This assignment has two parts.
Part 1 is describing how to play the game for someone who has never played it. This will require giving a detailed description of what is needed to play the game, what the object of the game is, how game play progresses, the rules, the roles of the players and how and whether they change as well as how the game is won.
Part 2 is an analysis of what this game says about the people or groups of people who play it. Review your readings and our class discussions and consider what cultural forces are on display with in this game. Again, what are the details in how the game is structured or played that you can use as evidence to support your analysis?
Further, in analyzing the game, you may want to consider:
The function: what is this game helping people do? Some possible functions include (according to William Bascom):allow people to escape the usual rules of societyjustifies (reinforces) how and why we do things in a cultureteaches morals and valuesattempts to exert social pressure or control on people.American Values: what values are expressed in this game and how? Again, refer to AW Ch. 1.Does it serve some other function such as helping people socialize in a certain way? Teaching skills, roles, etiquette, or values?
For this assignment you will choose a game you are familiar with and can easily teach in a classroom setting. Once you have chosen your game, begin to think about how you would familiarize others with it. There are a variety of things to consider: What are the goals of the game? What are the rules? How does one win the game? What is the value of learning the game?
Structuring the Paper:
Introduction: Introduce your audience to your game and get them wanting to play. To do this, consider the following: What is the game? What is the object of the game? Why should people be interested in learning how to play it? What’s so fun about it? How to play the game: When writing the rules, consider what the basic rules are, how gameplay proceeds (what order do the various moves/turns/etc happen in), are there any exceptions to any rules? What will your audience need to be able to complete the instructions and play the game successfully? Analysis and Interpretation: After describing the various aspects of the game, what do you think it reflects about the people or the culture that produced it? To do THAT, what culture and people typically play this game? Where does it come from? Where and how are people introduced to it? What is the “cultural scene” of this game? And what does this game say about those people and that scene? Conclusion: So what? Why should we care?
Requirements and Turning It In:
Your final version of this assignment is due on October 3rd. Your final paper should be 3 pages (approximately 750 words), double-spaced in 12pt Times New Roman font and submitted to CANVAS and turnitin.psu.eduby midnight (11:59pm) on the due date.
