Elementary

Coast Metro Math Project

MATH GAMES

Math is an integral part of so many of the games we play. You can start with simple games like Tic-Tac-Toe, and quickly move to other games like Achi and Dara that build on the theme of “three in-a-row.” Students can use games to help them build fluency and reinforce mathematical concepts developed in routines and lessons while at the same time engaging in play and creating more mathematical meaning. The K-12 Student Reporting Policy clearly underlines the importance of play-based learning at all levels in the elementary and secondary curriculums. The following is a list of recommended games that can either be found in the “Sample Week at a Glance” activities, or could be used in place of the games to help build meaning in those Key Concept areas. This list includes simple games that can be played with very few materials, to adapting games using cards and dice, electronic resources and videos, and table-top board games that need to be purchased.

Grades K-2

Game Overview Link to Key Concepts
Tiny Polka Dots Tiny Polka Dot is a collection of brightly coloured cards with dot collections and numbers on them. There are many different games that can be played using the set. See the link below for game ideas and purchasing   https://mathforlove.com/product/tiny-polka-dot/ Counting to 10 Subitizing Composing and Decomposing Numbers to 10
Dot Memory Using dot cards, ten frame cards, playing cards or Tiny Polka Dot cards, have partners turn over the cards face down in an array. Partners take turns turning over two cards, subitizing or counting the quantity and if they match, they remove those two cards. If they don’t match, the student puts them back face down and it is the other student’s turn. Play until all cards have been matched and removed from the array. Counting to 10 Subitizing
Make Ten Students roll dice and place that number of counters on a ten frame and then call out what the other part is to make ten, partner checks student’s thinking and then takes their turn Composing and Decomposing Numbers to 10
Fill in the Stairs Fill the Stairs requires the thoughtful placement of two-digit numbers in order from least to greatest, before all the numbers are known. Overall, it is a fun and compelling game that holds up after repeated playing.   https://mathforlove.com/lesson/fill-the-stairs/ Comparing and Ordering Numbers to 20   Place value to 100
How Many Sides Students use a die and pattern blocks to create a shape. Students then count the number of sides, and predict what will happen to that number of sides as more pattern blocks are added   https://janicenovkam.typepad.com/files/bcrim_howmanysides_game.pdf Adding and Subtracting Numbers to 20
Towers Partner 1 rolls a pair of dice and builds a tower made of cubes equal to the sum of the roll. Partner 2 does the same. Partners then compare the height of the two towers using language such as “My tower is _______ shorter/taller than yours.   https://janicenovkam.typepad.com/files/bcrim_towers_game.pdf Adding and Subtracting Numbers to 20   Composing and Decomposing Numbers to 20
Race to Zero Students pair-off each with two 10-frames filled with counters (20 total), roll one die and remove that amount, repeat until ten frames are cleared Addition and Subtraction to 20 (facts)
Build and Change Students flip over two cards (from 1-20) and build each number with snap cubes. They then describe to a partner how to get from one number to the other (eg. if the numbers are 8 and 11, build 8 and add 3 blocks) Comparing and Ordering Numbers to 20
Subtraction Track Players create a number line from 0 to (5,7,10,11,19) Players take turns rolling pairs of dice (6,8,10,12,20). They then subtract the smaller number from the larger number and cross off the difference from their number line. First player to cross off all of their numbers is the winner. You could also adapt the game to Addition Track.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0K9hNl–sM   Adding and Subtracting Numbers to 10 or 20 (or more)
Place Value Face-Off                   Addition/Subtraction Face-Off Partners use a deck of cards from A-10 (A=1). Partners can draw two cards and create the largest two-digit number.  They then show, with the largest number keeping all the cards.       Partners use a deck of cards from A-10 (A=1). Partners draw and flip their cards. First partner to correctly add or subtract the cards wins and keeps the cards. This can also be expanded to two or three cards.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HUBQXWGr6E&t=146s Place value to 100 (or more)   Adding and Subtracting Numbers to 20 or 100 (or more)            

Links to more games:

Grades 3-5

Game Overview Link to Key Concepts
Place Value Face-Off                   Addition/Subtraction Face-Off Partners use a deck of cards from A-10 (A=1). Partners can draw three cards and create the largest three-digit number.  They then show, with the largest number keeping all the cards.       Partners use a deck of cards from A-10 (A=1). Partners draw and flip their cards. First partner to correctly add or subtract the cards wins and keeps the cards. This can also be expanded to two or three cards.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HUBQXWGr6E&t=146s Place value to 1000 (or more)               Adding and Subtracting Numbers to 100 (or more)            
First to Twenty Players take turns rolling a die (4,6,8,10). Rolls are recorded and added to the sum of previous rolls. If a player rolls a die and the sum would be over 20, the player needs to subtract the value instead. First player to reach exactly 20 is the winner.   https://kcm.nku.edu/mathfactfluency/game24.php   https://kcm.nku.edu/mathfactfluency/docs/Games/en/MathFactFluency-Game%2024-First%20to%2020-teacher.pdf Addition and Subtraction to 20 (facts)
Circles and Stars Player 1 starts by rolling a die and drawing that number of large circles on a piece of paper. Player 2 does the same. Player 1 then rolls the die again and draws that many stars in each circle, creating a multiplication situation. Player 2 does the same. Each player then writes a number sentence or word sentence explaining how many stars they have. Repeat for 6 rounds, and then total them all up.   https://www.youcubed.org/tasks/circles-stars/ Multiplication and Division
Place the Digits Player 1 writes down a 3 digit number. Player 2 tries to guess what that number is. Player 2 starts by guessing any 3 digit number. Player 1 will tell them how many digits are in the write place, and how many digits are correct but in the wrong place. The Student records their guesses in a chart until they guess the correct number.   http://mathinspirations.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Digit-Place-Game.pdf Place value
Strive to Derive Player 1 chooses an array card (see link for diagram) and gives it to the player on their right. That player must use a stick (line or device to divide the array) in such a way that they can use either the “Adding a group” or “Subtracting a group” method to help them find the value of the array. If the student is able to, they earn a point. First player to 10 wins.   https://kcm.nku.edu/mathfactfluency/game33.php   https://kcm.nku.edu/mathfactfluency/docs/Games/en/MathFactFluency-Game%2033-Strive%20to%20Derive-teacher.pdf Multiplication and Division Facts (Computational Fluency)
Multiplication Tic-Tac-Toe Player 1 uses their paper clip to select a multiplicand. Player 2 uses their paperclip to select a multiplier, and then uses one of their counters to cover the product on the game board. Player 1 then moves their paperclip only to create a new multiplier and covers the new product with one of their counters. First player to get three counters in a row wins.   https://mathforlove.com/lesson/multiplication-tic-tac-toe/ Multiplication and Division Facts (Computational Fluency)
The Factor Game Play begins on a 5×6 array with numbers 1-30. Player 1 places a counter on a number of their choice – scoring the value of that number and recording their score for the round. Player 2 then covers all of the factors of player 1’s number, summing all of the factors and records this number as their score for the round. Player 2 begins the next round and play continues until all of the numbers are covered. Once a number has been scored, it cannot be scored again.   https://kcm.nku.edu/mathfactfluency/game36.php   https://kcm.nku.edu/mathfactfluency/docs/Games/en/MathFactFluency-Game%2036-The%20Factor%20Game-teacher.pdf Multiplication and Division Facts (Computational Fluency)
Do Your Decimals Player 1 selects 3 cards from a deck (A-10, A=1, 10=0) and creates a number with a decimal – black cards are whole numbers and red cards are decimals. Player 1 chooses 3 more cards and creates a second number. Player 1 adds their 2 numbers together and records their total. Player 2 then repeats. Rounds are repeated with totals being summed after every round. First to an agreed upon number wins.   https://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/boxcars/boxcars022.shtml   Addition and Subtraction of Decimals to Hundredths   Fractions and Decimals (Concepts and Relationships)
Exploding Dots Explore binary systems of counting in this interactive game with different levels, and the ability to explore counting in other bases as well. https://www.explodingdots.org/   Place Value
Card Multiplication Using a deck of cards, students draw 4 cards and arrange them into a 2-digit x 2-digit equation that will produce the largest product. Students calculate the answer, and then compare, with the highest score recording a point. Multiplication and division to 3-digits

Links to more games:

Grade 6-7

GameOverviewLink to Key Concepts

Place Value Face-Off

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addition/Subtraction Face-Off

Partners use a deck of cards from A-10 (A=1). Partners can draw three or more cards and create the largest number.  Black cards represent whole numbers and red cards represent decimals.  They then show, with the largest number keeping all the cards.

 

 

Partners use a deck of cards from A-10 (A=1). Partners draw and flip their cards. First partner to correctly add or subtract the cards wins and keeps the cards. Black cards are positive numbers and red cards are negative numbers.  This can also be expanded to two or three cards, where two negative red cards could be seen as a negative..

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HUBQXWGr6E&t=146s

Place value to 1000 (or more)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adding and Subtracting Integers

 

 

 

 

 

Prime Climb

Players role die (8-sided) and use addition, subtraction, multiply and divide operations to advance their 2 tokens to 101. Ending on “Prime Numbers” allows players to receive special cards, and ending on occupied circles bumps players back to the beginning. There is a lot of strategy, as moving “backwards” with subtraction and division may actually be beneficial when moving forwards.

 

https://mathforlove.com/games/prime-climb/

 

Factors and Multiples
Sumoku

Any player rolls the die to start – this is the key number for the game. Players take turns placing tiles arranged in a crossword- style pattern such that each row and column adds up to a multiple of the key number. The created pattern itself is called a sumoku. There are 6 colors and colors cannot repeat in the same row or column.

A row or column must be a combination of 2 to 6 tiles in the same unbroken line.

The “6” tile can be used as a “6” or a “9”.

Players add the sum of the tiles each turn to their score, and replace the tiles they used with new ones from the bag.

 

https://www.blueorangegames.com/index.php/games/sumoku

 

Factors and Multiples
Proof

Players race to find an equation among the nine number cards on the table and shout the result before anyone else. Once a player has one, tell everyone the proof by explaining the equation. If your math adds up, the player keeps the cards you used.Deal more and keep going. When the deck runs out the player with the most cards wins.

 

https://www.proofmathgame.com/

 

Operation Fluency up to 100 (Facts)
Multi

Players try to get 3-in-a-row on small boards to claim spaces and get  3-in-a-row on the big spaces. This game is a more advanced version of the Multiplication Tic-Tac-Toe game found in the Grades 3-5 section.

 

https://www.joyfulmathematics.com/multi

 

https://www.joyfulmathematics.com/blog/MULTI-Lesson-Plan

Factors and Multiples

Links to more games:

Elementary

Coast Metro Math Project