174
Fun with Games
3
Objective
To develop problem-solving strategies and
promote mathematical skills and thinking through games.
NOTE Games provide a strong
Terms to Use rules, strategy
Materials
Games from Home
Kid-Made Games
□ games children bring in
□ Project Masters (Math
Multicultural Games
□ Project Masters (Math
Masters, pp. 68–73)
□ Mancala game
□ counters or movers for
various games
Masters, pp. 74–76)
□ index cards; playing cards
□ counters or movers; dice;
spinners (or materials to
make them)
□ paper; cardboard; markers;
stickers
Addition and Subtraction
Facts Games
□ Project Masters (Math
Masters, pp. 76A and 76B)
□ Teaching Aid Master (Math
Masters, p. 103)
□ Teaching Aid Masters (Math
Masters, pp. 105 and 106),
or My First Math Book,
Activity Sheets 1 and 2
□ small plate; pennies or
counters; dominoes (optional)
bridge between home and school.
This project encourages children
to share games from home with
their classmates. In addition,
children should share games from
school with their families. Playing
mathematics games at home
gives parents natural opportunities
to help children apply the
mathematics they are learning
in school.
Introduction
Incorporating games into your curriculum has many benefits. Games add fun, enhance
skill development, provide an incentive to learn specific skills, and encourage new
thinking. Games offer rich opportunities for children to reinforce and strengthen their
developing mathematics skills. While playing games, children learn to apply rules
consistently, follow sequences, match actions and symbols, learn the logic of strategies,
and apply their growing understanding of numbers. Many games integrate literacy
skills, such as using symbols, tracking and sequencing, reading, and communicating.
Children make social studies and art connections as they learn games from other
countries and make their own games. Games also enhance children’s social skills as they
learn teamwork and gain experience resolving conflicts.
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NOTE For additional information
about the use of games in
Everyday Mathematics, see
Section 2.2: Games in the
Teacher’s Reference Manual.
See Section 14.3.3 for information
about using games for fact
practice.
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Choose and develop the games ideas presented in this project to fit your classroom and
teaching style. You may choose to integrate games into your ongoing schedule of
activities, or you might set aside a period of time to focus more intensively on games.
Consider creating a games area in the classroom where games can be played and stored.
In addition to the games that are outlined here, you can find countless other game
suggestions in books, on the Internet, and in stores and catalogs. Inventing your own
games is strongly encouraged!
Activity Options
► Games from Home
Whole Group
Small Group
Partners
Center
Encourage children to bring in favorite games from home (labeled with the child’s name)
to play during free time, center time, or a designated “games time.” Popular games, such
as checkers and Go Fish may be familiar to many children. Invite children to share their
games during group time. The class can discuss what they know about the game and how
to play it. Help children identify mathematics skills or ideas that are necessary or helpful
in playing the game. Have another discussion after children have played the game.
Name
PROJECT
As children play games at school, you may want to engage the class in discussing and
resolving issues such as the following:
• Can unfinished games be left out to be played later? Where should they be stored?
• How many children can play a game at one time? Can others watch? How should we
3
Date
Shisima Directions
Materials
䊐 gameboard
䊐 2 sets of 3 markers (Each set
should be a different color.)
Players
2
Skill
Problem-solving
Object of the Game To get 3 water bugs in a row
Directions
1. Players decide who will move from the black
bugs and who will move from the white bugs
on the gameboard.
decide who’s next? (Many classrooms create sign-up sheets to track turns.)
• How many games should be available at one time?
• If conflicts occur while playing a game, how should they be resolved?
2. Players put their markers on the correct color
bugs. Each marker is a bug.
NOTE When many children have played a particular game at home, you may need to
negotiate a set of “school rules” to avoid conflict.
4. Players try to get their 3 bugs in a row,
crossing the middle of the water. The first
player with his or her 3 bugs in a row is
the winner.
Copyright © Wright Group/McGraw-Hill
3. Players take turns moving one space along
a line to the next place where the lines meet.
(One place is in the middle of the water.)
No jumping over another bug!
5. If no one can make a new move, it’s a tie.
68
Math Masters, p. 68
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176 Section 3
► Multicultural Games
Small Group
Partners
Center
Name
(Math Masters, pp. 68-73)
Introduce games from other countries and cultures to the class. Many of these games
have been played for hundreds of years and are the basis for familiar modern games.
Children may be interested to learn that often the same game is played in many
countries with slight variations (for example, “three-in-a-row” games such as Tic-Tac-Toe,
and “distributing games,” such as Mancala). Some of these games are described below.
PROJECT
3
Materials
ⵧ gameboard
䊐 2 sets of 3 markers (Each set
should be a different color.)
Players
2
Skill
Problem-solving
Object of the Game To get 3 markers in a row
on the 9 intersections on the gameboard.
Directions
1. Players place their 3 markers on their circles
next to the gameboard.
2. Players take turns placing one marker on
any intersection (where the lines meet) on
the board.
Three-in-a-Row Games Children all over the world play versions of a game whose
object is to align three marks or objects in a row. Three-in-a-row games require little
equipment and can be played anywhere. These simple games are for two players.
Winning involves more than just chance.
3. If no one has 3 markers in a row after
placing all 3 of their markers, players try
again from where they are on the board.
They take turns moving one marker at a time
from one intersection to an open intersection
next to it.
Copyright © Wright Group/McGraw-Hill
Tic-Tac-Toe is played throughout the United States. Many children are familiar
with it. Review how to play, or have children teach each other.
Date
Nine Holes Directions
4. The game is tied if no one can get 3 in
a row.
70
Math Masters, p. 70
Shisima is a three-in-a-row game from Kenya. Shisima (Shi-SEE-Mah) is a body of
water in the Tiriki language. The markers are water bugs. The winner is the first to
get all three water bugs in a row. To play, you need copies of Math Masters, pages
68 and 69 and three markers for each player.
Nine Holes is played all over the world and has many different names. The version
on Math Masters, pages 70 and 71 originated in England. In addition to the
gameboard, each player needs three markers.
Name
PROJECT
3
Date
Owari Directions
Materials 䊐 gameboard
Players 2
䊐 2 cups
Skill
䊐 16 beans or
Object of the Game To collect
Problem-solving
small counters the most beans
Directions
1. Players face each other and put the
gameboard between them. They place 2
beans in each square. Each player takes a
cup to store his or her beans.
2. Players take turns picking up the beans from
any square on their side and placing 1 bean
in each square around the board until the
beans from the chosen square are gone.
3. If a player’s last bean lands on the other
player’s side in a square with 1 bean, the
player whose turn it is takes both beans and
puts them in his or her cup.
4. Play continues until there are no beans left
on one side of the board.
5. The winner is the player with the most beans.
Copyright © Wright Group/McGraw-Hill
Literature Link Here are just a few of the many books that describe games from
around the world:
Math Games and Activities from Around the World and More Math Games and
Activities from Around the World by Claudia Zaslavsky (Chicago Review Press, 1998;
2003); The Multicultural Game Book by Louise Orlando (Scholastic, 1993);
Great Big Book of Children’s Games by Debra Wise (McGraw-Hill, 2003).
72
Math Masters, p. 72
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Distributing Games These games involve the movement of game pieces around a board
according to rules. Like three-in-a-row games, many of these have multiple variations
and can be played with simple materials.
Mancala has been played throughout the world for thousands of years. It has
many variations, but the basic game is suitable for Kindergartners. It is usually
played on a gameboard with cups. The game can be purchased or made.
Name
3
䊐 1 marker
䊐 1 die
Players
2
Skill
Understand numbers and counting
Object of the Game To move the playing piece
off the “rope”
Directions
1. Players place the marker on the middle
circle.
2. The first player rolls the die and moves the
marker that number of circles toward his or
her end of the rope.
3. The second player rolls the die and moves
the marker that number toward the opposite
end.
4. Players take turns until one player moves the
marker off the rope.
Partners
(Math Masters, pp. 74-76)
Create a center with materials for making games. Use questions such as the following to
help individuals or groups of children get started: What is a game? Can we make games?
What do we need to think about? What materials do we need? What kind of games do you
like to play? Encourage children to use numbers or other math ideas in their games, even
though these games need not be exclusively about mathematics. Record children’s ideas
and help them create a list of steps for making their games. For children who seem
stuck, provide copies of Project Master page 76 to make a simple board game. Making a
game with children can spark their ideas. The following are just two examples:
74
Math Masters, p. 74
Name
PROJECT
3
Date
Blank Gameboard
End
Small Groups
䊐 gameboard
Copyright © Wright Group/McGraw-Hill
Center
Tug of War Directions
Materials
Owari (Oh-WAHR-ee) is a game of sowing seeds from Ghana. It is a simple
version of Mancala that can be made in class. You will need Math Masters, pages
72 and 73, and 16 small counters, such as beads or beans.
► Kid-Made Games
Date
PROJECT
Tug of War Two children can play Tug of War using Math Masters, pages 74 and 75, a
die, and a playing piece such as a penny. You can make a larger version using the master
as a model.
Start
Copyright © Wright Group/McGraw-Hill
Concentration Give each child in your class two blank cards and assign each of them a
number. Children write their assigned numbers on one card, and represent their numbers
with drawings or stickers on the second card. Combine the card pairs into a deck to play
Concentration. (You may want to divide the card pairs into several decks, depending on
the size of your class.)
76
Math Masters, p. 76
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177A
► Addition and Subtraction
Facts Games
Center
Small Groups
Partners
Name
PROJECT
3
Date
Addition and Subtraction Top-It Directions
Materials
□ 4 each of number cards 0–3 (+ version)
□ 4 each of number cards 0–5 (- version)
(Math Masters, pp. 76A and 76B; Math Masters, pp. 105 and 106 or My First Math Book, Activity
Sheets 1 and 2; Math Masters, p. 103)
Players
2 to 4
Skill
Practice + and - facts within 5
Throughout the grades, Everyday Mathematics includes many engaging and motivating
fact-practice games to lessen the need for tedious drills. Most fact games can be modified
to target specific facts. The games described in this section provide opportunities for
kindergarten children to practice addition and subtraction facts within 5 and to reinforce
combinations of numbers with sums to 10. Introduce these games as children are ready
for them, which may not be until later in the year—after they have had time to
understand the concepts of addition and subtraction and to explore and practice various
strategies for solving simple addition and subtraction problems.
Directions: Addition Top-It
Top-It Facts Games In Activity 4-2, children will learn the standard version of Top-It.
(You may remember the game as War.) The more advanced variations, Addition and
Subtraction Top-It, described below, target addition and subtraction facts and number
comparisons. Because the versions require different number cards, create and label
decks for each game. You can use the appropriate number cards on Math Masters, page
105 (laminated or copied on cardstock) or the number cards from My First Math Book,
Activity Sheets 1 and 2.
Addition Top-It provides practice with addition facts. To practice sums within 5
(as well as 3 + 3 = 6), create a deck that includes 4 each of number cards 0–3.
Game directions can be found on Math Masters, page 76A.
Subtraction Top-It is similar to Addition Top-It but requires a deck with 4 each of
number cards 0–5 to practice differences for facts within 5. Game directions can
be found on Math Masters, page 76A.
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Object of the Games To collect the most cards
1. Place the shuffled deck face down. Each
player turns over 2 cards and says the sum
of the numbers. The player with the largest
sum wins the round and takes all the cards.
Copyright © Wright Group/McGraw-Hill
2. In case of a tie, each tied player turns over
2 more cards and says the sum. The player
with the largest sum takes all the cards.
3. The game ends when there are not enough
cards left for each player to have another
turn. The player with the most cards wins.
Directions: Subtraction Top-It
Play like Addition Top-It, but use 0–5 number
cards and have each player subtract the smaller
number from the larger number in his/her own pair
of cards. The player with the largest difference
wins the round and takes the cards.
Math Masters, p. 76A
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NOTE You can modify Addition
and Subtraction Top-It by using
more or fewer number cards to
target different facts. Another
variation is to use dominoes
instead of cards and have children
add or subtract the dots on each
side of the domino.
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Complements of 10 Games These games help children learn combinations of numbers
with sums to 10. These are useful facts to learn because they can serve as anchors for
learning other facts and because they are important later for multidigit subtraction.
Penny Plate is played with partners. Each pair will need a small plate and 10 pennies.
Game directions can be found on Math Masters, page 76B.
For an easier version of this game, have children use a ten frame (Math Masters, page
103) instead of a plate. Player 1 will place a number of pennies on the ten frame.
Player 2 then decides how many more pennies are needed to fill the empty spaces on
the ten frame. Players check their answers and keep track of their score, just as in
Penny Plate.
Go Fish for Ten is a challenging version of the familiar card game, Go Fish, that
reinforces sums of 10. Give each small group a deck with 4 cards each of numbers
0–10. (This game works best with 3 or 4 players.) Deal 4 cards to each player and
place the remaining cards in the center. On their turns, players “fish” for
combinations that add up to 10. So if a player has a 7 in her hand, she will ask
another player for a 3 to make a sum of 10. If the player she asks does not have a 3,
the first player must “go fish” from the pile in the center. Play then passes to the next
player. As players get pairs of cards that add up to 10, they place them faceup in
front of them. Play ends when there are no more cards in the center and no more
combinations of 10 that can be made. The winner is the player with the most pairs of
cards that add up to 10.
NOTE To match children’s
interests or a class theme, you or
the children may want to create a
context for the ten-frame version
of Penny Plate using counters.
For example, they might imagine
that the ten-frame spaces are 10
garages (5 on each side of the
block) and they need to put one
car in each garage. Or, the
spaces could be lily pads and the
counters could be frogs. Children
may wish to decorate ten frames
to match their game contexts.
Name
PROJECT
3
Date
Penny Plate Directions
Materials
□ 10 pennies
Players
2
Skill
Sum-equals-ten facts
□ 1 small plastic plate
Object of the Game To get 5 points
Directions
1. Player 1 turns the plate upside down, hides
some of the pennies under the plate, and
puts the rest of the pennies on top of the
plate.
2. Player 2 counts the pennies on top of the
plate and figures out how many pennies
are hidden under the plate. If the number is
correct, Player 2 gets a point.
4. The first player to get 5 points is the winner.
Copyright © Wright Group/McGraw-Hill
3. Players trade roles and repeat Steps 1 and 2.
76B
Math Masters, p. 76B
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177B
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Name
PROJECT
3
Date
Addition and Subtraction Top-It Directions
Materials
□ 4 each of number cards 0–3 (+ version)
□ 4 each of number cards 0–5 (- version)
Players
2 to 4
Skill
Practice + and - facts within 5
Object of the Games To collect the most cards
Directions: Addition Top-It
1. Place the shuffled deck face down. Each
player turns over 2 cards and says the sum
of the numbers. The player with the largest
sum wins the round and takes all the cards.
Copyright © Wright Group/McGraw-Hill
2. In case of a tie, each tied player turns over
2 more cards and says the sum. The player
with the largest sum takes all the cards.
3. The game ends when there are not enough
cards left for each player to have another
turn. The player with the most cards wins.
Directions: Subtraction Top-It
Play like Addition Top-It, but use 0–5 number
cards and have each player subtract the smaller
number from the larger number in his/her own pair
of cards. The player with the largest difference
wins the round and takes the cards.
76A
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Name
PROJECT
3
Date
Penny Plate Directions
Materials
□ 10 pennies
□ 1 small plastic plate
Players
2
Skill
Sum-equals-ten facts
Object of the Game To get 5 points
Directions
1. Player 1 turns the plate upside down, hides
some of the pennies under the plate, and
puts the rest of the pennies on top of the
plate.
2. Player 2 counts the pennies on top of the
plate and figures out how many pennies
are hidden under the plate. If the number is
correct, Player 2 gets a point.
4. The first player to get 5 points is the winner.
Copyright © Wright Group/McGraw-Hill
3. Players trade roles and repeat Steps 1 and 2.
76B
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