Math, movies and Battleships: a graphical adventure.
Coordinate geometry taught with the classic Battleship game and a scene from Tom Hanks' Greyhound — the plotting practice hides inside the play.
Varchas KoushikFounder · Storyteller & Learning Experience Designer
This time, we dived into the world of coordinate geometry with an unconventional approach. I taught the concept using the classic Battleship game, and brought in a clip from Tom Hanks' film Greyhound, showing how coordinates play a pivotal role in real-life scenarios like naval battles.
What we did
- Students played Battleship, mastering coordinate plotting while having fun.
- A snippet from Greyhound brought the concept to life, showing its real-world relevance.
- The result? Smiles, engagement and solid learning outcomes.
This activity highlights how math, games and cinema can merge to create a memorable educational experience.
Why we do this
21st-century skills require us to rethink how we teach. Merging disciplines like math and storytelling helps kids understand concepts while keeping them curious and engaged.
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First published in the All Things Classroom newsletter
Further reading
Written by
Varchas Koushik
Founder · Storyteller & Learning Experience Designer
Founder of All Things Classroom. 10,000+ hours facilitating sessions with students across age groups and geographies; writes about game-based learning, story-driven teaching and what's possible when a lesson is designed like an experience instead of a script.
More about Varchas