Operations Games (3-6)

3 in a Row

Concepts covered: Multiplication and division

Equipment: Playing board (made with pencil and paper), counters or tokens

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose to make __ instead of __?”; “Explain to me how you got __?”; “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Shout-out to Paul Swan for teaching me this game. 

4 Cards

Concepts covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Equipment: deck of cards

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What number are you trying to make?”; “Explain to me how you got __?”; “What if you use multiplication (or subtraction) etc.?” (i.e. offer suggestions when students need help but DON’T tell them how to arrive at a number.); “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

5 Cards

Concepts covered: Multiplication and division

Equipment: Deck of cards, paper, pencils

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose to place that number on your board?”;  “Why did you make __ in stead of __?”;  “Explain to me how you got __?”;  “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

5 in a Row

Concepts covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Equipment: Deck of cards, paper, pencils

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose to cross out  __?”;  “Why didn’t you make __?”;  “Explain to me how you got __?”;  “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

10 Factors

Concepts covered: Multiplication/division

Equipment: Deck of cards, paper and pencil

Good questions to ask while playing:  ““How did you work that out?”;  “Why did you rearrange the target cards that way?”; “What would you do differently next time you play?”

100 Laughs

Concepts covered: Addition and subtraction

Equipment: Deck of cards, paper and pencil

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What goes with __ to make 100?”; “What if you changed the first number to  __?”; “Why did you change the first number to __?”; “What would you do differently next time you play?”

Shout-out to James Russo for creating this game. 

All That Remains

Concepts covered: Multiplication/division

Equipment: Deck of cards, paper and pencil (optional)

Good questions to ask while playing:  ““How did you work that out?”;  “Is there a way to rearrange those cards to create a larger remainder?”; “What would you do differently next time you play?”

Bankrupt

Concepts covered: Probability, addition, financial maths

Equipment: Six-sided dice (with coins marked on each face), paper and pens

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you decide to stop when you did?/ Why did you decide to keep going?”; “Do the numbers you roll influence your decision on when to stop or not?  Explain why/why not.”; “What is the chance of rolling a $1?”; “What would you do differently next time you play?” 

Thanks to Paul Swan for teaching me this game.

Check Maths

Concepts covered: Multiplication/division

Equipment: 100s chart, 2 sets of ten counters (in different colours)

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What numbers are you choosing between?”;  “Why did you choose to move that counter to that particular number?”;  “How do you know that __ is a multiple of __?”;  “What would you do differently next time you play?”

Shout-out to Roger Walter for teaching me this game.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Concepts covered: Multiplication, addition, probability, estimation

Equipment: six-sided dice, paper and pens

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you decide to place __ in that row?’; “Explain to me how you got __?”; “Who do you think has more chocolate chips? Why?”; “Which two numbers are you going to add up first? Why?”

Shout-out to James Russo for creating this game.

Combo Dominoes

Concepts covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Equipment: set of dominoes

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What number are you trying to make now?”; “Explain to me how you got __?”; “What if you use multiplication (or subtraction etc.)?” (i.e. offer suggestions when students need help but DON’T tell them how to arrive at a number.); “What if you tried that domino?”

Shout-out to Paul Swan for introducing this game to me.

Crossing the Volcano

Concepts covered: Multiplication and division, odd/even numbers

Equipment: Deck of cards, 100s chart, colour pencils

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What numbers are you choosing between?”; “Why did you choose to colour in that particular number?”; “How do you know that __ is a multiple of __?”; “What would you do differently next time you play?”

Equationle

Concepts covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Equipment: Paper and pens…that’s it!

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What do you now know that can help you for your next guess?”; “What operations have you not tried yet?”; “How did you know the __ went in the first column?”; “What would you do differently next time you play?”

Factor Flood

Concepts covered: Multiplication/division

Equipment: Deck of cards, paper and pencil

Good questions to ask while playing:  ““How did you work that out?”;  “Why did you choose to give me that card?”; “What would you do differently next time you play?”

Factor Triangles

Concepts covered: Multiplication, division

Equipment: deck of cards

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you set your triangle up like that?”;  “What card are you hoping for?”;  “What about if you rearranged your cards/triangle?”;  “Do you have to have the __ cards at the top?  What are your other options?”;  “Can you check if I have won?”

Fishing for Tens

Concepts covered: Addition/subtraction, multiplication/division

Equipment: Deck of cards

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What goes with __ to make ten?”; “If I asked for a __, what card does that mean I might be holding?”; “What other operation could you try?”

Shout-out to Nash Minas for creating this game.

Get Out Of My House 3.0

Concepts covered: Multiplication and division

Equipment: Playing board (see video for tips on how to make), counters or tokens, 3 ten-sided dice

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose to make __?”; “Why didn’t you make __?”; “Explain to me how you got __?”; “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Juniper Green

Concepts covered: Multiplication and division (factors/multiples)

Equipment: Paper and pen

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What are the factors of ? What are the multiples of __?”; Why did you choose to circle __?”; “What are your options? Which numbers can you circle?”; “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Shout-out to Eddie Woo for teaching me this game. 

Make 30

Concepts covered: Addition and subtraction

Equipment: Paper, pencils and counters (or any suitable substitute)

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What goes with __ to make 30?”; “How did you work that pair out?”

Shout-out to Alistair McIntosh and Shelley Dole who created this game. 

Magical Squares

Concepts covered: Addition

Equipment: Paper and pens

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you put ___ there?”; “Why did you choose that combination of numbers?”; “What would you do differently next time you played?”

Shout-out to Walter Joris for creating this game. 

Math-ketball

Concepts covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Equipment: Deck of cards, paper, pencils

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose to make that equation?”;  “Can you create an equation using multiplication (or division or whatever)?”;  “Can you use your last equation to help you make your next one?”;  “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Multiple Mysteries

Concepts covered: Multiplication/division

Equipment: Deck of cards, calculator

Good questions to ask while playing:  ““How did you know that __ is a multiple of __?”;  “Why did you decide to challenge?”; “What would you do differently next time you play?”

Shout-out to Toby Russo for creating this game.

Multiplication Ludo

Concepts covered: Multiplication and division

Equipment: 120 chart (print from internet or make yourself), counters/tokens, six-sided dice

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose to move that counter?”; “Why didn’t you move this counter?”; “Explain to me how you worked out 5 x 24 was 120?”; “Can you name some of the different pathways to 120?”; “What are some helpful numbers you might visit on the way to 120?”; “What are some numbers that you want to avoid landing on? Why?”; “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Shout-out to James Russo for creating this game.

MULTO 2.0

Concepts covered: Multiplication and division

Equipment: Counters/tokens, deck of cards, paper, pencils

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose to place a token on  __?”;  “Why didn’t you make __?”;  “Explain to me how you got __?”;  “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Net Zero

Concepts covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Equipment: Deck of playing cards, paper and pens

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Explain to me how you got __?”; “Can you make __ using multiplication/subtraction etc.?” (I.e. offer suggestions when students need help but DON’T tell them how to arrive at a number.); “Is there a way to make zero with four cards?”; “What would you do differently next time you played?”

Shout-out to Jennifer Bay-Williams and Gine Kling for creating this game. 

The Paddock Game

Concepts covered: Multiplication and division

Equipment: Playing board for each player (made with grid paper), two 10-sided dice (or playing cards), pencils

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose to make 4 x 8 instead of 8 x 4?”;  “Explain to me how you worked out the answer to that equation”;  “Why did you decide to put that paddock there?”; “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Poison Numbers

Concepts covered: Addition, variety of vocab (e.g. prime numbers, multiples, odd/even, square numbers)

Equipment: Deck of cards, paper, pencils

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Is that a (multiple of 6)? How do you know?”; “Explain to me how you got __?”;  “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Shout-out to Paul Swan for teaching me this game.

The Product Game

Concepts covered: Multiplication and division

Equipment: Playing board (can download using link below), counters or tokens https://illuminations.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/Content/Lessons/Resources/6-8/Product-OH-GameBoard.pdf

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose to make __?”; “Why didn’t you make __?  That seems like it would have helped you?”; “Explain to me how you got __?”; “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Reverse Land Grab

Concepts covered: Multiplication and division, factors, prime numbers

Equipment: Playing board (made with grid paper), 20-sided dice, pencils

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose to make 4 x 6 instead of 3 x 8?”;  “Explain to me how you know that __ is a prime number?”;  “Why did you decide to put that rectangle there?”; “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Shout-out to James Russo for creating this game.

ROWCO 2.0

Concepts covered: Addition

Equipment: Deck of cards

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose that card?”;  “Why didn’t you choose the __ card?”;  “How can we organise our cards so they will easier to add up at the end?” (This might lead to kids placing them in pairs that make ten, or finding pairs of cards that they can easily double, etc.);  “What would you do differently next time you play?”

Shout-out to Paul Swan for teaching me the original version of this game. 

Skip Counting Bingo

Concepts covered: Multiplication/division, factors and multiples, skip counting

Equipment: Counters/tokens, 120 chart

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Why did you choose to place a token on  __?”;  “Explain to me how you knew to take the counter from __ off the board?”;  “Why did you move that counter to the __ spot?”; “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Shout-out to James Russo for creating this game.

Square Numbers Game

Concepts covered: Multiplication/division, square numbers

Equipment: Paper/pencils, two x 1-10 dice (or a deck of playing cards)

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What are your two choices?”; “Why did you choose to make __?”; “Why didn’t you make __?”; “What would you do differently the next time you played?”

Strike!

Concepts covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Equipment: Deck of playing cards, paper and pens

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What number are you trying to make now?  Why?’; “Explain to me how you got __?”; “Can you make __ using multiplication/subtraction etc.?” (I.e. offer suggestions when students need help but DON’T tell them how to arrive at a number.); “What would you do differently next time you played?”

Shout-out to Paula McMahon for creating this game. 

Target Os & Xs

Concepts covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Equipment: 1-10 dice (or deck of playing cards), paper and pens

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What number are you trying to make now?  Why?’; “Explain to me how you got __?”; “Can you make __ using multiplication/subtraction etc.?” (I.e. offer suggestions when students need help but DON’T tell them how to arrive at a number.); “What would you do differently next time you played?”

Shout-out to Ann Downton for sharing this game. 

Target 36

Concepts covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Equipment: Deck of playing cards), paper and pens

Good questions to ask while playing:  “Explain to me how you got ?”; “Can you get close to the target number by using multiplication/subtraction etc.?”; “why did you pick __ as your target number?”; “What would you do differently next time you played?”

Terminator 2

Concepts covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Equipment: six-sided dice, paper and pens

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What number are you trying to make now?’; “Explain to me how you got __?”; “What if you use multiplication (or subtraction etc.)?” (I.e. offer suggestions when students need help but DON’T tell them how to arrive at a number.

Shout-out to Leicha Bragg for introducing this game to me.

The Tower of 40

Concepts covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Equipment: deck of cards, paper and pens

Good questions to ask while playing:  “What other number could you make?”; “Explain to me how you got __?”; “What if you use multiplication (or subtraction etc.)?” (I.e. offer suggestions when students need help but DON’T tell them how to arrive at a number.)

Shout-out to Nash Minas for inventing this game.