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

Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum? No! FIDDLE, FADDLE, FLOP!

Hi All, Ready for another great game? Ready for Fiddle, Faddle, Flop? It's a great game for place value, mental math, and number work. You can play anywhere at any time. All you need is a pencil and paper or board and markers. Tell students that you are thinking of a number. Explain that it has two digits. Invite them to guess the number. You will respond to their guesses by saying one of four words: Fiddle, Faddle, Flop, or Correct. Here is the translation for those words: Fiddle: one of the digits is correct, but is in the wrong place Faddle: one of the digits is correct and in the correct place Flop: none of the digits is correct Correct: both digits are correct For example, if you are thinking of the number 17 and my guess is 68, you would say Flop since none of the digits is correct. On your next guess, if you were to say 76, I would say, Fiddle, because one of the digits is correct, but in the wrong...
Post a Comment
Read more