MULTICULTURA
L GAMES
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Unit overview
Activities
Supplemental Activities
Integrated Literacy and Other Academic Skills
References
Suggested Cultures and Games
Possible Book Binding
Resources
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Rules for Playing Marbles
Game Sheet
Game Book Section Requirements
Games Concept Map
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Multicultural Games
Objectives:
 To enjoy the process of exploring different kinds of games from various cultures
 To reinforce descriptive and technical writing.
 To practice reading technical directions.
 To explore constructive leisure activities
 To create a book and donating it to the library encouraging a positive feeling towards books.
Specific Reading Activities:
1. Reading the rules for playing marbles.
2. Reading books and handouts to gather information for the development of the games
section related to the part of the world where the games originated.
3. Reading game rules
Specific Writing Activities:
 Doing a prewrite at the beginning of the unit.
 Writing the game rules both after following verbal directions and after reading a game
description
 Writing the description of the region for the introduction to the section following the
completion of a concept web
 Writing the interview questions or points to be seen on field trips
 Write a diamante poem to go along with the illustration on the section cover sheet
Culminating Events: Feast and a Signing party for the Games Book.
By the end of the unit, the participants will have created a book of Games from different
geographical regions that will be bound and donated.
Note:
1. Actual descriptions of different games are not included in this unit. Bring in books about
games and check out the web with the participants for games that they would enjoy.
2. This unit does not have a specific vocabulary list. After selecting the games, look through
the directions and find words that you feel might be unfamiliar to the participants.
ACTIVITIES
Prep
1. Have a world map in the room for the full time of the unit and a variety of
ethnic cook books, and various books about the different countries and
continents.
2. Take advantage of the multicultural diversity in your school population. Invite
parents to come in and talk and demonstrate the games from their country.
Remember: On the first or second day, hold a meeting with the yearbook
committee that volunteered for the unit. Discuss what they might need to take
pictures of and what stories they will write for the yearbook.
Activity One
Unit Introduction
1. Describe how the goal of the unit to develop a multicultural game book.
2. Introduce the concept of “game” Have them brainstorm characteristics of “games”
3. Have the participants complete a prewrite activity in their journal on the characteristics of
games. Give them the following questions to get them thinking:
 What is your favorite game?
 Do you prefer to play games with a few people, lots of people or alone and why?
 Why do you think people play games?
4. Have them brainstorm characteristics of “American” games. Stress the fact that the games in
the US are a combination of many different cultures because we are made up of a society that
contains many cultures. Play a game of marbles or checkers. The rules for playing marbles
are found in the resources. As the participants if they think that “Marbles” or checkers is an
American game and why. Have them read the history of the games.
5. Have them write a Diamante poem about the game of Marbles. (See the toolbox section for
instructions on writing a Diamante poem.)
6. This unit does not have a specific vocabulary list. After selecting the games, look through
the directions and find words that you feel might be unfamiliar to the participants. Play word
games with the vocabulary for this unit. You can do these games throughout the unit. Check
out the types of games you can play in the tool kit. Note: If you want the participants to
practice their decoding skills, have a contest between small groups to see which group can
correctly pronounce the words on the list using the “Decoding Summary Sheet” and
“Syllabication Rule Summary Sheet.” Make sure each person in the group can pronounce all
the words independently before awarding the groups their points.
Activity Two
What are ethnic games?
1. Discuss the various geographical areas from which the various games will be taken over the
various weeks. Show them on the map and talk about what they think influences the types of
craft. (Climate, tradition, types of religion etc.) (See tool kit section on how to lead
discussions as a way for developing vocabulary)
 What kind of materials to make game pieces would you have in a desert, jungle?
 If you had a very religious culture would that make a difference in the types of
games you might play and who would play them?
 If you had few tools in your culture, how would that affect the types of games you
would make?
2. Talk about how different teams will be responsible for the game section cover sheet and the
rule sheets for one of the four geographical areas. This responsibility will be on-going
through the weeks to come. Assign those sections. Handout the “requirements” that must be
met for each section. (See the requirement sheet found in the packet.)
3. Teach a simple game through verbal instructions and demonstrations. Have them play the
game. After they have played it, have them complete the “Game Instructions” worksheet
found in the resources.
ACTIVITY OVERVIEW
1. For the rest of the unit, introduce a different culture and the games that
are representative of that culture for at least one week.
2. Use the following process for each of the different game sections.
Games Activity
For each of the following types of games use the following procedure:
1. Have the participants break up into two groups making sure that a member from the team that
is in charge of that section of the book is in each group.
2. One group should work with the staff member to play a game, following and writing down
the verbal directions that are being given as they play.
3. The other group should be given written directions for the game and with minimum support
from the staff member should follow it and play.
4. During the next session, the groups will trade the way they approach the game, one listening
and writing, while the other reads and follows.
5. If time and interest permits, the group can look at other game ideas that look interesting and
write up directions for the book.
Note: If both games require adult supervision, have both groups participate in the same
games but still follow the format of having one game explained and demonstrated by the
adult, and the other one read by the participants. After the participants have read the
directions ask for volunteers to explain and lead the game. It would be a good idea if the
person writing up this section is the one that leads the game.
Writing Activity
This process is to be started when the games for the geographical area are introduced, but
will not be finished until the last few weeks of the unit. Have the team assigned to the
games of the geographical area do the following:
1. Have them carefully complete the games sheets for this section
2. Have the team assigned to this section complete the concept web included in this sheet. See
the concept web included in the resources.
3. Have them write a short report based on they outlined on the concept web to be included on
the cover page for this section and illustrate the sheet.
Final Weeks of the Unit
Making the Game Books
1. The participants should finish up their cover pages and a nice copy of each of the game pages
from their assigned areas.
2. Have the participants who want to design a cover sheet. They can either work together or
individuals can do their own, and the group can select the one they like the best.
3. Make enough copies for each participant, and a high quality copy that might include color for
the book that is going to be donated.
4. Cook an easy snack while the participants are working on the game book.
Culminating Event
Book Presentation
1. Invite community members, the school or public library staff that will be receiving the book,
and family members to the book presentation party.
2. Have the participants demonstrate and encourage the guests to play the games that are
represented in the book.
3. Present a copy of the book.
Reflection Time
1. Participants will gather together and do an evaluation of the club. (What went right and what
they would do differently next time?) Check the tool kit for other ideas on how to process the
unit.
2. Participants will decide what they will put in their “time capsule” from this club. (Instruction
sheets, scraps from game projects) and quietly place them in the capsule and close it.
3. Have the yearbook committee in charge of this club discuss what pictures and stories that had
gathered for the yearbook.
SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITIES
(See tool kit section for preparation for a walk, field trip or guest speaker)
1. Field trips
 Visit to game/toy shop
 Visit a shuffle board, bocce ball or other game courts
 Go to a professional or college basketball, football or baseball game
2. Guest speaker
 Parent, family member or community member that can demonstrate a game from their
culture
 High School Coach from one of the high schools that the participants will be attending after
middle school
3. Development of Game: Have the participants make up their own games after being given
different supplies. Encourage them make up rules, practice and modify the game and teach it
to other participants. Suggested supplies – ball, hula hoop, chalk, small rocks, etc.
INTEGRATED LITERACY SKILLS
Reading
Reading Comprehension
 Follow multiple-step instructions in a basic technical manual
 Analyze text that is organized in sequential order
Writing Applications
 Write technical documents that identify the sequence of activities needed to design or system,
operate a tool.
Evaluation
 Revise writing to improve organization and word choice after checking the logic of the ideas
and the precision of the vocabulary.
OTHER INTEGRATED ACADEMIC SKILLS
Social Studies:
Awareness of different culture’s belief systems
Health and Nutrition
Learning how to make use of leisure time
REFERENCES
Websites for links for games organized around geographical areas that are teen friendly.
 Germantown Academy Multicultural Games: Great website the rules are written by young
people. http://www.ga.k12.pa.us/Academics/MS/6th/MCGAMES/Directory.htm
 International Games: The rules for some of the games are in both English and Spanish:
http://www.gameskidsplay.net/games/foreign_indexes/index.htm
Books about Multicultural Games
 Glen Kirchner, Children’s Games from Around the World. Benjamin/Cummings, 2000.
 Louise Orlando, The Multicultural Game Book. Scholastic Paperbacks, 1999.
 Lorraine Barbarash, Multicultural Games. Human Kinetics Publication, 1999.
SUGGESTED CULTURES AND GAMES
 Asian
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Dominos -Chinese (Many baseball teams have an ongoing dominos game set up in
the locker room because the Latino players enjoy the game so much.)
Parcheesi – India
Chess - India
Tower of Hanoi
Go - Chinese
Fan Tan (Be aware that in some communities this is a gambling game and therefore
find out if anyone will take offense to the playing of this game. )
Kulit K’rang – Indonesia – similar to Jacks
1,2,3 Dragon –Chinese
 Mexican/Latin American/ South America
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Chapete (You can have the participants make a Chapete bag which is basically a
hacky sack or have them available. Chapete is basically the game of Hacky-Sack)
Chicken Fight
Peteca
Hit the Penny - Chili
Toma Todo - Mexico
Alto Ahi ! - Argentina
 African
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Mancala
Seega
Ludo
Dara
Bokwele – Nigeria
Kameshi Ne Mpuku: The Luba tribe in the Congo (Played similarily to Streets and
Alleys)
Wolf! Wolf! - Egyptian
 United States
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Battleship
Checkers
Basketball
Yahtzee
Monopoly
Horse Shoes
 European
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Alquerque –Spain
Roman Ball (Bocce) – Italian
Pebble Tag - Greek
POSSIBLE BOOK BINDINGS
Cheapest and easiest
Punch holes using a three punch along the margin of the sheets and then use round headed
fasteners/brads to bind the pages. Staple the pages three times along the left side of the pages.
Use card stock for the cover and end page.
Easy but costs some money
Use spiral binding spines. Requires buying a personal punch (about $66.00) and binding spines
(about $45 dollars for a box of 100, $14.00 for 25). You can also take the pages to a copy center
and have them do a “velobind.”
Personalized Hinged Books
See directions for making a hinged book found in the toolkit. This process will allow every
participant to individualize their own game books.
RULES FOR PLAYING MARBLES
1. Decide how many marbles each person is
going to put in and how they are going to
be placed. Usually you start with all of the
marbles in the center of the circle. The circle itself varies
in size depending on the skill level of the players.
2. Your hand is placed on the ground just at, but not over, the
edge of the circle and you shoot at the marbles inside of the
ring trying to knock as many of the marbles out of the ring.
3. If you manage to get one out and your 'shooter' stays in,
you can shoot again. Your next shot is from the spot that
your marble stopped at, much like pool.
4. When you fail to get a marble out of the ring the next
player shoots.
5. The object is to get the greatest number of your marbles in
the center with the other players’ marbles outside the circle.
There are a couple of different shooting styles. Some people 'pinch' the marble between the
thumb and upper part of the forefinger, but most 'push' out the marble from a curled index finger
with their thumbnail portion of their thumb, like flipping a coin.
Reproducible
GAME TITLE:
______________________________________________________
Team Members:
______________________________________________
The countries where it is played and its origin. _______________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
The Object of the Game:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
The Rules:
1. ____________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________
5. ____________________________________________________________________
6. ____________________________________________________________________
7. ____________________________________________________________________
8. ____________________________________________________________________
List the equipment needed.
Make recommendations for what type of athlete or game player would enjoy playing
this game. What skills does it demand?
Reproducible
GAME BOOK
SECTION REQUIREMENTS
Your team will include the following material in your section of
the game book.
A. Section cover sheet
1. A picture illustrating the section
2. A Name for the section
3. A descriptive paragraph giving the background information on the
types of games from the region using the information gathered on
the concept map.
4. A diamante poem that describes the types of games that will be in
your section.
5. And the most important thing of all, YOUR NAMES.
Game Rules
1. A complete game sheet for each game described
2. If time permits a drawing or photograph of an example of the game
being played or the pieces of equipment used for each game
played.
Remember your part of the book will be combined to all
the other sections that other teams are working on to
make one large book that will be donated.
Reproducible
Common
playing pieces
Who would play the
games in country of
origin?
Countries of origin
Games
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Brainstorm ideas for each
circle. Write down one or
two words on each line.
Use of the Games
Reproducible
What types of
people in the U.S.
would enjoy playing
the different games