GREAT MATH GAMES WILL HELP MAKE MATH FUN

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The following article includes great games for practicing multiplication skills.

HeliumHaving fun with numbers

HeliumHomeschool unit study - beginning money and economics

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MINI MATH PUZZLES

This math worksheet is a great way to discover if the children have trouble with their weights and measurements. It's great for 3rd grade through adults! (maybe some really smart 2nd graders as well) The order of operation comes into play on a couple of the examples. I use the word PEMDAS to remind the kids that the order you do the math is parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction.

1. Multiply the # of legs on an octopus times the number of sides on a triangle. Next, add the # of legs on an ant to the answer and subtract the # of wheels on 8 unicycles. Finally, subtract the # of quarts in a gallon. What’s the answer?

2. Multiply the # of sides of a pentagon times the # of days in the week and add the # of months in a year. Next, subtract the # of wheels on four bicycles and and subtract the # of hours in a day. What’s the answer?

3. Multiply the # of legs on a spider times the # of sides on a quadrilateral. Next, add the # of degrees in a circle and subtract the # of seconds in a minute. Finally, subtract the # of ounces in a pound. What’s the answer?

4. Multiply the # of inches in a foot times the # of years in a decade. Next, add the # of days in a non-leap year and subtract the # of days in December. Finally, subtract the # of eggs in 3-dozen eggs. What’s the answer?

5. Multiply the # of feet in a mile by the # of years in a century. Next, divide your answer by the # of pints in a quart and subtract the # of days in a leap year times a century. Then subtract the # of eyes on 10,000 people. What’s the answer?

6. Multiply the # of ounces in a cup times the # of months it takes to have a normal baby and subtract the # of wheels on 5 tricycles. Next, add the # of horns on 20 unicorns and subtract the # of days in November. What’s the number?


ANSWERS KEY

1. 8 X 3 + 6 – 8 – 4= 18
2. 5 X 7+12-8 –24 = 15
3. 8 X 4 + 360 – 60 – 16 = 316
4. 12 X 10 + 365 – 31 – 36 = 418
5. 5,280 X 100 divided by 2 – (2 x 10,000) = 207,400
6. 8 x 9 – 15 + 20 – 30 = 47

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USING UNIFIX CUBES

Preparation: Glue uppercase and lowercase letters and digits 0-9 (or more) to each cube and cover with clear nail polish for durability. Make several sets of each. Make sets of opposite words, rhyming words, sight words and punctuation cubes.
1. These are great for practicing the alphabet. You can link them together using all uppercase, all lowercase or uppercase A-lowercase a.
2. Put each child’s name in a zip lock bag for name practice.
3. You can build words with them.
4. They are great for word families too. Have (a-t) linked together and ask what letter can go in front to make a word.
5. Link together word opposites like, big-small, or long-short.
6. Link together words that rhyme like red-bed, or tall-fall.
7. Practice reading sight words that are on the cubes. Make a tower of correct and incorrect words. Try again on the incorrect words. Try to make a giant tower with all the sight words correct.
8. Build sentences with word and punctuation cubes.
9. Have the children cover the outline of a large letter on an 8”-11” paper.
10. Count the red cubes.
11. Great for measuring objects. How many cubes long is your pencil?
12. You can make color patterns for the children to copy. Example: Red, red, blue, blue, red, red, blue, blue. As students are creating patterns using connecting cubes, teachers can ask them to describe different patterns that they find in different sequences of cubes. Have the children create and describe their own patterns.
13. Practice ordering numbers 0-9.
14. Link the even numbers together. Link the odd numbers together.
15. Start with one cube, next to it put two cubes, then three cubes. (This works best when you make towers that lay flat on their backs)
16. Race to Make a Staircase- Object of the game is to build a staircase. (1 tower of 1 unifix cube, a tower of 2, a tower of 3, ...until a tower of 6. You stand them next to eachother so they look like stairs. This is a partner game. Player 1 rolls the dice and builds a tower of that many cubes. Player 2 does the same. They keep going until someone comletes a staircase of 6. If a player rolls a number they already have, they lose that turn.
17. Race to Make 30. Similar object--using unifix cubes, make a long tower of 30. Each player rolls the dice and adds that number of cubes to the tower. This tower has to stay flat on the ground. Keep going until 30. Partner game.
18. Practice adding or subtracting with the cubes.
A. The teacher will give each child 2 unifix cubes.
B. The teacher will ask the students to write down how many unifix cubes they have on paper (2).
C. The students should then write a + sign below the number 2, like this:

+2
+

D. The teacher will then pass out 3 more unifix cubes to each student.
E. The students will be asked to write down how many unifix cubes they were just given. They should write this number below the number 2 that they just wrote, so that it looks like this:

+2
+3

F. Students should now draw a line under their 3.
G. Now the students should count how many unifix cubes they have together and write this number just below the 3, like this:

+2
+3
----
+5

Number Writing and Recognition

There are only ten digits that repeat themselves to make all numbers. It's essential for children to learn how to write and identify these digits. Children will enjoy reciting the following poem that explains how to write each digit. You can tape large numbers on the floor, have the children walk on them the way they would write them, as they recite this poem.

NUMBER PRINTING POEM

Number 1 is like a stick
A straight line down
that's very quick!

For number 2
go right around
Then make a line
across the ground!

Go right around
What will it be?
Go round again
to make a 3!

Down and over
and down some more
That's the way
to make a 4!

Go down and around
Then you stop
Finish the 5
with a line on top!

Make a curve
Then a loop
There are no tricks
to making a 6!

Across the sky
and down from heaven
That's the way
to make a 7!

Make a "S"
And then don't wait
Climb up again
to make an 8!

Make a loop
And then a line
That's the way
to make a 9!

Make a 1
and then an "o"
10 are all your fingers
you know!

GOLF TEE NUMBERS
Use golf tees and foam board to practice forming numbers.

NUMBERED MUSICAL CHAIRS
Have the children walk around a line of chairs. Place a number on each chair. When the music stops, everyone sits on a chair and holds their number up. The children take turns identiying the numbers.

PINE CONE NUMBERS
Place poster board pine cones with numbers on the back onto a small Christmas tree. The children take turns grabbing a pine cone and identifying the number. For added fun everyone can jump in place to match the pine cone number. If you want an activity that can be done in their seat, the children can count out a number of objects to match the pine cone number. To take this activity to the next level, have a child pick two pine cone numbers for the class to add together.

MATH DOUBLE TALK

Try this fun rhyme to teach adding doubles. Kids love to say it like a rap song.

1 plus 1 is 2 That's so true, I said 2.
2 plus 2 is 4 Yes, that's more, I said 4.
3 plus 3 is 6 That's the mix,I said 6.
4 plus 4 is 8 Don't be late, I said 8.
5 plus 5 is 10 Come on men, I said 10.
6 plus 6 is 12 It's time to shelve the number 12.
7 plus 7 is 14 Don't be mean, it's 14.
8 plus 8 is 16 It's so keen, It's 16.
9 plus 9 is 18 Have you seen? It's 18.
10 plus 10 is 20 Come rhyme with me, up to 20.

MATH AND MOVEMENT

Games are a great way to include all learning styles and reach every student in your class. Enthusiasm is contagious! When I introduce a new math game to my students with excitement and joy in my voice, they respond in kind.

MATH AND MOVEMENT Coming from an elementary, as well as physical education background, I not only use conventional math games, but I also use math games that involve large motor skills. Instead of insisting that kids stay in their seats, they get to jump and hop as they learn math. Young children love to move, so when you combine math and movement, you are sure to have a winner!

BEACH BALL MATH requires the teacher to section off a ball into squares with a marker. Each square houses a math problem (add, subtract, multiply, divide, etc). The children toss the ball to each other, and when they catch it, they answer the problem under their right thumb. For young children the problem can be as simple as identifying numbers or shapes, and for older children a way of practicing multiplication or division facts.

MATH TOSS is a favorite game for all ages. The teacher paints and numbers shapes on a large foam board. In each shape, they cut holes big enough for a small beanbag to fit through. Being sure not to cover the holes, they then glue or staple the board to a large cardboard box. The children toss two beanbags into the holes and either add, subtract or multiply the numbers together. Use your imagination with the older students and have them square the numbers first and then add them together.

SKIP JUMP MATH is a favorite game for young children. Using lighter colored vinyl, cut out shapes, number them with marker, and tape them to the floor. The students jump from shape to shape, saying each number as they land. The children can skip count by 1's, 2's, 3's,etc. They can jump in ascending or descending order. Skip jumping is a great way to introduce multiplication.

Use your creativity! Any of these games can be modified to fit all age groups or concepts that you are teaching (even phonics or sight words). Create your own games using the kid's favorite activities. It could be anything from "soccer math" to "math bingo." I hope that I have sparked your imagination, so that you will invent innovative and exciting games for your students. Have fun! I know your students will.