a Project H Design initiative

Match Me – Art

A multi-team head-to-head competition to find the right tire!

Age group: K-8

Number of students recommended: 25

Subjects/skills learned: Colors wheel theory, artists, art concepts, etc

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, 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 color question whose answer corresponds to one of the words written on a tire (for example, if the teacher has written blue on a tire, he/she could call out “color complementary to orange”). 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 word ‘shade’ is written on a tire and the teacher asked the students to find the term that means “a value of a color when black is added to it.” The student to find the tire with “shade” on it first wins.

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.
  • For pre-schoolers or kindergarteners, use colored chalk and color onto the tires, ( for example, use blue chalk and just color on the tires, then ask the children to find the color blue).
  • for older students, write famous artists on the tires and ask students to find those artist based on the style of art or famous paintings (for example, write Picasso on the tires and then ask the student to find the artist best know for Cubism).