Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks
K-3 MATH
JOURNAL GAMES
JANE FELLING
MATH IN THE MOUNTAINS
August 2016
[email protected]
phone 1-866-342-3386 / 1-780-440-6284
fax 1-780-440-1619
boxcarsandoneeyedjacks.com
BoxCarsEduc
BoxcarsEducation
Standards for Mathematical Practice
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS for MATHEMATICS
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of
others.
4. Model with mathematics.
5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
6. Attend to precision.
7. Look for and make use of structure.
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
Why Games are an Excellent Way to Connect Mathematical
Content to Mathematical Practice:
Students are engaged with subject matter.
Students must communicate their thinking with other players.
Students use flexibility in operations during play.
Students analyze their own choices and those of their opponents.
Students reason inductively using the generated data in play.
Students must record their mathematical expressions.
Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks, 2012
2
Games & Strategies in Your Classroom
1. To Teach or Introduce Concepts, Develop Math Vocabulary
2. Provide Starting Point for Planning Differentiated Instruction,
Guided Math
3. Quick Math Warm Ups / Practice & Review Concepts
4. Assessment Opportunities
5. Linking and Revisiting Concepts for Review, Practice and
Assessment
6. Cross-Graded Groupings – Kids Teaching Kids – Peer & CrossGraded Support
7. After School Programs
8. Math Back Packs / Family Math / Home Connections
9. Centers / Inside Days / Full Moon Fridays
10.Math Clubs / Inventing Games
MATH GAMES = POWERFUL TEACHING STRATEGY
3
Teaching Tips from Box Cars And One-Eyed Jacks
Box Cars And One-Eyed Jacks Inc.
Organizing Your Cards & Card Management
Use three large buckets (1 gallon or 4 liter each}. Gather a lot of decks of cards. Approximately 1 deck per student
but 1 deck per 3 students is a good start (purchase, donated, brought from home}. The joke "not playing with a full
deck" applies here. We don't play with full decks as it's not important to the math of the games. Full decks are not
necessary when organizing the cards, and not worrying about full decks speeds getting cards out and putting them
away (as seen below) at the beginning and end of classes.
In the first bucket, put your low cards. For example, John likes to put his 1's, 2's, 3's, 4's and 5's. The cards match the
fingers on the hand, keeps sums to 10, products to 25, denominators to 1/5s. On the other hand, Jane likes to have
1's through 6's as this allows matching the cards to a typical 6-sided die. This also allows sums to 12, products to 36
and fraction denominators to 1/6s. The key here is that as teacher, decide what cards go into your buckets based on
your classroom routines.
In the second bucket, put the rest of your single-digit cards. John - 6's, 7's, 8's, 9's, and 0's (Kings for 0 if using a
regular deck). Jane - 7's, 8's, 9's, and 0's (Kings for 0 if using a regular deck). The cards in this bucket along with cards
in the first bucket allow for Place Value (0-9 digits), sums to 18, products to 81 and fraction denominators to 1/9s.
In the last bucket, put everything else- 10's 11's 12s (Jacks for 11, Queens for 12 if using regular decks) and
any wild cards or jokers .
GETTING CARDS OUT
Once a teacher has identified a game and shown how to play,the students are told to get a "small" or "big" handful of
cards from either a specific bucket or buckets
SHUFFLING AND DEALING
Cards are "mushed up" and quickly separated into as many groups as players (typically 2 for 2 players, 3 for 3
players). The player Mushing the cards is the last to pick a pile (piles do not have to be exactly equal. If "winning" is
important, the winner is whoever has the most cards in their "point pile" at the end}.
CLEANING UP
Players quickly place the cards into 3 piles. First pile has 1s 2s 3s 4s and 5s. Second pile has 6s 7s 8s 9s and 0s. Last
pile has 10s 11s 12s Wild Cards,Jokers,etc. The piles are then placed into their corresponding bucket
Organizing Your Dominoes & Dominoes Management
A typical class will need a minimum of one set of dominoes for every two students (about 12 sets). If feasible , 1 set
per student is even better.
First and Foremost Use Dominoes of Different COLORS! This makes it easier to determine each student's or group's
set while playing and when putting dominoes away. If you already have sets of the same color, get an adult (parent?)
volunteer with 6 colors of permanent spray paint. The adult volunteer takes one set, lays them face-down on
newspaper (outside or other well-ventilated area) and sprays the back of the set all one color (for example "green").
The volunteer then takes the other sets and repeats the same process but with a different color for each set until the
first 6 sets are done. The volunteer continues to do sets of 6 in this way until the entire collection of dominoes has
been done.
Keep the dominoes in their sets inside easily opened and closed see-through containers such as Mesh Bags,
Traveling Soap containers, heavy duty sandwich sized freezer bags etc.
4
For each week that the students are using the Dominoes, have the students make sure they have a complete set by
using their set to fill in the Dominoes Outcomes Chart (page 78 in Domino Games - Connecting The Dots, page 77 in
Domino Games - Linking The Learning).
When students are done using the dominoes for the class, have them make stacks of 4 dominoes (a complete set of
28 double-6 dominoes will have 7 stacks). If they have a complete set, they put the dominoes into the container and
then put the container away. If a set is missing a domino, it is important that the teacher knows so it can either be
found or, if all else fails, the container for the set is marked as "incomplete" until a replacement can be found.
Younger students may find it easier to put them into stacks of 2 (14 stacks for a complete set).
Organizing Your Dice & Dice Management
Keep dice that are the same together in one container (for example 0-9 dice in one containe r, + and - dice in
another container, 1-12 dice Iin a third container, etc.). See-through re-sealable Tupperware containers or heavy duty
mid-sized freezer bags work well. One student per group or game gets the dice for the game and returns the dice at
the end of the game.
Have the students roll the dice into their hands! Roll their dice into the "Hockey Net", "Soccer Goal", "Dug out" etc.
In other words the dice rolled by one hand and are blocked from going too far by the other hand. Another effective
example is to have the students roll the dice with both hands, "trap" the dice in both hands and then "hide" the dice
as they fall the 2 cms from their hands onto the playing surface. The roll is "revealed" when they remove their hands
from over the dice.
For noisy dice -roll on somethi ng " soft" Fun Foam, Felt liners or pads, table setting mats etc all work well. In a pinch,
have the students roll on 5-10 sheets of paper stacked on top of each other. The stacked paper muffles a lot of the
sound.
Organizing & Managing Your Dice Trays (36 dice in a tray)
When taking the dice out of the tray. Remove the tray from the bag, turn the tray upside-down (black on top) and
take the black tray off of the clear lid (the dice remain in the lid). The dice are now easily "poured out" of the lid onto
the playing surface.
Play on the floor when possible. The dice don't "fall off' the floor and most students enjoy the experience of
playing on the floor as it gives them room to "spread out".
Have the students roll the dice into their hands! Roll their dice into the "Hockey Net", "Soccer Goal", "Dug Out" etc.
In other words the dice rolled by one hand and are blocked from going too far by the other hand. Another effective
example is to have the students roll the dice with both hands, "trap" the dice in both hands and then "hide" the dice
as they fall the 2 cms from their hands onto the playing surface . The roll is "revealed" when they remove their hands
from over the dice.
For noisy dice - roll on something "soft". Fun Foam, Felt liners or pads, table setting mats etc all work well. In a
pinch, have the students roll on 5-10 sheets of paper stacked on top of each other. The stacked paper muffles a lot of
the sound.
When putting the dice back into the trays at the end of a class have the students start with the lid, using one hand
to "separate" one half of the lid from the other. The students take all of ONE COLOR of the dice and pour them into
ONE HALF of the lid. They spread the dice into the half, "patting down" the dice so the dice are flat and in place. Then
all of the dice of the OTHER COLOR are poured into the other half of the lid. Again, the students "pat down" the dice
so the dice are flat and in place. The black tray is then fitted on to the top of the dice in the lid. The tray is now
complete and can be slipped back into the ziplock bag.
Use rubber bands to separate parts of the tray. This is useful when using the trays for place value and you
want to limit size to less than 100,000 or you want to have a "decimal place".
5
Group
4
Group
3
Group
Group
1
First Meeting
Second
Meeting
Tuesday
Whole Group
Monday
Tuesday
Small Group Lessons
Wednesday
Wednesday
Whole Group PIan
Group 4 Members ________________________________________
Group 3 Members ________________________________________
Group 2 Members ________________________________________
Group 1 Members ________________________________________
Thur sda y
Thursday
Whole Group
Friday
Week ______________________ Concept ____________________________________________ Maintain________________
6
By:
7
Table of Contents
GAME
NUMBER
GAME NAME
CONCEPTS COVERED
8
Math Glossary
WORD
MEANING OR EXAMPLE
9
Game Number:
Title:
Players:
Skills:
Equipment:
How to Play:
Goal:
10
MATH JOURNAL PROMPTS
AT THE BEGINNING....
FIRST
THEN....
AFTER THAT...
NEXT....
FINALLY
LAST
AT THE END
11
–Noodling (note taking + doodling = noodling)
(aka Sketch Noting, Visual Notes, etc.)
What do you need in your math icon library?
PRIMARY NOODLING
DICE
CARDS
DOMINOES
ADD
SUBTRACT
NUMBER LINE
TAKE TURNS
PLAYERS
SUPER MUSH
MATH TALK
MATH THINKING
GOAL
PLACE VALUE
RULE TWIST
BONEYARD
12
PATTERN PUT AWAY
LEVEL:
3–8
SKILLS:
developing and describing patterns, pre-algebra, operations
PLAYERS:
2 (cooperative team)
EQUIPMENT:
GOAL:
36 dice, tray, recording sheet
to create mathematical patterns using all 36 dice
GETTING STARTED:
In this activity, students will work in pairs to fill up their trays with patterns. Students can set their dice
to any number and use any combination of number and color to create their patterns. As students
discuss and plan their patterns they can slot their dice into the slots of the tray to begin arranging their
ideas. This activity generates a lot of opportunity for discussion, planning, and playing with patterns.
The following is an example and description of a primary pattern. The initial description is fairly basic,
but as the student analyzed it more deeply, they noticed that by creating a diagonal pattern, they
created others. In discussion, it was noted:
“I see 1 through 6 on all 4 sides, flipped and reversed”
“I can add diagonally like
1+1+1+1+1+1= 6
2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 10
3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12”
This led to an exploration of multiples and introducing multiplication: 6 x 1, 5 x 2, 4 x 3.
This sample is from a 7 year old, beginning of grade 2.
©Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks
13
PATTERN PUT AWAY
RECORDING SHEET
Partners Names:
The name for our pattern is:
The way we would describe our pattern is:
We think our pattern is interesting because:
©Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks
14
Doubles
1+1=2
Goal Post Double (one finger each hand - goalposts like a referee)
2+2=4
Bunny Ears Double (two fingers up by the head like bunny ears)
3+3=6
Dentist Double (Kids Lose a lot of front teeth around 6 years old)
4+4=8
Spider / Octopus Double (Spiders and Octopuses have 8 Legs)
5 + 5 = 10
Ten Tickly Fingers
6 + 6 = 12
Box Cars (Rolling double 6’s with dice known as Box Cars)
After the students know their first 6 doubles
then tackle the rest
7 + 7 = 14
Valentine’s (February 14 is Valentine’s Day)
8 + 8 = 16
Driver’s Double (Age when most kids can get their license to drive)
9 + 9 = 18
Adult Double (Old enough to vote – considered an adult)
15
Adding and Subtracting Strategies
With Cards and Dice
1. Adding with Cards
•
•
•
•
•
Counting on
>Addend / bracelets on the left
Fun Foam Mats
Making tens / missing part
+9 visual / -9 extension with manipulatives
2. Subtracting with Cards
• Concrete
• Counting back
• Missing part / fact families
3. Adding with Dice
• Squeezing out the greatest addend "birthday"
• Belly button dice / double regular
• Identify >
• Identify>and name number
• Identify>and count on from>to get the sum
4. Doubles
• Master the doubles
• Nicknames, knocking the doubles out
• Doubles +1, +2, -1, -2
16
SALUTE
Box Cars "All Hands On Deck" Mystery Number (adapted)
Concepts: Missing Addend, Factor
Equipment: Cards 0-12 (J=11 Q=12 K=0)
Goal/Object: Figure Out value of the card on your head
Usually 3 players with one player taking the role of "General". The General
says "salute". The other two players take the card from the top of their deck
and WITHOUT LOOKING AT IT place it on their forehead so everyone else can
see what the card on their forehead is. The General adds the two cards
together and says:
"The sum of your two cards is...."
The two players then use the sum and the card they can see on their
opponent's forehead to try and figure out their own card.
Variations: (1) Multiplication (take out 0s)
4 Players (one General, 3 soldiers)
Red = neg integers / Black = pos integers
©Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks
17
HORSE RACE - PRIMARY ADDITION
LEVEL:
K-2
SKILLS:
adding to 12, commutative property of addition, fact families
PLAYERS:
2 (1 vs 1)
EQUIPMENT:
GOAL:
tray of dice (each player needs 18 of their own color), gameboard
to have the greatest number of dice on your side of the “racetrack” at the end of the game
GETTING STARTED:
Each player takes 18 dice of one color and picks a side of the dice tray to be their “racetrack”. Each
player picks up a pair of dice, rolls, and calculates their sum. The player with the greatest sum puts
their dice into their side of the racetrack. Both players verbalize their sums.
EXAMPLE:
+ +
= 8
PLAYER ONE
MATH TALK
+
+
=
6
PLAYER TWO
Player One says “8 is a greater sum than 6”
The player with the greatest sum places their dice in their side of the racetrack. The player with the
least sum tosses their dice into the lid.
Players each pick up another pair of dice, roll and compare their next sums. In the event of a
EQUAL SUM – both players put their two dice into their side of the racetrack.
TIE
or
Play continues until both players’ 18 dice have been rolled out. The player with the greatest number
of dice on their side of the racetrack wins.
Level 1 : Addition to 12 - Players roll two
dice and add them
Player One
Player Two
Level 2 : Addition to 18 - Players roll three
dice and add them.
Level 3: Multiplication to 36 - Players roll
two dice and multiply them
Level 4: Multiplication to 72 - Players roll
three dice, choose two to add together,
then multiply the sum by the third.
Add dice to the track
along a curving path
to simulate the race!
18
HORSE RACE
STRATEDICE
PLAYER ONE
PLAYER TWO
____ + ____ = ___ ____ + ____ = ___
____ + ____ = ___ ____ + ____ = ___
____ + ____ = ___ ____ + ____ = ___
____ + ____ = ___ ____ + ____ = ___
____ + ____ = ___ ____ + ____ = ___
____ + ____ = ___ ____ + ____ = ___
____ + ____ = ___ ____ + ____ = ___
____ + ____ = ___ ____ + ____ = ___
____ + ____ = ___ ____ + ____ = ___
19
WARP 18
LEVEL: K-3
SKILLS : adding
to 18 with three addends , fact families , associative property of
addition, working with patterns
PLAYERS: 2 (1 vs
EQUIPMENT:
1)
tray of dice (each player needs 18 of their own color), gameboard
GOAL: to have the most dice in the "racetrack" at the end of the game
GETTING STARTED :
MATH TALK
Introduce the associative property of addition, which states:"the
sum stays the same when the grouping of addends is changed"
(6 + 4) + 2 - 10 + 2 = 12
6 + (4 + 2)
- 6 + 6 = 12
Each player takes 18 dice of one color and picks a side of the dice tray to be their
"racetrack". Each player picks up three dice, rolls, and calculates their sum.
The player with the greatest sum puts their dice into their side of the racetrack , and
the player with the least sum tosses their dice into the lid. Both players
verbalize their sums and the winner verbalizes :
MATH TALK
"15 is a greater sum than 12."
More importantly, we have students move their dice and set them how their brain
put it together .
Players each pick up three more dice, roll and compare their next sums. In the event of
a TIE or EQUAL SUM both players put their three dice into their side of the tray . Play
continues until both players' 18 dice have been rolled out. The player with the most
dice on their side of the "racetrack" wins .
20
21
What Time Is It, Mr. Wolf?
LEVEL:
Kindergarten – Grade 2
SKILLS:
Telling time to the hour, addition
PLAYERS:
2 or more
EQUIPMENT:
2 dice, paper and pencil
GETTING STARTED: Each player needs their own clock with the
“o'clock” (minute) hand drawn in at 12.
Player one rolls the dice and adds them together,
then uses the result to fill in a time on their clock.
For example, a roll of 3 and 5 lets a player fill in
8:00 on their clock. Players alternate rolling and
filling in times on their clocks until only 1:00
remains. Once only 1:00 is left, a player may roll a
single die and try to roll a 1. The first player to
complete their clock is the winner.
VARIATION:
The minute hand can be drawn to quarter-past,
half-past, or quarter-to the hour.
22
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
GRAPHICALLY SPEAKING
23
24
two
2
one
1
3
three
4
four
5
five
6
six
7
seven
8
eight
Box Cars & One-Eyed Jacks inc.
9
nine
10
ten
11
eleven
12
twelve
PRIMARY SUPER MUSH
LEVEL:
K–2
SKILLS:
fact fluency, addition facts to 12, number patterns
PLAYERS:
2 (cooperative team)
EQUIPMENT:
GOAL:
1 tray, recording sheet
to fill up the tray with 36 dice matching the selected fact family
GETTING STARTED:
The teacher selects a fact family for teams to work on:
Simple Sixes
Successful Sevens
Easy Eights
Nifty Nines
Terrific Tens
Enormous Elevens
Tremendous Twelves
All dice are removed from the tray and “super mushed” – i.e. scrambled all together and rolled for
about 20 – 30 seconds. The teacher calls stop and the dice are then set for the activity. Together
both players now hunt for combinations of dice that match the set fact family and place them into the
tray.
EXAMPLE:
Round of Easy Eights:
25
PRIMARY SUPER MUSH
_________________
_________________
26
What's Under My Thumb?
Copyright Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks 2013
Level: Grades K-3
Concepts: Missing Addend, Subtraction, Counting On or Back
Players: 1 vs 1
Equipment: Stratedice Tray, One Game board, pencil
Goal: To figure out the number under the other player's finger.
Setting Up: Each player has their own color dice. Player One turns their back to Player Two and secretly
rolls two of Player Two's dice (rolled 5 and 1, covered the 1 with a finger), adds the two dice together to get
the sum of 6. Player One then turns back around so Player Two can see the 5 and the other covered die (1).
Player One then says "Six is my sum! What's under my thumb?" Player Two figures out that 1 added to 5
equals 6 and says "ONE".
Player Two records the 5 on the line for one addend, records the 1 in the box for the missing addend and
records the sum (6) into the sum location. Since player Two was correct, Player Two places both dice into
their side of the Black Tray. Players continue to alternate turns secretly rolling two of the other player's dice,
adding them and saying the rhyme. If players say the correct missing addend, they get to put their dice into
the Black Tray. If they are incorrect, they place their dice into the clear lid. The player with the most dice in
the Black Tray at the end of 9 rounds wins the game.
Example:
Player One rolled 1 and 5 and covered the 1 and said "Six is my sum! What's under my thumb?"
Player Two filled in the 5
+ 1
=
6 on the paper and said "ONE".
Since Player Two was correct, they placed their dice into the Black Tray. (incorrect answers go in lid)
Player One
Player Two
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
____ + ____ =
Total Dice in
Black Tray =
____ + ____ =
Total Dice in
Black Tray =
27
To Sum It Up
LEVEL:
Grade 3 and up
SKILLS:
Adding 3 digit numbers
PLAYERS:
2 or more
EQUIPMENT:
1 deck of cards Ace – 10 (Ace = 1, 10 = zero),
paper and pencil
GETTING STARTED: Each player draws a 3 by 3 grid as a gameboard
and the cards are shuffled. Then a card is drawn
and placed face up. All players write the number on
the card into a space on their gameboard. Eight
more cards are drawn and players fill in the rest of
their gameboards. Once all nine spaces are full,
players add the three numbers they've made
together. The player with the greatest sum scores a
point. Play to 10 points.
EXAMPLE:
VARIATION:
The nine cards drawn, in order, are 5, 7, 4, 6, 5, 10,
Ace, 3 and 9. Three players build their gameboards
as follows. Player Three wins with a sum of 2,326.
Player One
Player Two
7
3
4
7
5
0
Player Three
7
3
5
6
5
0
6
5
1
6
4
0
+ 5
=1, 9
9
1
4
9
9
5
1
7
5
+ 3
=1, 7
5
0
=2, 3
2
6
+
For less experienced students, you can draw six
cards and make two three-digit numbers, or draw
only four cards and make two two-digit numbers.
28
+
=
+
=
29
What's the Difference?
LEVEL:
Grade 2 - 5
SKILLS:
Subtraction of three-digit numbers
PLAYERS:
2 or more
EQUIPMENT:
1 deck of cards Ace – 10 (Ace = 1 and 10 = zero),
1 gameboard for each player.
GETTING STARTED: Each player draws a 3 by 2 grid as a gameboard
and the cards are shuffled. Then a card is drawn
and placed face up. All players write the number on
the card into a space on their gameboard. Five
more cards are drawn and players fill in the rest of
their gameboards. Once all six spaces are full,
players subtract the bottom number they made
from the top number. The player with the smallest
difference scores a point. If the bottom number is
larger than the top, they “strike out” and can't score
for the round. Play to ten points.
The six cards drawn, in order, are 6, Ace, 7, 4, 10
and 8. Three players build their gameboards like
below. Player One strikes out, while Player Three
wins with a difference of 141.
EXAMPLE:
Player One
6
4
0
–
VARIATION:
8
7
–
4
8
Player Three
7
8
1
4
0
– 6
= 1
9
1
Strikeout!
= 1
4
1
For less experienced players, draw only four cards
and build two two-digit numbers.
Source: All Hands on Deck for Families
copyright Box Cars and One Eyed Jacks Inc.
www.boxcarsandoneeyedjacks.com
1
Player Two
6
7
1
0
30
36 SLAM DUNK
PLAYER
ONE
PLAYER
TWO
 Each player takes 18 dice of own color.
 Each player rolls 2 or 3 dice, multiplies.
 Player with greatest product places them into their side of the tray, least product places in lid.
 Player with the most dice in their side of the tray at the end of the game wins.
31
Place Value 
Teaching Tips 
 Games support the instruction of place value concepts with baseten manipulatives.
 Always sit players side by side so they are reading numbers
properly; use tens bracelets, thousands bracelets, playing mats / fun
foam for building place values.
 For cards, sort out all tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings and use
cards from 0-9 only.
 Place Value dice come in a variety of values which you can
use to build differentiation and a variety of concepts into your
instruction.
 Use number lines: 0 - 9, 0-100, or tape ten together for a 0-1000
line.
 Use chunking place value strategies with regular dice or in 3in-a-cube dice.
 Foam mats/ Dry Erase Boards
32
NUMBER LINE STRATEGIES
1. Placing Dice, Cards or Dominoes on Number Lines
(0-12), (0-20), (0-100)
• Greatest / Least
• Greatest / Between / Least
• Benchmark Rounding Strategies
Dice, dominoes or cards on Number Line
Fingers down on benchmarks
Round to nearest decade
• Estimating Sums/Differences Using Benchmarks
2. 1000 Number Line Work
• Greatest / Least
• Greatest / Between / Least
• Walking the Number Line
• Rounding Strategies
To the nearest 100
To the nearest 10
3. Relay on the Number Line
33
Rounding Recording Sheet
Turn
Rolled
Standard
Rounded
To 10's
Rounded
to 100's
example
400 , 20 , 7
427
430
400
Notes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
© Box Cars And One Eyed Jacks 2014
34
Place Value Patterns
Students typically begin pattern work in the early primary grades and it often remains a
challenge throughout their elementary years. Pattern counting is an excellent way to
practice place value and explore number patterns. When doing this activity with students,
it is best to go through several examples, and allow for plenty of practice.
To Model:
Roll a decade die (00-90) and a ones (0-9) die. Example : 60 + 8 = 68
Players now verbalize a plus
(+) 1 pattern
68, 69, 70, 71.
Players now verbalize a minus
(-)
1 pattern
68, 67, 66, 65.
Players now verbalize a plus
(+) 2 pattern
68, 70, 72, 74.
Players now verbalize a plus
(+) 10 pattern
68, 78, 88, 98.
Players now verbalize a plus
(+) 5 pattern
68, 73, 78, 83.
Any additional numeric patterns can be introduced once the students are ready. Using a
hundreds board with this activity may be beneficial as students will begin to see and
understand the patterns that appear. This will extend into addition and subtraction
strategies once 2-digit concepts are introduced.
Once players have mastered these patterns, more complex scenarios can be introduced
and practiced.
Roll a hundreds die (000-900), decade die (00-90) and a ones (0-9) die.
Example 300 + 20 + 4 = 324
Players now verbalize a plus
(+) 1 pattern
324, 325, 326, 327.
Players now verbalize a plus
(+) 10 pattern
324, 334, 344, 354.
Players now verbalize a minus
(-) 10 pattern
324, 314, 304, 294.
Players now verbalize a plus
(+) 50 pattern
324, 374, 424, 474.
Players now verbalize a minus
(-) 50 pattern
324, 274, 224, 174.
The bonus to students rolling dice is that combinations will come up where they must make
logical predictions and expand their knowledge of number sense.
These place value activities can be explored using decimal dice as well.
Teaching Tip: Players can record all of their patterns for future practice.
35
10’s AND 1’s HORSE RACE
PLAYER
ONE
TENS
ONES
FILL ME IN FIRST
BOTH
PLAYERS
TENS
ONES
PLAYER
TWO
TENS
ONES
FILL ME IN FIRST
36
100’s, 10’s AND 1’s HORSE RACE
PLAYER
ONE
HUNDREDS
TENS
PLAYER
TWO
ONES
HUNDREDS
TENS
ONES
37
ROLL ON PLACE VALUE – PRIMARY
ROLLS
ROUND ONE
PLAYER
ONE
ROUND TWO
PLAYER
ONE
ROUND THREE
HUNDREDS
PLAYER
ONE
TENS
STANDARD FORM
ONES
HUNDREDS
TENS
ONES
PLAYER
TWO
PLAYER
TWO
PLAYER
TWO
38
ROLL ON PLACE VALUE RECORDING SHEET
My Name
ROUND #
My Partner's Name
MY NUMBER
>=<
MY PARTNER'S NUMBER
39
SUPER SIX SHOWDOWN
LEVEL:
2 up
SKILLS:
identifying 100's and 10's and 1's, greatest/least, probability
PLAYERS:
2 (1 vs 1)
EQUIPMENT:
GOAL:
tray of dice (each player needs 18 of their own color), gameboard
to build greater numbers than your opponent in each of your six rows/rounds
GETTING STARTED:
Each player selects their own color of dice and removes all 18 from the tray. Player One begins by
rolling a die and placing it into any row on their side of the tray. Player Two then rolls a die, and
places it into any place on their side of a tray. *Players can place any roll into any space on their side
of the tray throughout the game, it does not have to be played out one row at a time.
Players continue to alternate turns, building hundreds-place numbers in all six rows on their side of
the tray. When all 36 dice have been rolled out, players compare the numbers they have built. The
player with the largest number in each row scores a point for that row. Players may wish to place
markers on their side beside winning rows to keep track of points. In the event that the numbers are
equal, both players score a point. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins! If
players are tied for points, the player who builds the biggest number wins.
EXAMPLE:
Students can record these math
sentences in their journals
661 > 253, Player One scores
Row 1
652 = 652, Both players score
Row 2
242 < 544, Player Two scores
Row 3
253 < 643, Player Two scores
Row 4
152 < 452, Player Two scores
Row 5
122 < 322, Player Two scores
Row 6
Player Two wins, 5 points to 2.
40
Betweeners
Roll
Least
Between
Greatest
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1. Three players, each need the same type of dice.
2. Each player rolls their dice.
3. Players arrange the three numbers: Least, Between, Greatest.
4. Between WINS the round and scores one point
5. Record the rolls.
6. In the event of a tie, no points are awarded.
41
Star 99 / Two Digit Scramble
00
-
09
__________
00
-
09
__________
10
-
19
__________
10
-
19
__________
20
-
29
__________
20
-
29
__________
30
-
39
__________
30
-
39
__________
40
-
49
__________
40
-
49
__________
50
-
59
__________
50
-
59
__________
60
-
69
__________
60
-
69
__________
70
-
79
__________
70
-
79
__________
80
-
89
__________
80
-
89
__________
90
-
99
__________
90
-
99
__________
Fill in Frenzy / Three Digit Scramble
000 - 099 __________
000
-
099
__________
100 - 199 __________
100
-
199
__________
200 - 299 __________
200
-
299
__________
300 - 399 __________
300
-
399
__________
400 - 499 __________
400
-
499
__________
500 - 599 __________
500
-
599
__________
600 - 699 __________
600
-
699
__________
700 - 799 __________
700
-
799
__________
800 - 899 __________
800
-
899
__________
900 - 999 __________
900
-
999
__________
 Draw 2 (or 3) cards or roll 2 (or 3) place value dice to make a two (or three) digit number.
 Player can choose how to set their number and then write the number in the appropriate
space on gameboard.
 If a player cannot use their roll, it counts as a strike and play moves to the next player.
 The first player to fill all 10 spaces is the winner.
42
ROCK AND ROLL
LEVEL:
3-6
SKILLS:
comparing place value, expanding numbers
PLAYERS:
2 – 4 (1 player as referee)
EQUIPMENT:
GOAL:
2 – 6 dice per player (# of dice determines size of number), recording sheet
to be the first player to order their dice and to create the greatest number possible
GETTING STARTED:
The referee calls players to “Rock and Roll”. All players shake their dice and hide the roll with their
hands until the referee calls “Reveal”. Players then begin arranging their dice to make the largest
number possible. The first player to finish calls out “Rock and Roll”. All other players must
immediately freeze their work in their current order and pull their hands off their dice. The first player
verbalizes their number to the other players.
If the first player to finish has correctly ordered and read their number, they earn 5 points. If they are
also the largest number of the group they earn another 5 points for a total of 10 points. All other
players earn zero. If any player in the group has a number greater than the first to call “Rock and
Roll” they earn 5 points for the round as well.
MATH TALK
Don’t let students use AND when reading their numbers. AND is the decimal.
EXAMPLE:
Playing to ten thousands
ROLL:
ARRANGE:
5
READ:
5
,
4
2
1
Fifty-five thousand, four hundred twenty-one
43
ROCK AND ROLL
VARIATIONS:
1. Students play for the least possible number.
2. Students play on the decimal game sheet.
3. Arrange and write all your numbers in ascending order.
MATH JOURNAL WORK AND EXTENSIONS:
1. Why is it important to see place value represented in many different ways?
2. What is the largest possible number that can be rolled? The least? How close were you on
any roll to either of these possibilities?
3. What strategy did you use to tell which number is greatest in the round? Do you use the same
strategy when the numbers are very close?
4. This game is excellent for teaching expanded notation. After each round have players slot
their dice into the black tray on top of the Stratedice place value chart. This provides the
language for the students.
After the dice are slotted in, have players expand them out as follows:
<<SAMPLE>>
The blank spaces in the trays represent zeroes. Students can put their fingers right into the
empty slots. From this physical expanding of the number we then have students record on
their math journal recording sheet.
44
ROCK AND ROLL
RECORDING SHEET
ROLL
NUMBER
EXPANDED NUMBER
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
45
ROUND ONE
PLAYER
ONE
ROUND TWO
PLAYER
ONE
ROUND THREE
PLAYER
ONE
ONES
TENS
HUNDREDS
THOUSANDS
TEN THOUSANDS
HUNDRED THOUSANDS
ROLL ON PLACE VALUE
PLAYER
TWO
PLAYER
TWO
PLAYER
TWO
46