These games are adaptations or completely unique inventions of my own. For those that are adaptations I have listed my sources of inspiration in my library tab.
Divide the class into two groups....circles and squares. The object of the game is to quickly add subtract multiply or divide your group's digits to equal as many of the target numbers as possible.
The teacher writes 6-10 target numbers on the overhead, or chalkboard.
19 22 34 52 18 25
19 22 34 52 18 25
The teacher then adds six integers to be used....circle team gets three and square team gets 3
3 7 6 2 5 8
Teams take turns picking their three digits that they can add, subtract, mulitply , or divide in unlimited amounts
19 22 34 52 18 25
3 2 8 7 6 5
Now the fun begins, the teams work the calculations and literally run to you at the board with their answers to the targeted numbers using only their chosen integers. As you check for accuracy you circle or put a square around the target numbers.
The team that has the highest score at the end of a designated time...usually 5 minutes is the winner. I let those guys line up 1 minute early....they love that extra time in the halls. Be sure to allow time to check for accuracy at the end!
EXAMPLE. (3*2) + (8 + 2) = 18 for circles and
5*6 - 5 = 25 for squares
19 22 34 52 18 25
18.
Differentiation for gifted or higher level students:
Allow exponents to be used, or square root. Make the targeted numbers larger, or add positive and negative signs to be incorporated.
This can also be done in partners or assigned as a family activity.
E X P O N E N T WA R ....A CARD GAME
This fast paced game is based upon that childhood game of WAR where the winner is the one with most of the cards after a designated time.
However this has a few twists to enhance multiplication skills and the use of exponents.
Divide a deck of cards in half for two players or thirds for three players. Determine beforehand if you want to include the face cards. If so J=11 Q=12 and K=13.
All other cards are worth their value except the 2 is used as an exponent to square the other card and the 3 is used as an exponent to cube the other card.
Each player puts out two cards and says the value orally. For instance 10 and a 4= 40 but 10 and a 2 is = 100. That is because 10 squared is 10 x10.
If everyone says their values correctly then the highest total is the winner of that round.
However, if someone makes an error, then whoever catches that error is provided with an opportunity to correct and thereby steal the cards of that round....it doesn't matter if he holds a higher score. The steal trumps that.
This game helps with the idea that three to the power of 2 means 3 x 3 =9 and not 3 squared = 6!!!
This game can be switched to basic adding for lower levels.
DICE 'N DIGITS
On an overhead the teacher makes a formation of 3 to five column addition with various place values. A formation could look like :
--- ---- ---- . ---- ---- ----
---- . ---- ---- ----
---- ---- ---- .
The key is for children to copy the formation exactly paying strickt attention to the decimal point. Now the children take turns rolling the dice, and announcing the digit. Students and teacher (with the overhead now off) place the digits in such a way to either be the largest number or smallest number possible. The teacher or a designated student announces which it will be after the first roll. This adds a little intrigue.
This game is a lot of fun for the class to do to see if they can beat the teacher at the game.
This too can be played in small groups or assigned as a family acitivity.
What is it Worth?
The open endedness to this overhead game is what makes it most interesting to students. Place different colored circles in a column. Then put a sum down. It is up to the students to find the value of each of the colors. The longer the column, the more complicated the game becomes. One color represents the same value...there are many right answers, and discussion of why this occurs is very enlightening to the students. This game builds good number sense
Using 2 spinners or dice, the players take turns trying to get as close as they can to the target of 1,000,000. Students may add or subtract their score. Their score is derived by a roll of 2 die or 2 spins. One die or spin is the base number, the other one represents the power of 10. So a spin of 3 and a spin of 4 would represent 30,000 or 4,000, since it = 3 x 10^ 4 power or 4 x 10^ 3 power. This is done in a few quick rounds and the player in the class closest to one million is the winner.
Larissa Mahlke is a fifth grade teacher at Spring Creek Elementary in Spring Creek, Nevada
