Playground Grid Battleship
A giant grid with letters and numbers is chalked on the playground; teams secretly place their ships, then take turns sending a runner to the coordinate they call. It practices using coordinates, team strategy, and speed.
How to play
- Before class, chalk two 6 x 6 grids with one-yard squares, lettered A to F and numbered 1 to 6, set 10 yards apart.
- Form 4 teams in pinnies and mark a start line with cones 8 yards from each grid; two teams face off on each pair of grids (2 min).
- Each team secretly places 3 ships on its grid, one 3 squares long and two 2 squares long, and records them on a card only the captain sees (3 min).
- Teams take turns calling a coordinate, such as C4; a runner sprints from the team's line to that square on the opposing grid and stands in it while the defenders say 'miss' or 'hit'.
- The runner jogs back and high-fives the next teammate, who will run the next turn; everyone runs in order, and the team records results on its card (12 min).
- The first team to sink the whole enemy fleet wins; spend 3 minutes talking about the search strategies they used.
Rules
- Only one runner per team at a time, in turn order.
- Ship positions cannot change once the game starts.
- Run straight toward the grid and slow down before stepping in; no jumping from square to square.
- Defenders must always answer honestly; the teacher can check the card.
Variations
Easier
Use a 4 x 4 grid and only two ships 2 squares long.
Standard
A 6 x 6 grid with three ships and one runner per turn.
Harder
The runner must go around a middle cone to reach the square, and the team has only 10 seconds to call a coordinate.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student can be the strategist captain or travel along the outside edges of the grid without stepping in.
- Autism: explain the game first with a paper example and keep the running order the same throughout.
- Fitness level: move the start line farther back for teams who need more intensity.
Learning goals
- Locate squares using letter-number coordinates.
- Build search strategies as a team.
- Respect turns and rules in a competitive game.
Equipment for a class of 25
- sidewalk chalk: 6
- cones: 8
- cards: 4
- pinnies: 25
Teacher tip
Review out loud how to read a coordinate before starting: letter first, then number. If the chalk wears off, mark each row with colored poly spots.
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