Giant Floor Mancala

A giant version of mancala, one of the oldest board games from Africa: two teams “sow” bottle caps by walking from hoop to hoop and squatting to drop one in each pit. Students practice counting, strategy, controlled movement, and appreciation of games from other cultures.

How to play

1. Set up 2 boards: two facing rows of 6 hoops with 4 caps each and a bucket at each end as a store. Make 4 teams of 6, two per board; each team owns its 6 hoops and the store on its right (4 min).
2. On their turn, a player picks up all the caps from one hoop on their side and drops them one at a time into the following hoops, counterclockwise, squatting at each. They drop one in their own store and skip the other team's.
3. If the last cap lands in their store, the team goes again. If it lands in an empty hoop on their side, they capture it plus the caps in the hoop across.
4. Turns rotate within the team so everyone sows; teammates advise before the player picks up the caps.
5. The game ends when one side runs out of caps; the team with more caps in its store wins. Play 2 games of 8 minutes, switching opponents (18 min).

Rules

• Once caps are picked up from a hoop, you can't switch hoops.
• Walk without stepping in hoops and squat by bending the knees.
• Only the player whose turn it is touches the caps.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the student plans the move from a chair using a copy of the board on a desk, and the team carries it out.
• Visual impairment: mark the team's hoops with textured tape and have a partner count caps aloud.
• Fitness: more effort with a full squat at each hoop; less by using kitchen tongs.

Learning goals

• Learn and play a traditional African game.
• Figure out where a move will end before making it.
• Move and squat with control.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Hula hoops: 24
• Plastic bottle caps: 96
• Buckets: 4

Teacher tip

Play one demo move counting out loud, since captures are tricky at first. A schoolwide bottle cap drive gives you enough caps for this and other games.

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