Marbles – Shooting the Ring
A Classic Game
Topics: Classic Games,
Laws of Motion, ActionReaction
Materials List
 Marbles (10 per
player)
 Shooter marble
(a.k.a. – Taw)
 Marked circle and
shooter line (e.g. –
drawn with chalk
on sidewalk)
This activity can be used
to support the teaching of:
 Traditions & culture
(National Curriculum
for Social Studies:
Theme 1, Culture)
 Forces & Motion
(Next Generation
Science Standards:
Grade K, Physical
Science 2-1, 2-2;
Grade 3, Physical
Science 2-1, 2-2;
Middle School,
Physical Science 2-2)
Marbles are mostly about fun! But “kids” are experiencing and investigating motion
and forces during every single game.
Playing the Game (for 2-6 players)
1. Each player places a marble on the ring.
2. Players roll their shooter to the center of the ring from outside the circle. The
player coming closest to the center goes first, and so on.
3. To shoot, a player holds the taw (shooter) in his hand and flicks it with his thumb
(Note: younger players can roll the shooter like a bowling ball). When shooting,
the player’s knees must remain behind the shooting line; arms and torso,
however, may go beyond the line.
4. The first player shoots the taw and tries to knock one of the marbles and the taw
outside the ring. If he succeeds, he collects the marble from the ring and takes
another turn. If he does not hit a marble or both marble and shooter do not end up
outside the ring, then the player places another of his marbles on the ring.
5. Players take turns shooting until no marbles remain on the ring.
6. The player with the most marbles at the end of the game wins.
Shooter line
2.4 meters
(8 ft)
The Content Behind the Activity
Marbles are hard spheres made from glass, steel, clay, stone, or plastic. The marble
family of games (including Shooting the Ring) is one of the oldest game types.
Children and adults have enjoyed marble games for literally thousands of years.
Archaeologists have discovered marbles in dig sites throughout the world, including
in tombs from Ancient Egypt, Rome, and among Aztec ruins. With the industrial
revolution and the invention of mass-producing machines in the 19th and 20th
centuries, marble game popularity skyrocketed.
Web Resources (Visit www.raft.net/raft-idea?isid=213 for more resources!)
Information on the history of marbles and link to more marble games can be found at:
 Rules for marble games - http://www.landofmarbles.com/marbles-play.html
 World Marbles Federation - http://www.worldmarblesfederation.com/
Instructions by RAFT Education Department
Copyright 2015, RAFT