Math Games

1. Math Games Compiled By: Joan Bartlett and Heather Bartlett

2. Card Games

3. Order Numbers • The first player draws five cards and lays them down in order. • The next player draws five cards and lays them down in order adding to the first players cards. • Continue building the numbers in order. • If a number is already down you can lay the card on top. • You may take out the face cards and just use the number cards if you wish.

4. Speed • Take out all the face cards and use only the number cards. • Deal the cards evenly to two players. • Set the two stacks between the two players. • Each player will turn over one card from their stack each time. • You can play where the winner is the first one to: add correctly, subtract correctly, multiply correctly or pick out the larger or smaller number. • The winner gets the cards. Play until all the cards are gone or one player has all of the cards. (This is kind of like the card game called WAR.)

5. OH NO! 99! Card Values and Operations • Ace add 1 • Jacks subtract 1 • QueensWild card (-10/+10) • Kings add zero • All others (2-10) add their place value

6. OH NO! 99! (continued) Directions • Shuffle the deck of cards and deal 4 cards to each player. • Take turns playing one card on the table at a time, adding or subtracting the value of the card to or from the cards already played. Drawing from the deck after playing your card. (Remember you are keeping a running total for the entire group!) • Play continues until one player forces his/her partner to go over 99. • You may modify and play to 20, 50 or 75. You may also use a number line and a counter to count on.

7. Card Sharks • Materials: large deck of cards; five cards from the shuffled deck are placed face down in front of the audience.

8. Card Sharks (continued) • Students should be divided into two teams • Both teams are given a problem. The first student to raise his/her hand gets to answer the question. If the question is answered correctly, they may “play” the cards. If incorrect, the other team may try to answer for control, or they may pass. (At this point, the problem should be done on the board) • To “play” the cards, the first one is turned over. The team has the opportunity to keep this card, or change it. Once that decision is made, the team decides whether the next card is higher or lower. The team continues until all five cards have been turned over correctly, a mistake has been made, or the team decides to FREEZE. • If all cards are turned over correctly the team turning the cards over wins • If a mistake is made, another question is given for control of the cards • The team decides to FREEZE if they are not sure or are uncomfortable making a guess on the next card. Another problem is given, and when a team gets control they may choose to change the card.

9. Countdown (K-2) Materials: • one deck of cards • two dice Object of Game: • To be the first player to flip over all cards 1-9 Directions: • Each player will lay out cards 1-9 of the same suit in front of them. Use the Ace as a 1. • The player with the hearts suits begins the game. • The first player rolls the double dice and adds or subtracts the two numbers. Next, the player comes up with any combination of the cards to make the number rolled. The player then flips over those cards. Once a card has been flipped over it may not be used again. • All players continue rolling the double dice and flipping over card combinations that equal the number rolled. • If a player has no card combinations left that equal the number rolled then they lose that turn. • Players continue until someone is able to flip over all cards. Extension: • If a player rolls doubles then they flip all cards back over and continue the game.

10. Countdown (3-5) Materials: • one deck of cards • two dice Object of Game: • To be the first player to flip over all cards 1-10 Directions: • Each player will lay out cards 1-10 of the same suit in front of them. Take out the face cards and use the Ace as a 1. • The player with the hearts suits begins the game. • The first player rolls the two dice and adds, subtracts, multiplies, or divides the two numbers. Next, the player comes up with any combination of the cards to make the number rolled. The player then flips over those cards. Once a card has been flipped over it may not be used again. • All players continue rolling the double dice and flipping over card combinations that equal the number rolled. • If a player has no card combinations left that equal the number rolled then they lose that turn. • Players continue until someone is able to flip over all cards. Extension: • If a player rolls doubles then they flip all cards back over and continue the game.

11. Dice Games

12. CONTIG3 dice; record keeping sheet; markers; playing board; 2-5 players

13. CONTIG (continued) Directions: • First player rolls the three dice. Using any operations on the three numbers, the player covers one number on the board. • Each succeeding player rolls the dice and tries to cover a number that is touching a covered number. If the player covers a number “contiguous” to (touching) another covered number, he/she gets a point. • When a player cannot cover a number, the player skips his/her turn. If a player incorrectly passes, any of the other players may call the mistake and place their marker on the correct number. • When all players miss three consecutive turns, the game is over. Player with the most points “wins”

14. Fair Shares • Participants roll a number cube and create a two digit number they can find on the hundred board. • Each participant decides whether or not the number can be shared fairly (odd or even) by dividing up manipulatives. • Materials: hundred board; number cubes, linking cubes

15. What’s Next?What’s Before? • Choose either a 6-sided or 10-sided die. • Roll the die. • Say the number that comes next or the number that comes before the one shown. • This can also be played using 2 or more dice.

16. Place Value Number Sense • Roll 1, 2, or 3 dice. • If you roll 1 die, tell the number that is 1 more than the number shown. What number is 1 less than the number shown? • If you roll 2 dice, make a 2-digit number. Tell the number that is 1 more, 1 less, 10 more, and 10 less than the number shown. • If you roll 3 dice, make a 3-digit number. Tell the number that is 1 more, 1 less, 10 more, 10 less, 100 more, and 100 less than the number shown.

17. Other Games

18. Concentration(addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) • The object of the game is to find pairs of matching cards among an array of face down cards. Help your child write addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division facts on one set of index cards, and the answers on another set. Shuffle the cards and lay them out face down. The first player turns over two cards. If they match, the player keeps the two cards and takes another turn. The next player continues by trying to find two matching cards. When all cards have been collected, the player with the most pairs wins

19. BUZZ • The game Buzz can be used in a small group or with an entire class. Have your students sit around in a circle. One person in the group starts by saying the number "1". The next person (the person sitting to the left or right, choose an initial direction) says "2", then the next person says "3", and so on and so forth. When someone gets to the number "7", that's when the fun begins. Whenever you get to the number "7" or a multiple of "7" (ex. 7,14,21,28,35, etc) or any number that has a "7" in it (ex. 17, 27, 37, etc.), that person must say Buzz. Whenever someone says Buzz when they're supposed to on a "7" number, then you switch directions. That means if your group was counting in a clockwise direction, then you switch to counter-clockwise after Buzz is said. If a person misses a Buzz or says Buzz on an incorrect number the game starts over and that person sits out. The game continues until there are two people left. (The Buzz Winners!)

20. BUZZ (continued) • List of “7” Buzz Numbers (1-100) • 7,14,17,21,27,28,35,37,42,47,49,56,57,63,67,70-79,84,87,91,97,98 • Play Buzz with other numbers and modify rules as needed. • “5” example: (5, 10, 15, 20, 25…) • Great way to practice skip counting and multiples. • Advanced Game: • This version involves the numbers "7" AND "11". This means all multiples of 7 and 11 AND any number with a 7 in it are Buzz numbers.

21. Race for $1.00(money addition) • You need 30 pennies, 10 nickels, 20 dimes, 1 quarter, a dollar, 2 dice, and a partner. Take turns. On your turn, roll the dice. The sum tells how many pennies to take. When you have 5 pennies, trade for a nickel. When you have 2 nickels, trade for a dime. When you have 2 dimes and one nickel, trade for a quarter. The first player to reach $1.00 is the winner.

22. Guess My Number (number logic) • You need: paper, pencil, partnerPlayer one picks a number from 0-99 and writes it down. Player two makes a guess and writes it down. Player one gives a clue: "Your guess is greater than my number" or "Your guess is less than my number". Continue playing until player two guesses player one's number. Switch jobs and play again.

23. Card Capture (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) • Use a set of fact flashcards. Divide the cards equally between the two players. One player attacks, while the other player defends. The defending player shows his cards (problem side up) one at a time to the attacking player. If the attacking player says the right answer, he captures the card and adds it to his own. He can continue capturing cards until he answers incorrectly. When this happens, the defending player becomes the attacker, and gets his chance at capturing thecards. This continues with cards being captured back and forth until one player winds up with all of the cards, or has the most cards when time is called. You can even set the rules to the first player to capture 20 cards, or any number you'd like.

24. What's Your Favorite Number? (Challenging multiplication) • Ask someone his/her favorite number between 1 and 9. Then multiply the favorite number by 9. Multiply that by 12345679 and you know what? Your friend will be surprised when he sees you writing his favorite digit over and over again in the answer. That is, if you multiply correctly!

25. Multiplication Trick (Multiplication) • Here is a quick way to multiply a two digit number by 11. Write the number to be multiplied, but leave a space in between. Add the two digits, and write the sum in that place. You have your answer. Example:  If you wanted to multiply 11x36, write the 3 and the 6 with a space in the middle. 3+6=9, so write a 9 in that middle space. Your answer is 396.

26. ENJOY Have fun playing these math games. Change these games as needed for your students. Many of these games can be adapted for lower grades and upper grades!