Count Down to Zero

Count Down to Zero

This week we are practicing 2-digit subtraction with our game.

What do I need?

1 deck of cards

2 children

math journals (or other paper)

How to play

1.  Deal 13 cards face down on the table.

2.  Each player creates a scorecard in their math journals.  Write Count Down to Zero as the title.

Begin with the number 99 at the top of the page.

3.  First player chooses either 1 or 2 cards from the face down cards.  The player adds the two cards together (face cards = 10).  Then the player must subtract that sum from his total (99).  The difference is his new score.  The two cards go in a discard pile.

4.  Second player repeats the same procedure.

5.  Play continues until the 13 cards are gone.  Deal out another 13 cards and continue playing until one player reaches 0.

6.  Players must reach 0 exactly.  If the cards or card turned over total more than the player's score, turn the cards back over and forfeit your turn.  At this point in the game, players need to begin remembering where the cards are on the card matrix.  

7.  If necessary, players may deal out more cards into the matrix as needed.  (For example, if a player's total is 2, and there are no aces or 2s in the matrix, then players should add needed numbers and shuffle the matrix so the cards are hidden.)

Ultimate Version

1.  Play the game in the same way, except begin the game with 200 points.  Allow players to choose 1, 2, or 3 cards in each turn.

Pig

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.

Place the Value

Place the Value

I made this game years ago.  However, I realize now that we could have played with a deck of cards and saved myself all that time cutting out number cards and creating game boards.

Here's what you need:
playing cards with 10's, jacks, queens, kings and jokers removed.
Math journals or notebook paper for recording sheets
pencils

How to play:
Deal the cards out face down on the table to create a pool for drawing cards.

Children need to draw a large place value chart with labels "hundreds", "tens" and "ones" across the top.  Each column needs to be large enough to hold one playing card.

Draw cards to decide who goes first.  Highest card drawn begins play.

Player 1 chooses a card and places in in one of the place value windows on the chart.  Once placed, the card may not be moved.

Player 2 repeats that action.

Players take turns repeating the draw and place step until both place value charts are completed.

Each player reads his number.  The greater number wins the hand.

Players record a number sentence comparing the results in their math journals, i.e. 253<984.

Advanced Versions:
1.  Players subtract the smaller total from the greater total.  Winner adds the difference to his score.
2.  Players add more places to the place value chart.  Game boards can be created with infinite number of places.  I have boards with windows up to millions place.