Age group: Ages 8 – 12 (Grades 4 – 8, varies according to the difficulty of the questions).

Number of students recommended: 15-25 students

Subjects/skills learned: Contemporary art, fine art, art history

Object of the game: Earn points by rolling the ball to answer questions about art. Students remember contemporary art concepts through questions. The questions will be chosen with the help of the tires and a ball.

Setup: The questions of contemporary art will be hidden in the tires. The level of difficulty of the questions varies according to the row of tires (the closest row are the hardest questions and the most far tires are the easiest).

Game Play: The students are divided into two or more teams and then they are placed in front of the tires. Each team has a turn to roll the ball and try to get it through the tires (as if they were a soccer goal). The last tire where the ball gets through will have the question they must solve. The objective is that the students try to roll the ball and get it through the tires all until the last one (the easiest questions). Each question they answer correctly, they are given a point. If when rolling the ball it doesn’t get through any tire, the team loses its chance.

Game Conclusion: The team that has more points after all the students had rolled the ball (of after a certain number of attempts), wins.

Example: The team rolls the ball and it gets through the hole of a tire in the third row. The teacher takes a question from that tire (moderate level of difficulty) and it’s read to the team.

Tips and variations:

• Divide the class into more than two teams.
• Change the closest questions to be the easiest and in the further ones place the most difficult questions, and the team instead of trying to roll the ball to get out their questions, they get the questions for the opposite team. The objective here would be that a team tries to get the most difficult questions for the other team.

Age group: K-8 (varies according to difficulty of questions)

Number of students recommended: 10-25 students

Subjects/skills learned: Contemporary art, fine art, art history

Object of the game: Reinforce the knowledge of artists, concepts and correspondent characteristics of contemporary art through questions. The questions will be hidden in the tires.

Setup: Questions about contemporary art will be hidden in the tires, with a basic level of difficulty. The teacher has other questions with a higher level of difficulty. The number of participants corresponds to the number of tires, plus one.

Game Play: This game is an adaptation of the game called “Duck, duck, goose.” All the students except one will take a seat on a tire each. The student that doesn´t have a seat will walk through the tires, touching each classmate head saying “duck” at the same time he touches the head, until he chooses one and will say “goose”. The teacher will take the question that is hidden in that tire where the student is seated and will read it. The student that answers it correctly will keep that seat (either the student that was standing up or the one that was on the tire seated can answer the question). If someone doesn’t answer or answers it incorrectly will stay stood up and will have to walk through the tires to choose another one. The teacher will hide a new question in the tire, to replace the question that was answered. If none knows the answer, the student that was seated will keep his seat and the other student will remain stood up and that question will be hidden in that same tire.

Game Conclusion: The game can last as long as the teacher considers appropriately.

Example: The student walks through the tires, touching each student and saying “duck” until he chooses one and says “goose”. The teacher will take the questions hidden in the correspondent tire and reads it to the students. If the student that was standing up answers it correctly, the student that was seated gives away his seat and he stands up and walks through the tires, touching each student until he chooses another one. And this goes on.

Age group: 3-8 (varies according to difficulty of questions)

Number of students recommended: 25 students (ideally 5 teams of 5, one team per row of tires, though other numbers can work)

Subjects/skills learned: Contemporary art, fine art, art history

Object of the game: Guess the artist to whom clues correspond to. Reinforce the knowledge of the correspondent characteristics of different artists by getting clues and answering questions. The clues will be hidden in the tires.

Setup: In each row of tires will be clues hidden about any artist (clues can be written on index cards and placed underneath tires). Each row corresponds to a different artist. The group will be divided into teams, and each team will be assigned a row. The teacher will have a list of questions.

Game Play: The students will be divided into teams and each team will line up in front of a row of tires. The teacher will read to each team a question about modern art. The team member that answers it correctly can take out a clue from a tire. The teacher will continue asking the team members that are left lined up (the student that already has a clue can’t answer another question) until they have enough clues to guess the artist that was assigned to that row. The team can only try to guess at the beginning of their turn. If they do not guess, the game goes on.

Game Conclusion: The team that guesses their row’s artist first, wins.

Example: The teacher asks the first team any question related to an artistic period (for example, “in what era was the Sistine Chapel painted?). The student that answers it correctly will take the clue that is hidden in the first tire and will go back with his team, but he cannot answer another question. The teacher then asks another question to the next team. When a team has enough clues to guess, waits until their turn starts and they try to guess. (Their artist assigned to their row may have been Monet, and their corresponding clues “water lilies,” “French,” and “impressionism.”)

Tips and variations:

• Limit the number of clues to less than 5.
• Make clues vague or tricky.
• Allow teams to guess (poach) other teams’ artists

Created by: Project H volunteer designers, in collaboration with educators in and around the San Francisco Bay Area

A password relay – quickest team to decode their passwords in a row wins!

Age group: Grades 3-8, Ages 7-13

Number of students recommended: 25 students

Subjects/skills learned: Core subjects (math concepts, science questions, history, social studies, vocabulary, etc.), descriptive language/communication, creative thinking.

Object of the game: The team that guesses each of their team’s members “passwords” in a row, wins.

Setup: The teacher will write a “password” on one side (the backside) of each tire. A “password” could be a historical figure, a number, a vocabulary word, a date, etc. All of the passwords should be written on the tires facing the same direction (on the backside of the tires). Divide the class into five teams of five, and have each team line up in front of one row of tires.

Game Play: When the teachers says “Go!”, the games starts. The first student from each team sits on the first tire, look at the password (written on the backside of the tire), then turns around and gives clues to the next student in line on their team. They cannot say any form of the “password”, but must give clues for the next students to guess the “password”. When the next student guesses correctly, that student will then run to the second tire in their row, look at the “password”, then turn around and give clues to the student on the first tire. When that “password” is guesses correctly, then the third student in line runs to the third tire, looks at the “password”, turns around and gives clues to the student on the second tire, trying to get them to guess the “password”. This repeats until the last “password” is correctly guessed. It is a “password relay”. Once the last password has been correctly guessed, the team yells, “Password!” to show that they are finished.

Game Conclusion: This repeats until the last “password” is correctly guessed. The first team to correctly guess all of their “passwords” in a row – wins!

Examples: The first student from Team #1 runs to the first tire, sees that the word is “Thomas Jefferson”, then turns around to the next student in line on the team and says “He wrote the Declaration of Independence”. The second student correctly answers, “Thomas Jefferson!” and runs to the second tire. The second students looks at that word and sees that it is “Washington, D.C.” – then turns back to the student on the first tire and says “the capitol of the United States”. Then the third student runs to the third tire and the process repeats until all five passwords have been guessed correctly.

Tips and Variations:

• Have teams switch tire rows and replay the game (this way, the “passwords” don’t have to be changed).
• Increase the level of difficulty by having predetermined words as “off-limits”.
• Increase the level of difficulty by limited the amount of clues to 5 words.
• Increase the level of difficulty by non-allowing words to be used as clues, only non-verbal communication. Try using emotions or adjectives as passwords in this scenario.
• Increase the level of difficulty by having predetermined words as “off-limits”.
• Decrease the level of difficulty by having everyone on the team guess the “password” together.

Created by: Samantha Galvez, Escuela Isaac Alvarado, Monterrey, Mexico

Age group: Ages 8-12 (Grades 4-8)

Number of students recommended: 16 (ideal)

Subjects/skills learned: Geometry

Object of the game: The team that earns the most points (by forming geometric shapes) wins.

Setup: Divide the group in 2 teams. A stopwatch or chronometer is required. No information needs to be displayed or written on the tires. The teacher makes a list of geometric figures (roughly 6-8 of them, each shape corresponding to one round of the game).

Game Play: Flip a coin to decide which team begins. The first team goes to the edge of the playground. The teacher will announce a geometric figure (circle, square, ellipse, right triangle, isosceles triangle, etc). The team has to create the geometric figure asked by the teacher (the faster, the better!), by joining hands and standing on or next to tires (students may use the tires as points, or simply form the circle by holding hands in the shape without regard for the tires). The teacher notes the time in which the team correctly formed the shape. The second team steps up and does the same, the teacher calling out a different shape and noting the time. For that round, whichever team took less time to form their shape, is awarded one point. By the end, each team will have formed every shape on the list.

Game Conclusion: The team with the most points wins!

Examples: Team 1 makes a square in 2 minutes, Team 2 makes a rhombus in 2:15. Team 1 is awarded one point. The next round, Team 1 makes a right triangle in 3 minutes, Team 2 makes a trapezoid in 2 minutes. Team 2 is awarded one point.

Tips and Variations:

• Set a maximum time to create the shape.
• Instead of awarding points every round, tally up the total time to form all shapes at the end of all the rounds, and the team with the shortest cumulative time wins.

Created by: Project H volunteer designers, in collaboration with educators in and around the San Francisco Bay Area

Last one standing is the King of the Tire!

Age group: Grades K-5, Ages 4-9

Number of students recommended: 25 students maximum

Subjects/skills learned: Spelling, basic math (Could be adapted to address other subjects such as math, history, science, geography, etc.)

Object of the game: Spell words correctly to remain standing on the tire; try to be the last one left standing!

Setup: Students each stand on top of a tire. Each student must also bring paper and a pen.

Game Play: The teacher says a word to spell for the class. Each students has 30 seconds to spell the word. Using their pen and paper, students will write their answer down. Once the 30 seconds is up, students raise their paper in the air, and the teacher calls out the correct spelling. Students who answer correctly get to stay standing on their tire. Students who answer incorrectly must sit down on their tire.

The game proceeds with the next question. At this point, if a student answers the question incorrectly, the student must then sit on the ground and they are out of the game (essentially, students are only out if they spell two words incorrectly in a row). If a student answers correctly and they are standing, they will continue standing. If a student answers correctly, and they are sitting, they get to stand up on the tire again.

Repeat questions (can substitute other subject questions in place of spelling words).

Game Conclusion: The games end when the last student is standing on the tire.

Examples: After 12 spelling words, there are two remaining students standing on a tire (Student #1 and #2), two students sitting on the tire (Student #3 and #4), and the rest of the students sitting on the ground (they are out). The teacher says a word – Student #1 (standing) answers correctly, Student #2 (standing) answers incorrectly, and Student #3 (sitting) answers correctly, and Student #4 answers incorrectly. Student #1 remains standing, Student #2 sits on the tire, and Student #3 stands up, and Student #4 sits on the ground and is out.

Student #1 (standing), #2 (sitting), and #3 (standing) are still in the game. The teacher says the next word to spell. Students #1 spells the word incorrectly, they sit down on the tire. Student #2 spells the word incorrectly, they sit on the ground and are out of the game. Student #3 spells the word correctly and they remain standing and they are the last student standing – Student #3 wins and is King of the Tire!

Tips and Variations:

• To speed the game up, a student must sit on the ground (and is out of the game) after one incorrectly spelled word.
• Substitute other subject and subject matter in for spelling words (math equations, historical facts, geography, etc.) – making it a quiz game for any subject.
• Split the students into five teams, with each team occupying a row of tires – they now compete as teams. Whichever team still has students standing on a tire, wins.

A two team race to get your rabbit to other side before the other team’s fox catches it!

Created by: Project H volunteer designers, in collaboration with educators in and around the San Francisco Bay Area

Age group: Ages 8-13, Grades 4-8

Number of students recommended: 10-30

Subjects/skills learned: Core subjects (math concepts, science questions, history, social studies, vocabulary, etc.), team strategy, spacial awareness, cause and effect.

Object of the game: To pass your team’s “rabbit” from one corner tire to the opposite corner tire, without getting caught by the other team’s “fox”, or by passing your team’s “fox” to catch the other team’s “rabbit”.

Setup: The teacher will provide one “fox” and one “rabbit” for each team – these could be represented by a stuffed animal, a ball, a picture on a piece of paper, etc. Divide the class into two teams – and each team into two groups (foxes and rabbits – one will be given the “rabbit”, one will be given the “fox”). Have each team surround the corner tires – on diagonally opposite corners of the Learning Landscape. Foxes diagonally opposite of foxes, rabbits diagonally opposite of rabbits.

Game Play: The teacher asks the first question to the rabbits (both teams) – the first team to raise their hand receives the opportunity to answer the question first.

If the team answers the question correctly, they will choose an unoccupied tire that is one away from their current position and all of the team’s “rabbits” will move to that tire – moving the team’s “rabbit” one step closer to victory.
If the team’s answer is wrong, the opposing team has a chance to “steal”. The question will then pass to the other team. If that team is correct, they will choose an unoccupied tire that is one away from their current position and all of that team’s “rabbits” will move to that tire – moving the team’s “rabbit” one step.

If the second team’s answer is wrong, then the first team receives the opportunity for a “double steal” – the question then goes back to the first team. Repeat the process until the question is answered correctly.

After the “rabbits” turn is over, then ask the next question to the teams of “foxes”. The same rules apply – first team to raise their hand receives the opportunity to answer the question. If they answer correctly, then they (and their “fox)”) move to the tire of their choice. If they answer incorrectly, the other team has a chance to steal. Repeat until the question is answer correctly.

The process repeats with each team having two goals: First – to get their “rabbit” to the tire that is diagonally opposite corner of the Learning Landscape without getting caught by the other team’s “fox” by moving the “rabbit” group from tire-to-tire as they answer questions correctly. Second – to catch the other team’s “rabbit” with their “fox” by moving the “fox” from tire-to-tire until their fox occupies the same tire as the opposing team’s “rabbit”.
Tires may only be occupied one group at a time – no combination of “foxes” and “rabbits” can be on the same tire unless the “fox” has caught the other team’s “rabbit”.

Game Conclusion: The games end when:
1) When one team’s “rabbit” reaches the diagonally opposite corner tire on the Learning Landscape.
2) When one team’s “fox” catches the other team’s “rabbit”.

Examples: For the first question, the teacher asks the rabbits, “What is the process by which plants turn sunlight into energy?” Team one’s rabbits are the first to raise their hands. They answer, “photosynthesis”. Team one’s rabbits then chooses a tire that is one away from their current position.

Tips and Variations:

• Have each team sit down when they have the answer (first team to have all of their members gets to answer the questions first).
• Have both team’s write their answers in a given time frame (10 seconds), then show their answers. Each team that is correct can move their animal.
• Allow only one student at a time to answer questions (taking turns within each group).

Age group: Grades 4-8, Ages 8-13

Number of students recommended: 20-30 students

Subjects/skills learned: Vocabulary, languages, descriptive language (adjectives), quick-thinking

Object of the game: The team that matches (adjectives, nouns, verbs, vocabulary, etc.) with the letters written on all five of their teams tires, wins.

Setup: The teacher will write a letter on each of the tires. Letters can be repeated across the Learning Landscape, but cannot occur in the same row or column as each other. The students are split into 5 teams – one team for each column of tires.

Game Play: The teacher starts by saying a noun. The first student in line from each team must give an adjective that describes this noun, but that also starts with the letter on the first tire in their column.
When the student has thought of their adjective, they run and sit down on the first tire in their column. The first student to sit on their tire gets to go last, the last student to sit on their tire is out and must return to the end of their team’s line. Students says their adjective in the reverse order by which they sat on their tires.

Once everyone has sat on their tire, then the student says their adjective to the teachers (and can try and convince them of its worthiness). If they provide a correct adjective (as determined by the teacher), then the student remains on the tire. If they do not provide an correct adjective, they go to the end of their team’s line.

The next round starts, with students running to the next available tire in their column. This repeats until all of the tires in one team’s column are occupied by students – that team wins.

Game Conclusion: When all of the one team’s tires are occupied by students who have given an adjective with the letter written on their corresponding tire, that team wins.

Examples: The teacher calls out “President of the United States!”. The students run to their tires, the last one to sit down is out (returns to end of line). The next-to-last student to sit down has a tire with a “P” on it, the student says “powerful” and stays sitting on the tire. The next students is sitting on a tire with a “T” on it and says, “tiny” – the teacher says “no” and that students is out (returns to end of line).

Tips and Variations:

• Students can choose any unoccupied tire/letter in their column, run to it to sit down, and give an adjective starting with that letter.
• Have the teacher says adjectives, and the students say nouns.
• Use this game to teach math – each of the five tires in each column have a plus, minus, multiply, or divide sign on it. The teacher then calls out two numbers (or more) – the student must give a equation with the two digits. Example: Teacher “8 and 24!”, students sits on a “multiply” tire and says “8×3=24”.

Created by: Alfonso Díaz Villaseñor, Escuela Isaac Alvarado, Monterrey, Mexico

Age group: K-8

Number of students recommended: 10 – 20

Subjects/skills learned: Science principles (biology, ecology, etc), but can be adapted for multiple other

Object of the game: The team that earns the most points (by answering the most points correctly) wins.

Setup: On each of the tires, hide questions about science. Papers with questions are hidden under the tires (these can be stuck with tape). The difficulty of the questions depends on the position of the tires (the closest row are the hardest questions, the furthest row are the easiest).

Game Play: Students will be divided into 2 or more teams, and will line up in front of the tires. Each team has a chance to roll the ball through the holes of the tires (as if they were targets). The last tire through which the ball rolls will have the question the team will be asked. The teacher will ask the corresponding question, and if the student answers correctly, their team is awarded one point. If the ball does not roll through any tire, the team loses an opportunity. Game play continues, alternating between teams, until each student has answered a question.

Game Conclusion: After every student has rolled the ball, or after a certain number of chances, the team with the most points wins.

Examples: A student rolls the ball through a tire that corresponds to the question: “Name an animal that is in the bovine category.” The student answers “cow” and their team is awarded one point.

Tips and Variations:

• Divide into 3 or 4 teams instead of 2.
• Hide the questions randomly.
• Change the questions so that the closest row are the easiest and the furthest row the hardest. Instead of each team rolling the ball to get the questions they will be asked, the opposite team gets the question. The objective on this variation would be for one team to try to get the hardest questions for the opposite one.

Age group: K-8

Number of students recommended: 25

Subjects/skills learned: Cultures, holidays, religion, government, world civilization (past and present), timeline, economics

Object of the game: The team that has all members seated on tires first wins.

Setup: On each of the tires, use chalk to write a word (or name, place, person, date, phrase, etc) that corresponds to the skill level required (the word you write will be the answers to the questions you call out). Divide the class into two teams, and have each team line up. Both lines should start on the same side of the playground, one on either side of you, the teacher.

Game Play: The teacher will call out a social studies question whose answer corresponds to one of the words written on a tire (for example, if the teacher has written “Hinduism” he/she calls out “religion practiced in parts of Asia, including India”). The first student from each line/team competes head-to-head to figure out the answer to the question, and locate the tire with the corresponding correct answer written on it (teammates may help!). When the tire has been located, the student sits atop that tire. The student who finds the answer to the equation first wins the round and remains seated atop the tire for the duration of the game. The other student will go to the back of their team’s line, and they can play again. The teacher will call out a new math equation for the next two students.

Game Conclusion: The team with all their team members seated on tires first wins!

Examples: The teacher has written “Roman Empire” on the tire and call out “this civilization built a series of aqueducts all over Europe and conquered many countries”).

Tips and Variations:

• Divide into 3 or 4 teams instead of 2.
• Do not allow teammates to help the competing member find the correct tire.