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Math Games!

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math games, math centers, low prep math games
Math games are such a GREAT way to increase engagement while providing your kiddos with endless differentiated math fact and skill practice in your classroom!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE teaching math games in my classroom.  Here’s why…
1. They are FUN!!
2. The kids LOVE them.
3.  They are an AWESOME early finisher activity in math class.
4. They are SO easily differentiated.
5. Did I mention they’re fun?
6. They’re hands on.  Hello!
I could seriously go ON AND ON!!
So today, I bring you ….
…a math game FAVORITE – a math game VIDEO – and a math game FREEBIE!!!!

 

One of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE MATH GAMES is one that we call “Heads Up” in my classroom! Check it out….
All you need is a deck of cards (I use numbers through ten to start, and then add numbers through 20 for my kiddos who are ready for the challenge later!)
I like to put kids in groups of 3 to play.  The “Dealer” gives a card to each of the other players – the other players should NOT look at their card, and they should put it on their forehead with the number facing out.  The DEALER then tells the players the SUM of the two players’ addends! – Then, each player looks at the OTHER player’s card.  Knowing the sum and the addend on the opposing player’s card, they should figure out what his/her card is by solving a missing addend problem.
For example; if the dealer says the sum of the two cards is 9, and player one is looking at a player 2 with a card 7 on his/her head, player one needs to think “7 + (my card) = 9”.  It is FABULOUS missing addend practice.
I have ALSO seen my kiddos change it up on their own with FOUR players and have a THREE ADDEND problem.  It works the exact same way except that there are 3 addends to put together for the dealer to call the sum.  SO fun and SO easy and a crowd (and teacher) FAVORITE!!!
I mentioned “shut the box” on a Periscope Chat a few weeks ago and I got SO many questions about it and seeing that we are sharing MATH GAMES this month, I thought this would be the PERFECT opportunity to share about it on my blog!

All you  need is 3 dice, a white board, and a marker!  The kiddos can play by themselves or with a partner and it’s GREAT math fact practice!!

I decided, instead of trying to explain it step by step for you, that I would share a quick video of how we play . . .

 

And that’s it! Easy peasy! We call it shut the box, but I’ve heard a lot of other teachers call it other things, too 🙂    You could also use the ten sided dice, add a fourth dice, take the third away,  use multiplication and division facts instead, etc to differentiate it for your kiddos! I hope your kids love the fact practice as much as mine do!
FREEBIE ALERT!!!

 

Last year,  my kiddos had been having a really hard time with two things: identifying the digit in the ones {YIKES} . . . . annnd, therefore, they were having trouble with even and odd numbers, too.
So, after an even and odd lesson, I decided our exit ticket of sorts would be to do a human sort of even or odd numbers. . . . but on the spot, {honest to Pete, my best ideas come at me mid lesson and I sprint to my to do list to write them down} I came up with Even and Odd Ball!!  We pulled it out again this year, too and I just had to share it with you all!!
Here’s how we play . . .
1. Each kiddo gets a sticky note.
2. Each kiddo writes down their own 2 or 3 digit number (we weren’t ready for 4 digits)
3. Each kiddo underlines the number in the ones place to help them identify whether their number is even or odd!
4.  Place an EVEN poster on one side of the room and an ODD poster on the opposite side of the room.
5. Students crumple their sticky note into a BALL!
6. Students make a circle around the room with their Even or Odd Ball.
7. Teacher gives a 3, 2, 1, GO count for students to throw their Even or Odd Ball into the center of the classroom.
8. Each student finds a ball and SORTS their “ball” to the Even or Odd side of the room!
9. REPEAT! Have students crumple the ball that they found and sorted, head back to the circle, and toss their Even and Odd Ball back into the center of the classroom so play and practice can continue!
HOW EASY IS THAT!! It was JUST the practice they needed!!
Annnnd guess what – since I created it on the spot, we were recording our lists on white boards, but I created a recording sheet for the students to sort their finds as they play, too…. click below to snag yours for FREE!!!
{fonts by Kimbery Geswein!!}
I hope you picked up an idea for a new math game or two that will work for your kiddos, too!  Feel free to pin the image below and come back later for a fresh game your kiddos will love!
math games, math centers, low prep math games

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