Using math games to create fun, spark interest and build number sense Chad Madsen Astoria High School Astoria, OR
Chad Madsen cmadsen@astoriak12.org Educator and Coach (17th year) * Algebra 1, Algebra Support, Pre-Algebra Co-host of the education podcast, Schooled Ya!
Today’s Objectives: ● To give you something to be excited about doing Monday morning...and hopefully years from now. ● Have fun!
Why play games? ● “Fun” activities can have purpose ● Humor can be a ‘Trojan Horse”...
Establish Expectations ● Everyone is expected to participate ● “Winning”, or getting to the solution, is not the most important part of the activity
What makes a good game? Concrete goals with manageable Goals that fit a rules players Clear and capabilities timely feedback Eliminate distractions Cognitive Flow
Adapt ● Observe your students while they play ● Adjust rules and rigor as needed to fit the needs of your group ● Be creative ● Don’t lose the novelty
Rewards and Prizes Stamps, stickers, treats, whole class prizes, nothing :)
“24” ● Provide four random numbers between 1-9 ● Using all four numbers only once, students attempt to find a final solution of 24 using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division with appropriate grouping ● Can be done on paper or mentally ● Speed competitions ● Great opportunity to observe how students process operations ● Add exponents as students advance
“Bowling” ● Have students number a paper 1-10 ● Provide 3 random single digit numbers: this is the “1st roll” ● Similar to 24, students use these three numbers to find one solution for each number 1-10. (Knocking down each “pin”) ● Using a “2nd roll” of three new random numbers students attempt to knock down the remaining pins ● Play “Darts” as a variation with 1-20 and three “throws”.
“Four’s a Winner” ● Winner claims four spaces in a row vertically, horizontally, diagonally ● Two markers are placed on the numbers at the bottom of the board ● Players claim the space with the product of the two covered numbers ● At each turn, the opponent is only allowed to move 1 marker
“Throw Away” Trash
“Throw Away” cont. ● Provide students with a target number ● Use a ten sided die to call one random number at a time ● Students must place the called number in a space before the next number is called and cannot move it. ● Closest to the target number wins ● Variations: subtraction, increase or decrease throw away spaces or digit lengths
“I Declare a Square” 2 players/teams ● Take turns claiming one coordinate at a time ● (use two difgerent colors) Claim four corners of any sized square to ● “Declare the Square” Play until all coordinates have been claimed and ● tally total number of squares for each team * Keep track of declared squares during play as the board gets very messy by the end!
“Operations Mixer” Materials: at least three decks of cards combined into one deck (decks do not need to match) Card values: Ace = 1 2-10 = 2-10 J = 11 Q = 12 K = 0 or 20 Students are given four cards and the entire class is provided with a target number for each round Using all four cards (only once), students attempt to get as close to the target number as possible using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and exponents Students record their score as the difgerence from the target Each round is a new target number with new cards...explore fun ways to exchange cards
“H.A.M” Hit, Almost, Miss Students try to discover a three digit number with the least number or attempts based on a series of clues given after each guess. Hit: correct number in the correct place Almost: correct number in the wrong place Miss: incorrect number
Commercial Games ● Yahtzee ● Farkle ● Qwix ● Qwingo
Questions?? Don’t forget to check out
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