hi!
May I suggest the following:
1) History of Chess (use lots of pictures, powerpoint slides if possible)
2) Some stories on World Champions and American Champions (use lots of pictures, powerpoint slides if possible)
3) Short Tournament of participants with token prizes or certificates
I saw a discussion on the web somewhere once that provided a list celebrities and other "cool people" (for lack of a better term) that played chess. Such a list can be very instrumental in helping to dispell the myth of chess as being a "nerd's" game, especially to youngsters. I do believe that Nolan Ryan was on the list. The discussion also listed some notables who could NOT play chess very well at all. I believe Albert Einstein may have been on that list. I'll do a Google search in a moment because I'm curious now myself.
History of Chess... absolutely! It's the second oldest board game still being commonly played (checkers is older).
Absolutely stress the game as being a gentleman's/lady's game. Personally, I feel that this is very important. I was in your shoes several years ago when I taught a group of "at risk" grade-schoolers the game. I always required the kids to shake hands at the beginning and end of EVERY game.
And you'll be surprised. Many kids (and adults) will struggle. But then you'll have one kid for whom it just clicks. I had one of those kids and he understood almost immediately. It was awesome to watch a whole new world being opened up to a young child. It's very rewarding.
Good luck!
Some notable chess players that might surprise your audience (hundreds were removed from this list):
Arnold Schwartzenegger (try calling HIM a nerd!)
Ava Gardner
Benjamin Franklin
Bill Cartwright (NBA player/coach)
Billy Graham
Boris Becker
Chris Rock
Christopher Columbus
David Blaine
David Letterman
Evander Holyfield (when you get done talking to Arnold...)
Frank Sinatra
Gary Sheffield
George Lucas
George Steinbrenner
George Washington
Jimmy Carter
John Wayne
Katharine Hepburn
Lauren Bacall
LL Cool J
Madonna
Maria Shriver
Maurice Carter (NBA)
Napoleon
Queen Victoria
Ray Charles
Rembrandt
Salvador Dali (and all the kids say "who??")
Shirley Temple
Sting
Susan Sarandon
Theodore Roosevelt
Thomas Jefferson
Will Smith
Willie Nelson
Wilt Chamberlin
Winston Churchill
Woody Harrelson
I would dispute one name on your list: David Letterman.
His one claim to being a chessplayer is a correspondence game he played against Gary Kasparov on the Tonight Show. The game began "1.e4 a5?" and Gary's had this look of horror on his face and insisted than Dave take the move back. Dave chose "1.e4 d5" (Gary said, "Well, that's better.") but many of the remaining moves were actually chosen by one of his staff members who happened to play chess. The game was quite interesting!
Howard Stern, on the other hand, could be on your list. He's taking lessons from NM Dan Heisman and is supposed to be fairly good. Just some interesting chess trivia. :)
Mike makes a good point.
*dah dum-dum* Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week.
Whatever you do don't teach the four move, i hate that oppening.
hm...why not ask them join www.chess.com,thy can learn a lot from here,like tatic trainer,chess mentor,puzzle and other..
woo!!lifesforest just post a very interesthing game...its that really play by the kids?..cant believe their strategic and thinking skill is over than me!and like grand master playing..
Hi everyone. I have been asked by a local library to teach chess to kids from age 6 and up (and adults may be there as well, I'm not sure). Besides the essentials of the game, do all of you have any thoughts about anything else to pass on? (For example, I want to stress that it's a 'polite' game, a 'gentleman's' game of sorts -- not something to be overly competitive about. The fun is in the game, win or lose, and solving the chess problems. Just my humble opinion.)