Sally Wilkins

Writer-Researcher-Speaker

Bring the lives of peoples in cultures long ago and far away to life in your classroom. Give your students the chance to play games once enjoyed by people of ancient Greece, medieval Europe, pre-colonial Africa or the Americas before Columbus.

 

Chinese checkers aren’t from China, but wait until you’ve tried Chinese chess. Or Maori checkers.

 

Playing authentic, period games helps students connect with the cultures they have studied.

School Visits

Kemari is a cooperative ball game from Japan

Sally Wilkins is a former teacher and the author of numerous non-fiction books. She will design a games program or a writing workshopfor your class or school.

Games of all regions are available. (Not limited to medieval era.)

 

Choose indoor or outdoor games, sedentary or active.

 

Coordinate with your art department for a multi-disciplinary unit.

Our modern backgammon is just one of the many tables games popular in medieval Europe.

Programs will be tailored to your grade level and curriculum. Select from more than 100 games.

Planning a Visit

Each program will be designed for your class or school: age-appropriate and connected to your curriculum. Some samples are given below. You choose whether you want primarily sedentary games or outdoor play, or a combination. You may choose to have students construct game boards and pieces to recreate an authentic game as a part of the program, or as a follow-up. Costumes can add to the fun.

A games program makes a wonderful introduction or conclusion to a multi-disciplinary unit.

Factors to consider, besides the ages of the students, include the size of the group and the room, time and materials available, and whether adult assistance (classroom volunteers) will be needed.

These are very hands-on activities. Groups of 15 up to 40 students work well if the space and supervision is adequate. Multiple shorter presentations are more desirable than longer presentations to large groups.

Suitable for Primary or Elementary grades.

Games and amusements popular among children and adults from the time of Jamestown  and the Pilgrims to the Revolution.

Colonial America

Suitable for Intermediate, Junior High  and High School.

Play the games that are the ancestors of almost all our familiar board games. Compare games from these seminal cultures, or concentrate on one era.

Egypt, Greece and Rome

Suitable for Junior High and High School..

Chess began in India and spread along the Trade Routes into the farthest reaches of Asian and Europe. In each new region variants developed that reflected the culture playing the game, while retaining many of the essential characteristics of the original.

Chess along the Trade Routes

For more information, or to schedule a visit, please email sally <at> sallywilkins.com

E-mail: sally <AT> sallywilkins.com

 

Write to

Sally Wilkins

P.O. Box 273

Amherst, NH 03031

NOTE: School visits featuring the Notable Women of America may be arranged by contacting the Write Sisters.

A sampling of what’s available

Viking board games, Roman hopscotch, Bantu math challenges. Maya pitch-and-toss and Russian tag. Games played by Native Americans and games brought by colonists. Half-a dozen chess variants, representing India, China, Japan and Persia as well as Europe.

Compare Inuit tingmiujang pieces from the arctic with Yauonde abbia chips from Africa: they look nothing alike, but both respresent animals and were used for games of chance. Or weigh the evidence and decide for yourself, was golf the invention of Scottish university students, German sheep-herders, or Chinese royalty?

A sampling of what’s available

Viking board games, Roman hopscotch, Bantu math challenges. Maya pitch-and-toss and Russian tag. Games played by Native Americans and games brought by colonists. Half-a dozen chess variants, representing India, China, Japan and Persia as well as Europe.

Compare Inuit tingmiujang pieces from the arctic with Yauonde abbia chips from Africa: they look nothing alike, but both respresent animals and were used for games of chance. Or weigh the evidence and decide for yourself, was golf the invention of Scottish university students, German sheep-herders, or Chinese royalty?