A football is not round. It is covered in tan leather. Let us see how a game of football works.

Each football team has 11 players on the field at one time. A team scores a touchdown by getting the ball across the other team's goal line.

You may have heard that a touchdown is worth seven points. In fact, a touchdown is worth six points. A field goal is worth three points. A safety is worth two points.

A goalpost has two tall uprights joined by a crossbar. The crossbar is 10 feet off the ground.

The team with the ball gets four downs, or tries, to move the ball 10 yards. It cannot keep trying as long as it likes.

A football game lasts 60 minutes. It is divided into four quarters of 15 minutes each. At halftime, between the second and third quarters, play stops and the teams leave the field.

A kickoff starts each half. It also follows each touchdown try or successful field goal. Each team gets three timeouts in each half.

Football players wear helmets that have a face mask. They must wear shoulder pads, knee pads and thigh pads.

Every football player wears a number on the front and back of his jersey.

A fumble happens when a player with the ball loses it. Either team can recover it.

Words to know

• touchdown: six points
• kickoff: starts each half
• fumble: lose the ball
• halftime: game break