Grade 4 Cross-Curricular Lesson Plan: Games around the World

Lesson Overview

This lesson plan for Social Studies and Physical Education focuses on the theme of games around the world and the things that we learn through play. This lesson plan was created by learning designers and teachers that combine curriculum-alignment with global prespectives from around the world.
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Touchable Earth was created to help teachers connect their curriculum with the world and instill a sense of world exploration to young learners. Get started for free here.

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Lesson Objectives & Curriculum Alignment
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United Kingdom

• Curriculum Area: Physical Education (PE)
• Alignment: Encourages active participation and understanding the value of physical health and teamwork.

United States

• Curriculum Area: Physical Education, Social Studies
• Alignment: Supports health education and cultural understanding through physical activities.

Canada

• Curriculum Area: Health and Physical Education, Social Studies
• Alignment: Aims at promoting physical activity and understanding cultural diversity through sports and games.

New Zealand

• Curriculum Area: Health and Physical Education, Social Studies
• Alignment: Focuses on physical well-being and cultural connections through play.

Australia

• Curriculum Area: Health and Physical Education, Humanities and Social Sciences
• Alignment: Enhances knowledge on the importance of physical activities and explores cultural aspects of sports and games.

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Introductory Activites

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Let's get started with a little game - buckle up for a trivia challenge! Are these statements about games true or false?
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• True or False: All games require physical activity. (False – Some games focus on strategy or mental agility.)
• True or False: Games are only for children. (False – Games can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Charades or Monopoly are some of them.)
• True or False: Games can teach us valuable skills. (True – Games can help develop problem-solving, communication, and social skills.)
• True or False: Video games are a recent invention. (False – Simple, electronic games have existed for over a century!)
• True or False: Games always have winners and losers. (False – Some games like Escape Rooms are cooperative, where everyone works together.)
• True or False: Games can be invented by anyone, anywhere. (True – Games are constantly being created and adapted around the world!)

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Children Around the World

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Our first stop today is in a beautiful place called Nepal! Oshika is going to show us a game of hopscotch that she plays with her friends during recess.

Do you play hopscotch with your friends? 
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Next, we are heading to India where Meher will show us a board game called carrom.

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Next up, Josh will show us a game of chinese checkers! 

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What about team games? They require a little more collaboration and there are a lot more opportunities to stategise against the other team. Let's follow Lebogang and her friedns in South Africa, that will show us a game of skusha

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Activities

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To make this lesson interactive and get access to all videos and activities, you can get started here for free.
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Keep reading to for offline activity ideas and project briefs for this lessson.
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Discussion Prompts
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1. Family games: Every family has their own traditions.  Do you have a special game you play with your family during holidays or get-togethers? Write down the name of the game and why it's important to your family.
2. Beyond Fun: Games aren't just for fun (although that's a big part of it!). Can you think of any ways that games can help us learn or improve our skills?
3. The Future of Games: Imagine games in the future! What kind of technology might be used? Would these games be more social or solitary experiences?
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Project ideas:
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Invent Your Own Game!
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Get creative and design a brand new game!  Fill in the blanks to describe your game:
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• My game is called: ________________________
• You can play it with _____ people. (Choose a number)
• Here's what you need to play: ________________________ (List of items) - Be creative! Can you use household objects in a new way?
• The goal of the game is to ________________________. (What you're trying to achieve)
• The most fun part of this game is ________________________. (Why you think it's fun)
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Imagine you're meeting a new friend from another country.
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What game would you teach them and why?Describe the game by answering the following questions:

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• Would you teach them a classic game like tag or hopscotch?
• Maybe a simple card game or a game that uses gestures and acting?
• Think about why this game would be a good choice for making a new friend and having fun together!

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If you enjoyed this lesson plan, consider sharing it with a teacher friend :) 

or keep lesson planning with a world language adventure

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Happy learning!