International Games Review Sheet:
The international games unit is a great way to learn a variety of cultural games from
around the world. It provides opportunities for critical and creative thinking as well
as empathy toward each participant in the class.
The current games we play are:
- Bocce
- Rounders
- Cricket
- Fistball “Faust-ball”
- Gaga
- Team Handball
- African Bolo Ball (also known as Dibeke)
Bocce- Originated in France, which was then adapted by Italy and eventually the
Italians brought it over to the United States. A standard score in Bocce is 12 points.
Rounders- originally started in England. Some of the unique aspects of this game
are:
- There are no fouls
- The batter must bat from the batter square
- The batter can run on a third missed swing
- 2 runners are allowed to be on the same base
- Runners going from 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to the 4th post can only get out
if the bowler has the ball in the bowler square.
Cricket- Originated in France and is played throughout the world. It has been
known for cricket matches to last for a full weekend. Some unique aspects of cricket
are:
- The pitcher is called a “bowler”
- Each batter has a partner where they run opposite each other in a straight
line from cone to cone.
- The batter and the runner must run with his/her bat
- The batter is out when:
- The pitcher hits the wicket with a pitch
- The batter accidentally hits the wicket
- The runners are caught in between the running line and the wicket is
knocked down by either the bowler or the catcher
- A fielder catches a fly ball.
- There are no fouls, no strikes and the batter does not need to run if they do
not like his/her hit.
Fistball- Originates from Germany and is played throughout much of Europe. It
shares some similarities as volleyball. Some aspects of fistball are:
- The front players are the servers (back player bounces the ball to the front
row)
- Each team is allowed up to one bounce per volley
- You may only use your fist to pass the ball
- The front and back row switch places every 5 points
Gaga- Originates from Israel and is played in a round court with 4 foot walls. Some
of the rules of how to play gaga are:
- You can only tag someone below the knee (sometimes the waist)
- If you hit the ball over the wall you are out
- You can only hit the ball once to try and tag someone, or use the wall to try
and get a second hit
- Only the last two players can use multiple hits
Team Handball: Can be traced back to Medieval France. Some specifics about the
game are:
- You can only hold the ball for 3 seconds or take 3 steps
- No one but he goalie is allowed inside the crease
- You can not grab the ball out of a players hand
- The ball must remain inside the boundaries of the court