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AFRICA
Title: String Games Author: Elisa Johnson Grade level: Early Elementary
1. Students will be able to show that they can follow directions by successfully making "The Worm" with a string. 2. Students will create a string game that they can share with children in Africa.
1. String Games from Around the WORLD. Johnson, Anne Akers. Klutz: Palo Alto, CA. 1995. Klutz: 2121 Staunton Court, Palo Alto, CA 94306 2. 1 piece of 5 ft. (+or -) yarn or string per person.
Procedures: 1. Anticipatory Set: Explain that there aren't toy stores in rural Africa. Tell the students to put themselves in the place of an African child and think about what they would do for fun. Remind them that usually the only toys rural African children have are those they can make from the environment. You can have them discuss their answers in groups or as a whole class. 2. Tell the class that in Ghana, the children like to play a particular string game. Make a link to children's own experiences by talking about Cat's Cradle. Explain the background of "The Worm" and the Ghana community in which it is found. 3. Tell the class that people use arts and crafts to communicate their values and history. In this case, "The Worm" shows that fishing is a big part of their lives. It tells us something about their community. 4. Show the students, step by step how to make "the worm". (It is easy to memorize or you can use the steps directly from the book.) 5. Have children create a string game of their own that they could share with children in Africa.
Evaluation: 1. Watch to see if everyone followed the directions well enough to make the worm disappear by pulling the front string. 2. Observe the string games children have created.
References: String Games From Around the World (referenced above).
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