Math Facts Games:

Math Facts Penny Toss

 

Today's Snack: Make several different kinds of vegetable "coins" - carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, radishes and yellow squash sliced sideways. Dip into sour cream with a little dry onion soup mix stirred in. Enjoy some white grape juice with your veggie coins.

 

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Supplies:

For each pair of students, 15 to 20 dog or cat food tins or tuna cans,

washed out and recycled (about 6 oz.)

Black permanent marker or Sharpie | Pennies

Masking tape | Blanket or sheet if you're playing outside |

Scratch paper or chalkboard to keep score

 

           

            This penny toss game is easily adapted to the math skill level of the players. It's the most fun for two players.

 

            Simply write one of the numbers from 0 to 12 with a black marker on the bottom of each can. If you have more cans, you can repeat certain numbers.

 

            Group the cans together on the floor or on a blanket if you're playing on grass outside.

 

            Use masking tape to mark the line that the player has to stand behind.

 

            Before you start playing, establish whether you are going to play addition, subtraction or multiplication. (For division, see below)

 

To play, one player stands behind the line and tosses two pennies, one by one, into the cans. The other player stands near the cans and calls out what numbers the pennies fell in.

 

If you're playing addition, the first player simply adds the two and calls out the answer. If it's right, he or she gets a point.

 

It's the same thing with multiplication.

 

If you're playing subtraction, the player must subtract the smaller number from the larger one, and call out the answer.

 

            You could play 5 throws per turn, and then switch positions.

 

            The first one to 25 points wins the round.

 

For division, make two groups of cans - one with a few whole numbers, and the other with possible dividends for those particular numbers.

 

For example, if one group has 2, 3 and 4, the other group should have numbers like 12, 24, 36 and 48 so that all of the possible dividends are divisible by all of the possible whole numbers.

 

Then when you toss one penny in one group of cans, and the other in the other group, you should be able to divide the smaller number into the bigger dividend for an answer.

 

Older students may be able to choose numbers that may result in remainders, and do those division problems in their heads.