Jacks

Material List: Jacks set (12)

Score sheet

Classroom Time: 1 class period

The student will (learn about/learn to):

1. Learn the rules of the historical games Jacks

2. Play Jacks, with correct game procedure

3. Learn the importance of practice in games

4. Keep track of the jacks picked up on a score card or sheet & learn honesty.

Teacher’s introduction to the activity: Jacks, was first played with stones or bones, one version even called “knucklebones.” It inspired a song: “This Old Man”, and its complexity and variations are unique to children’s games. Today you may play “Trailer Jacks”, ”Aluminum Jacks”, “Electric Jacks”, Racing Jacks”, “Tongue Jacks”, “Swivel Jacks”, Automobile Jacks”, or even make up a new Jacks game.

Instruction:

1. Scatter the jacks from the bag on a table, or in good weather, outside.

2. Toss the jacks up and catch as many as you can to be first to play.

3. “Onesies”- Throw the ball up, pick up one jack, and catch the ball before it lands.

4. If successful, proceed to pick up the next “onesie.”

5. After you have successfully picked up all 10 jacks, one at a time, scatter the jacks again.

6. “Twosies” – Toss up the ball, pick up 2 jacks, and catch the ball before it lands.

7. Continue sequentially picking up 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, & 10 jacks at a time before the ball lands.

8 The person who picked up the most jacks is the winner.

Variations:

1. Bounce the ball 2 times before picking up jacks.

2. No bounces, just throw the ball up, pick up jacks, and catch the ball.

3. Throw the ball, make a circle in the air around the ball before it bounces, & pick up a jack.

Jacks Score Sheet

Name __________________ Name __________________

Number of Jacks picked up Number of Jacks picked up

Onesies ____________ Onesies ____________

Twosies ____________ Twosies ____________

Threesies ____________ Threesies ____________

Foursies ____________ Foursies ____________

Fivesies ____________ Fivesies ____________

Sixies ____________ Sixies ____________

Sevensies ____________ Sevensies ____________

Eightsies ____________ Eightsies ____________

Ninesies ____________ Ninesies ____________

Tensies ____________ Tensies ____________

Total ___________ Total ___________