Procedures

Ask students to name a recent game they have played.

Discuss whether the games required equipment, were played with 2,3 or more people, involved music and how they were learned.

Ask students to imagine what kinds of games their grandparents played.

When did they live? Where did they live? Steer the conversation to musical games. Why did they play those kinds of games?

Introduce games played during the early 20th century in southern Appalachia.

While some games have remained basically the same over the years, here is a version of "Hide-n-Seek" that may have changed a little bit. Play hide and seek with Wheat, Corn, Barley, Rye - having one student call out the rhyme after all are hidden. Why do you think people would have added that rhyme? More fun? Without video games, the sound effects and music for enjoyment, people had to create some of their own noise and sounds, and even their own music. Singing games added even more fun to the music.

*Sing and Play Green Gravels singing game and ask students to imagine a more active way to play games.

Singing the song, with actions is fun for some people, but actually moving to the music as you sing is what kept people very busy. In fact, this is what teen-agers and young adults did at parties and enjoyed themselves so much, the parties often lasted until midnight or later.

Sing and Play King William/Arthur singing game and ask students how the games are different? In the second game, players are actually moving to the singing and the choosing is a way of finding a partner, one at a time. If everyone knows each other well, this probably works well. Other ways to do this, would be mixers, where partners change, and all the girls dance with all the boys eventually. Sometimes these types of games are called "ice-breakers". But in order to play them, you have to start off with partners, and have enough people to make a circle that can move.

*Sing and Play Jolly is the Miller singing game.

Discuss the pros and cons of having extra boys or girls and how this might help everyone mix it up and meet each other.

Play "Pleased or Displeased" game.

When might we play a game such as this? Show students some identifying maps and photos of the Appalachian Mountains. Explain about the farming life, walking long distances and having little in the way of entertainment. One hundred years ago, songs about royalty (kings) and workers (millers) would have been normal, since music that was played had to be created by the kids themselves. When people got together to play games and have some fun, the older kids usually taught the younger kids how to play these games, and sing these songs.