Skip to main content

SNEAKY SNAKES!



Hi All,

Here's a great addition, subtraction, probability, mental math, and strategy game for Grades KG - 2. Although many older kids (and adults) like it too. It's adapted from the book, Young Children Reinvent Arithmetic by the brilliant Constance Kamii.


This is one of those games that appears simple, but has depth and promotes strategy and mental math.



Basically, partners are each given 10 pennies or bingo chips, a pair of dice or number cubes, and their own game board, which gives each partner their own snake. The object of the game is to cover every number on your snake by rolling dice and then choosing to either add or subtract the two resulting numbers to create a sum or difference that you then cover on your board.



For example, if I roll a 6 and a 3, I could either add 6 + 3 and cover the 9, or subtract 6 – 3 and cover the 3.



If an answer is already covered and the player cannot use that roll effectively to cover anything, they pass.



As play gets into the later stages, and there are less numbers uncovered, it is often a good idea to allow players to “preset” one cube or die on any number they wish and then roll the second cube. This move alone requires some strategy, consideration of probability, and knowledge of basic facts.



This is a good game to debrief and analyze with students after play. Ask questions such as:

What numbers are most difficult to roll? Why?

Which numbers are occurring most often? Why?

What operation should you choose if you get a double? Why?

If you wanted to cover a 9 and were allowed to preset one die, what number would you put it on? Why?

Kids usually like to color in their snake and then get their board laminated for long time repeated. Because you know they're going to want to play it again! 

Here's the link to the pdf board and instructions sheet.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19g5VkA7REVbu4Kka2CcW2wbitReAHu-u/view?usp=sharing

Take care, stay safe, may the Math be with you! :)
Bob


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BAD Graphs

 Hi All, Kids love to find other people's mistakes. (Not always that keen on finding their own of course.) Here's a chance for them to find some mistakes while learning some things about graphs. This activity focuses on learning about graphs and the parts of a graph that are important, but are sometimes neglected. When kids make their own graphs the most common omissions are: the title (what is this a graph of?), labeling the x and y axis (what do numbers and bars means?), and the units (how much of what?). A great way to remind kids of the importance of these elements is to have them try to deal with graphs that don't have them ie; BAD graphs.  I give students a worksheet on which I have created four BAD graphs. They are BAD graphs because I leave off important elements like the title. Along with this students are also given a 4 item question sheet which they are to try to answer using the BAD graphs. I put the BAD graphs on the board or display. They look like this:   I...
Post a Comment
Read more

Piaget Would be Proud! Assessment, Mental Math, Manipulatives, Thinking, Missing Addends, and Kumquats!

 Hi All, This is a super simple, but very revealing activity and so works as a good assessment. Fantastic for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grade 1. Try it out and see what you learn about your students. Display a small number of objects in your open hands. Here we have 4 kumquats. (Because I have a kumquat tree in my yard. Any small manipulative will do.) Put your hands behind your back. Close one hand and bring both hands back out in front of you to display 2 kumquats visible in one hand and a closed hand with the rest of them. Remind students that you started with 4 and there are still 4 all together. Ask students, what is in the closed hand. Ask how they know this. Then reveal and discuss. Try another one. Show the 4 objects again, 2 in each hand. Put your hands behind your back and redistribute with 1 object in one hand and 3 objects in the other. Bring your hands to the front and ask how many are in your closed hand. Ask how they know this.  Then reveal and discuss.   Yo...
Post a Comment
Read more

What Does Not Belong?

 Hi All,   "What Does Not Belong" is such a great little concept and can be applied to so many different areas of math as well as other content areas. Great little game when you are waiting, like for buses to be called or for the day to begin. Also a great game for long car or bus rides where if there are no written numbers or pictures you really have to do the mental math. Present a group of numbers. Start with maybe six. Say, 10     56     17     122     4     98 Ask the players to identify which number does not belong and have them explain why. We want players to look at the characteristics of the numbers and compare them to try to find the selection criteria or "rule" so they can determine which does not belong. For example, we have a mix of 1, 2, and 3 digit numbers, so it's not the "rule" is not the number of digits. We have five even numbers and only one odd number. That's it! 17 does not belong,...
2 comments
Read more