching methods.

I think any game is great mental excercise and interaction always nukes observation as a learning tool. I've seen many examples where tangental education was more effective and impactful than standard methods applied to the same subject.

I would not go anywhere near any FFG game for newbies as they all take huge amounts of time on first play - EH at least a couple of hours on first play.

There are some games that could (at a stretch) be useful as a teaching aid. If you're teaching history, the board game 1775 could be a way of kids learning something of the war of independence. Fast, fun, simple and above all quick.