I’ve always been a fan of doing something engaging that gets students to practice their math skills. Last week we played Trashketball to practice skills instead of doing a worksheet. Lately I’ve found some new resources. Here are two that I particularly like.
- Race car math – Andrew stadel
- Grudge by Nathan Kraft
These games inspired me to share a game I’ve been playing with my students for a few years now. The credit all goes to a friend of mine Brian McBain who introduced me to it. I’ve been just calling it Math Race.
Here is the low down……
Like Traskhetball…….students have a number of questions to solve (like from a worksheet, homework, review section).
Students are placed in teams, two or three students. Each team can complete the questions in any order. Once a question is attempted they bring it to the teacher to verify. The teacher says….”correct” or “incorrect”. If the question in correct they get a sticky note which they can place on the Number Chart.
If the question was incorrect they are to “try again”.
After the set time we choose a random number from the board using SmartNotebook’s built in random number generator. The group who’s number gets picked is the winner.
It has always gone over well with the students!!!
[Update – Dec 1 – 2014]
Made a modification today …..combined this game AND Trashketball.
If the question is correct you get a sticky……PLUS a shot for a BONUS sticky. Winner is still whose ever number is chosen randomly!!!
3 thoughts on “Games in Math”
Is there a random equation maker? You could have a winning equation. The whole class solves it at the end. The value of the solution is the sticky that wins. Love these ideas. Borrowing them after Spring Break.
Thanks Ben! I really like that the answer to the equation would be the “random” number. I’ll do this next time.
Or… Have equations with solutions that are 1 thru whatever. Value of the solution is the number on the sticky note.
Or, less work and more HOTS, have students create equations whose solutions match their stickies (must use three operations, have parentheses, variables on both sides, etc.) This could work for a tic-tac-toe-type game.
I hate I’m not teaching Math I next year. These will have to be adapted for Math III.
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