Players: 1 or more with a leader who calls out the questions (called the "caller" below)

Cards: one full set for whole group or one full set per person (optional)

Materials: one 5x5 playsheet per player with 26 markers per player (25 used as "correct answer markers" and 1 different used as "guess markers") (available below) and heroes quotes & more caller sheets (available below)

Goal: Get 5 correct answers in a row.

Play: Each player takes a 5x5 playsheet (a single piece of paper with a table 5 rows and 5 columns, each spot contains the name of a hero). The caller chooses one of the 25 Real American Heroes. S/he can choose a trading card from a paper bag, for example. S/he reads a famous quotation aloud. The players place the unique “guess” marker on the spot corresponding to the hero. When all guess are made, the caller identifies the hero. The players who got it right, exchange the “guess” marker for a “correct answer” marker. The players who did not get it right, remove the “guess” markers. Game ends when anyone gets five “correct answers” in a row.

Variations:

• Everyone can use the same 5x5 playsheet layout to be more equitable or can use a different one for variety
• For a simpler and faster game: everyone chooses a unique (random) playsheet, the caller can choose at random and call out the hero name. This is like Bingo.
  
• Rather than reading a quote, the caller can read the hero's story (be sure to say "blank" instead of the hero's name) or the hero's title or the hero's virtue. This information is located on the web page: Heroes Details for 5-in-a-row game.
• The end of the game can be extended until everyone gets 5 in a row or when an entire 5x5 area is filled.
• The caller may use the “list of heroes/virtue card” as a magic card – allowing everyone to place a FREE SPACE marker on the center square or on any place on their playsheet.

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Create your own playsheets online: We have an automatic tool that will create a 5x5 board at random. Each time you load the following web page, it will generate a new copy with each hero's name one time on the board, everytime in a different order. To make multiple copies of the same board, load the web page once and print several copies.

Links: Random Playsheet or Alphabetical

Download PDF playsheets: There are a limited set of boards that we have placed into PDF files. We placed 100 boards in a ZIP file to compress for space.

Links: 100 Playsheet (2.6MB ZIP) or Playsheet 1 or Playsheet 2 or Alphabetical

Note: the Alphabetical playsheet may be easier for younger players.

Markers: You may use any you wish or print and cut these.

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Links: Heroes Details for 5-in-a-row game

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The Heroes Club™ and The Real Heroes Club™ are our trademark names.