Setting up your maths tables in seconds

I got this brilliant smart notebook file from Michael Ymer that is really handy in showing students how to set up their table for a specific task.  You simply drag and drop the items you want students to have out save your voice, time and effort in explaining 20 times.

Target 100 - Maths Card Game from Michael Ymer

Thanks to Michael Ymer for this great game

Introduction / objectives

This is a card game that provides the students with the opportunity to investigate a variety of mental computation strategies when adding and multiplying numbers. It is quick and easy to organise and is lots of fun, even for adults who play it. The less able student can win, as there is an element of chance involved. A terrific number sense game to use as a warm up activity, or a focus lesson for young children.

Equipment [for each pair of students]

100 number board, 10 x 10 tables chart and two counters.

Deck of cards. All number cards have face value. Ace = 1. 2 = 2 etc.

Picture cards = 10

Joker = wild [can have the value of any other card in the deck].

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Procedure

Two students compete against each other to see who can get closest to 100 without busting. One student deals cards out to his/her opponent who adds or multiplies the cards. This continues until the student decides to stop.

Example Player A is going first and having cards dealt by partner.

Card 5 is dealt first so player A moves counter to 5 on number board. Card 6 is the next card dealt. This could be 5+6 and the counter is moved to 11 or it could be 5x6 and counter is moved to 30. Let’s assume that Player A decides to move to 30. The next card is a KING so the student adds 10 and moves the counter to 40. Next card is 2. Student decides to multiply and moves to 80. Next card is Ace. Student decides to multiply and stay on 80, hoping that the next two cards are 10’s and he/she can hit exactly 100. Next card is a 5. Student adds and moves to 85. Next card is 9. Student moves to 94 and decides to stop fearing that the next card flipped will be bigger than a 6and she / he would bust.

Player B now has the cards dealt to him / her and tries to better 94 without busting. Once this game is completed, play again but player B goes first.

Teacher tips

• Card familiarisation activities are a good idea if students haven’t been exposed to decks of cards before. Perhaps alder students could tell you the value of a deck of cards based on the values listed in this game. Younger students should do sorting activities to help them discover that there are four of each card. How many cards in the deck?

• Transparent counters help students see the numbers on the board.
• Children find shuffling cards difficult so keep working through the deck of cards until you run out. Then shuffle or ask the teacher to help.
• Children only deal a card out when the partner says, ‘Card please ‘. This eliminates the problem of students dealing the card while the other student is still deciding their move. If the card is flipped without being asked for the receiver has the option of using it or having a fresh one dealt out.
• Try modelling the game to students using an overhead, transparency of 100 number board, transparent counters and overhead miniature playing cards. A very effective way to demonstrate the game and strategies that you need to discuss.
• Vary the game if needed. Perhaps only add for young children or play hit exactly 100 for older students. For this game students can use any operation with winner being the student who hits 100 in the least amount of cards.
• Vary the game by making it more challenging. Use any operation to hit exactly 100 in fewer cards than your partner.
• When introducing the game, tell the children that while the game is lots of fun, the point of the game is to make decisions and become a smarter mathematician by taking short cuts when adding or multiplying. The overhead gives you the opportunity to discuss some of the strategies listed later in the article.

Maths Card Game - High Card - Addition

A game suitable for students from Prep to Year 6 from Michael Ymer.

Two students place a deck of cards in front of them face down. Remove the Kings, Jacks, and Jokers. The Ace represents the number one and the Queen represents a zero. All other cards are face value. 

Chn share out all the cards and place their cards in front of them in one pile.

Player one turns over his/her top two cards and adds them up ie. 7 and 10 = 17. Player two then turns over his/her top two cards hoping to get a higher score than player one. Whoever has the higher score takes all 4 cards and places them at the bottom of their pack. Play continues until teacher says stop or all cards are used. Player with most cards wins.

Variations

Turn over three cards, Subtract, turn over three cards and add and subtract between cards to make greatest total. Make the largest two/three digit number, multiply

Math Card Game - Highest / Lowest - Place value

Thanks to Michael Ymer again for this game suitable for students from Year 1 to Year 6.

For this activity each pair will need a deck of cards and  two game boards that can be pre made or quickly drafted up on scrap paper. The game board needs to have enough room to lay three or more cards out side by side. It needs to be labelled units, tens, hundreds etc. Game boards can be made and laminated.

Two students place a deck of cards in front of them face down. Remove the Kings,  Jacks, Tens and Jokers. The Ace represents the number one and the Queen represents a zero. All other cards are face value. 

Students take it in turn selecting a card at a time and placing it in one of the columns on their game board. The objective is to make the biggest possible number. Once a student decides to place a card in a column it cannot be changed. Children need to read the number out as it is progressively being built. Teachers may wish to assess a student’s ability to read numbers by asking him/her to press a number on the calculator and read it. If successful press another and so on. This will tell you if a child can read 2, 3, or more digit numbers and can help pair students appropriately. Allow children to play game one digit further than they can read so that learning can be extended.

Variations….smallest numbers, largest odd, using more or less than three columns. decimals.

Maths Card Game 10 in a row - Choosing and using operations

Thanks to Michael Ymer for another great game suitable for students from Prep to Year 6.

Children play game in pairs. All picture cards removed leaving numbers 1 – 10.

Place 10 cards face up in a row. The remainder of the deck kept together face down. Students take it in turn rolling a ten sided dice [ Can use a six sided dice ]. Using the number that is displayed the student is challenged to use combinations of cards to equal the number. Cards used to make the answer are collected and kept by each student and then replaced from the deck. The game continues until all cards have been used. Young children will use addition / subtraction to make answers using two cards. Older or more able students can use any combination of operations, decimals, negative numbers, fractions, order of operations etc and use up to five cards. Students need to articulate how they make the answer, trying to gather more cards than their partner.

Variations

Use six sided dice. Offer counters that can be added to total collection of cards at end of game for using operations and signs other than addition or subtraction.

Roll two dice making a two digit number as the target.

Card Game: Odd or Even - Reading numbers and identifying odd and even numbers

A another great game from Michael Ymer suitable for students from Prep to Year 6.

Two students place a deck of cards in front of them face down. Kings, Jacks, Tens and Jokers  removed. The Queens represent zero and the Aces represent one. Students take it in turns taking one card at a time. Before they flip it over and read out the number they guess whether or not it is odd or even. [Children can draft a sheet with odd numbers on one side and even numbers on the other side and place a counter on their guess before flipping the card. This stops arguments about what was and wasn’t said.] If the child guesses correctly he/she keeps the card. If he guessed incorrectly the card is given to his/her partner Keep playing until the cards have all been used. The student with the most cards wins that game. Cards are shuffled and a new game begins.

Teachers may wish to assess a student’s ability to read numbers by asking him/her to press a number on the calculator and read it. If successful press another and so on. This will tell you if a child can read 2, 3, or more digit numbers and can help pair students appropriately. Allow children to play game up to one digit further than they can read so that learning can be extended.

Variations

Play the game with more than one card. The focus is not identifying odd and even numbers as children read larger numbers. The focus is correctly reading and saying 2,3,4,5 etc digit numbers.