Math Facts Games:

Card Sharks

 

Today's Snack: Make a fruit parfait: tear apart a mini-shortcake or a piece of pound cake or angel food cake into bite-sized chunks. In a parfait glass or similar container, layer the cake chunks, pressing down on them a bit with a spoon, followed by a container of chocolate or vanilla pudding, and then some cut-up fruit such as strawberries or peaches.

 

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Supplies:

For each two students, a deck of playing cards

with the aces and jacks, queens and kings removed

 

 

Game 1: Card Swap.

 

This game is best with two or four players. The object is to collect all four of the same numbers and to get the most sets of four cards. For example, there are four 2's, four 3's, and so on; you are trying to get all four of each number.

 

Shuffle the cards, which are 2's through 10's. Make them into a deck. The dealer should place four cards, face up, in front of each player, in a row. Set the deck face down. The deck is the "draw" pile.

 

The first player looks at the four cards and decides which he or she wants to collect. Let's say you want to collect 3's, and there is a 3 in your row of four face-up cards. Ask the other player, "Do you have any threes?" and if the other player does, he or she has to give them to you. Say "thank you."

 

Collect the 3 from your own row, and the 3 that the other player gave you, to the side. As the game goes on, you will try to collect two more 3's for a full set of four. Draw one more card from the draw pile to replace the 3 that you set aside.

 

Beware: the other player might draw a 3 later in the game, and ask you for your 3's. You have to give them nicely. The game is over when all of the cards in the draw pile have been picked up. Take turns, and have fun!

 

 

 

            Game 2: Number Mania. Take the same deck of cards with aces and face cards removed. Make a neat stack. Now you and the other player each pick up a card from the top.

 

Whoever has a card with the higher number gets to keep both cards.

 

In case of a tie, you go again, and whoever has the highest number gets to keep all four cards. When you've gone through the whole deck, count to see who has the most cards.

 

 

            Game 3: Plus One. Deal out the cards evenly so you both have a stack. Taking turns, read off the number from each card.

 

The other person has to add one to it, and say that number.

 

So if you read off a "3," your partner should say "4," because that's "3 plus one." Keep going 'til you are both out of cards.

 

Older students can make this game harder by playing "Plus Seven" or "Plus 18" and so on.