Pig
We are playing Pig this week. I did not enter my game for last week, because I gave my kids a Geoboard Challenge instead. They like Geoboards, but were excited to play a new game this week.
Your students practice basic facts and 2 digit addition while playing Pig. There is a variation for subtraction also. I find it particularly interesting to observe the little gamblers in my class with this game.
Materials:
2-3 players
Math journals for keeping score
1 number cube for each group
How to Play:
1. Roll die to see who goes first.
2. The first player rolls the die. If he rolls a 1, his turn is over and his score is 0.
If he rolls any other number, he begins scoring with that number. The first player can
roll again or keep that score. Add any additional rolls to the score. (Most of my second
graders are adding these digits mentally. However, a few are writing the numbers down to
help with addition.) His turn ends when he stops rolling, calls Pig, and writes down his score for that turn, or... when he rolls a 1, and his score for the turn is 0.
3. The second player goes next. She rolls in the same manner, and writes down her score at
the end of her turn.
4. Play continues in the same manner with players writing their new scores under earlier totals.
Remind the kids to write their scores carefully with tens and ones aligned to make addition easier.
5. The first player to reach 100 is the winner.
Variations:
1. Start the scorecards at 100. Add the total on the dice in the same way as above. Subtract
your score from the total. First player to 0 is the winner.
2. Play teacher against the class using a smartboard number cube if you have one. Students
should all keep track of the score in their journals. Students also take turns deciding when to
call Pig.
