Illinois State Geo-Action Tool

Geography Action- Geo-Games List

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Here is a list of some ideas for your Geo-Games event night, or just some fun Asian games to try in your school. These ideas have been supplied by the National Geographic Society, if you have other ideas or games with an Asian theme please let me know.

MULTICULTURAL ACTIVITY IDEAS

• Kite Flying (Wau)

Did you know the first kite was made from silk and bamboo in China over 3000 years ago? Since then, this beautiful tradition of craftsmanship and skill has spread throughout Asia. Have your students experience this Asian activity firsthand by creating their own kites. Assign students a country theme and instruct them to decorate their kites with flag designs, maps, cultural symbols, or pictures. If weather allows, have a kite-flying event in the schoolyard or playground! Make it into a contest and have them vote on the most creative kite; the winner may be displayed at school after the event.

*For more information about the kite-flying tradition, refer to www.nationalkitemonth.org/history.

• Geo-Games Passport Fill-up

Transform a trip down the hallway into a trip around Asia! Assign each classroom an Asian country or region to research. Each class will create a display and decorate their classroom with cultural and geographic elements from their assigned region. Students can make passports and “travel” to each region collecting a stamp from each classroom/county along the way.

Here are few ideas to get you started:

Display a map with the country or region clearly marked; have a few students dress up in fashion typical to the region; play indigenous music; display local textiles; stage language demonstrations and lessons; perform folk dances; show official currency; set out guidebooks, travel brochures, magazines, and newspapers; demonstrate games; display pictures of political figures and national heroes; paint the country flag on poster board.

• Cook Up a Culinary Celebration

          Culminate the day’s events with a food fair everyone can enjoy! Have each class pick an Asian country,
          research the cuisine of the local culture, and identify traditional dishes they’d like to taste. As they research,
          have students consider how the geography of the country relates to the fruits, vegetables, meat, and other
          ingredients in the dish. Connect the event to your local community. Speak with chefs from Asian restaurants,
          grocers, and business owners about presenting foods native to their countries of origin. They could even
          donate dishes to your Culinary Celebration! Along with the cuisine provided by community partners, your
          students can concoct treats to share (with parent permission and supervision).

TRADITIONAL GAMES FROM ASIA

• Akkoç and Karakoç (“White Rams” and “Black Rams”)

This traditional Turkish game splits players into two teams: the Akkoç (pronounced ‘ah-coach’) or “white rams,” and the Karakoç (pronounced ‘kara-coach’) or “black rams.” To start the game, a neutral party (a teacher) throws an object away from the players. Both teams immediately start searching for the object. When one of the players, for example, an Akkoç team member, finds the object, she yells, “Akkoç team, I found it, grab them!” This signals all Karakoç players to run away, and all Akkoç players to chase them, much like a
game of “tag,” but with an added twist: when an Akkoç player tags a Karakoç player, the Karakoç must carry her captor on her back to the place where the object was found.

• Sota-pani

In India and Bangladesh, kids don’t play “duck-duck-goose,” they play Sota-pani. Usually played in groups

of ten or more, players sit in a circle facing inward, allowed only to look at the facial expressions and body

language of others seated. One player, chosen as “it,” holds a sota (a knotted handkerchief) and walks or runs around the circle. After circling a few times, the “it” person drops the sota behind a player. This player must

pick up on facial cues from the others in the circle to realize the sota has been dropped, grab the handkerchief,

chase the “it” player around the circle and try and tag “it” with the knotted end before he or she sits down in

the empty seat. The player who does not claim the empty seat becomes “it” for the next round.

• Gradai Kha Dee-o

            Children in Thailand play Gradai Kha Dee-o, translated as “One-Legged       Rabbit.” Mark a large square
          as a playing field. Split the children into two equal groups. One group stands inside the square. The other
          group, “the    rabbits,” line up along the outside of the square. Using only one leg, the rabbits take turns
          hopping into the marked area trying to tag as many of the    other team members as they can. Players are out if
          they are tagged or if they cross the boundary. The rabbit is out if he changes his hopping leg or loses his
          balance. If a rabbit gets tired, she can select another rabbit to take her place. The game is over when the
          rabbits tag all players in the marked area.

• Kani Kakeru

Translated as “Crab Race,” Kani Kakeru is a Japanese racing game. Set up a start and finish line. Rather than running or walking on their feet, the racers or “crabs,” prop themselves up on their feet and hands with their backs to the ground. Like crabs, players run backwards in this position. For a twist with large numbers of racers, form teams of “crabs” and make it a relay race.

• Oonch Neech

Children in Pakistan play Oonch Neech, or "Up and Down." Similar to other tag games, one person is chosen to be “it” and he or she runs to catch the other players on the field. But rather than having one home base for players to run to, safety can be found on anything they can climb on top of! This includes stools, chairs, steps, beanbags, and cushions. These items should be placed at random across the play area.

Additional Resources:

http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/

http://www.mywonderfulworld.org/games.html

http://www.geocities.com/childrenfolklore/games.html

http://www.topics-mag.com/edition11/games-section.htm

http://www.gameskidsplay.net/games/foreign_indexes/index.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110166/

Please e-mail any other ideas to:
Mike Middleton, Illinois State Geo-Action Coordinator
at- mrgeocjhs@yahoo.com

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