Grand Rapids School Math Club

Grand Rapids School Math Club WHAT IS GRS MATH CLUB Math Club is a bunch of people getting together to play with math. You might play games that use m...
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Grand Rapids School Math Club WHAT IS GRS MATH CLUB Math Club is a bunch of people getting together to play with math. You might play games that use math, or use math to create works of art, or make up puzzles and riddles that use math as part of the solution. Math club provides students who are interested in math or talented at the subject to develop and practice their mathematical abilities in an enjoyable, energetic setting. Teachers or math club advisers can lead students in a number of activities that will sharpen math skills, increase learning, be fun and make children excited to learn about math, activities that will help students with their math skills. Kids will be having so much fun they won't even know they are learning. The objective of the GRS Math Club is to stimulate children's mathematical curiosity and help the math student to begin the process of how to think critically. Hopefully, experiencing the wonders of math will result in a positive attitude toward the subject that will serve them well throughout their formal education and beyond. The main theme of the Math Club is to have fun, to learn a lot of math, and help other students in math. The main focus is placed on incremental progress and the building of a strong foundation in the students' academic career. GRS Math Club Rules and Expectations 1.

Proper behaviour, promptness and children’s participation is required in order for children to remain in math club.  At no time are students to enter a classroom, office or another room while they are here for math club.  At no time are students or coaches to use classroom materials, touch materials in a classroom or touch another student’s desk or belongings.  Students are expected to be respectful and courteous to coaches and coordinators at all times, just as they are during the day at GRS School.

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Should a child behave inappropriately, be picked up more than 5 minutes late, or not be a willing, active participant you will receive a “first warning notice,” in order to address the problem. i. Inappropriate behaviour will be addressed by the coordinators, coaches or the teacher b. Should a child behave inappropriately, be picked up more than 5 minutes late, or not be a willing, active participant again, you will receive a “second warning notice,” in order to address the problem. i. Inappropriate behavior will be addressed by the coordinators, coaches and/or the teacher c. Should a child behave inappropriately, be picked up more than 5 minutes late or not be a willing, active participant your child will no longer be able to attend the Math Club. i. Inappropriate behavior will be addressed by the coordinators, coaches and/or the teacher Attendance must be consistent. a. Should a child be absent 3 weeks in a row at any point in the year, he/she will be automatically dropped from the Math Club

Daily Routine: Set up in the Grade 5 Room Daily Talk Lunch for students (bring lunch money) Practice Math Facts thru games Clean Up November math facts ( games) statistics/probability December: Fraction/decimal/percent January: Math Fact Tournament March: Time Tests: Work on all area Math team competition April: Time Tests: Work on all areas June: Math Club Awards Night

Activities





Games and tournaments of games, especially mathematical games such as 3dimensional tic-tac-toe, “strategy games are a big favorite for my middle school students. There are many different games that are quite applicable to mathematics. We have mini tournaments with our group. The game does not make that much difference as long as it is one that involves strategy or probability so that a discussion can evolve from the game. Have a birthday party for mathematicians born in the month (See calendar section). With older, more mature students, a funeral oration or eulogy may be appropriately used on the anniversary of the death of a famous mathematician.



Make a math mobile and math games most students enjoy hands on activities and making crafts. With templates that are provided online, scissors, tape, string, and other supplies to decorate (such as marker, glitters, stencils or paint), the students in math club can make a mobile. In completing the craft, students will learn about the geometric properties of three-dimensional objects. As the students make their mobiles, the teacher can explain more about regular polyhedra, and teach Euler's number and the fact that the number of faces - the number of edges + the number of vertices always equals two.



Celebrate Pi Day. What better way to spend March 14 (or 3/14) than celebrating Pi day? Pi day is a perfect time to introduce elementary school children, who may be unfamiliar with the concept, to this important value, which plays a vital role in circle measurement, circumference and area computation. The celebration would not be complete without some pies: the club can order some pizzas. But before the pizzas are eaten, use pi to calculate their circumference and area.

Fish Plus One- card game 

Fish Plus One is a card game that is played similar to the game of "Go Fish," but this game has the objective of teaching basic rules of math. Each player is dealt seven cards and the rest are set face-down in a stack. The players take turns asking if another player has a card that would match one of their own. But in Fish Plus One, the goal is to get matches that differ by one, so cards 3 and 4 would be a match. You can make this game more challenging by having the matches be cards that differ by two, three, and so on. This game is suggested for first and second grades.

Multiplication Flash Cards 

For grades 3 and 4, try a method that is used by many teachers and tutors to help students memorize their multiplication facts. You may add some fun to this effective memorization method by having your students or children create their own multiplication cards. Instruct the child to write a multiplication problem on the front of a 5 by 7 card, then on the back have them write the answer. Encourage them to decorate these cards using stickers, glitter glue, and crayons. Once the children are

finished making their flash cards, you can hold multiplication races, holding up one flashcard at a time with two students waiting to answer; whoever answers first is the winner. Be sure the flash cards are correct before the children take them home to study.

Hands on Fraction Activities 

Help children understand fractions by letting them visualize how fractions relate to one another. Try incorporating this idea into a "pizza night." Have your child count how many pizza slices are in the pizza and how many pieces each person in the group can have, if each person has the same number of pieces. As the pizza is being eaten, have your child recalculate the same problem with the amount of slices that are left. This activity is recommended for children in third through fifth grades.

Online Math Games 

Many children love playing online games, which can be used to entice them to practice math during their free time. Many math sites offer games for varying skill levels, from the foundations of math to the introductions of higher levels, such as algebra. Some suggested sites are CoolMath4Kids.com, which provides lessons and games and FunBrain.com, which has a wide selection of math activities, but also features other subject areas. Suggested for first through sixth grades.



From counting and addition to problem-solving and algebra, elementary school is a critical time in the development of mathematical processes and skills. To help children make the most of their math lessons and to lay a foundation for success, it is important to make math an accessible and enjoyable subject. Incorporating some simple and fun activities into math lessons is not only easy to do but will also ensure that elementary children get the most out of math.



Games make drilling math facts and introducing new concepts like fractions and percentages fun for both the teacher and the students. Make math exercises interactive by involving your students in constructing these games with your guidance. Adapt the games to suit different age groups of elementary students.

Shop o

Setting up a class shop is a fun and easy way of helping children to master their skills in addition and subtraction while teaching them the concept of money. A desk can be used to create the cashier's desk and children can bring in an object from home to "sell" in the shop. Price the items at $1 and $2 for younger children and use more complex prices, such as $1.25 or $2.50, for older children. Use real or pretend money and make sure children have a turn at being both the shopkeeper and a customer.

Time o

Play the minute game to help elementary pupils understand the concept of time without using a clock. The aim is to complete as many activities, such as jumping jacks or clapping hands, as possible in one minute. The teacher uses a timer to tell children when to start and stop. Put children into pairs. One member of the pair completes the activity while the other keeps track of the number using a tally chart. Alternatively, pupils can keep track by counting aloud. Once the first round is over, pupils should swap places and try again. The pupil with the highest number is the winner.

Cards o

The aim of this card game activity is to win points by forming the largest sum. Remove the face cards from five decks of cards and shuffle them. Gather pupils in a circle and deal each pupil an even number of cards (this will depend on the class total). Pupils then have one minute (timed by the teacher) to make the largest possible sum from their cards. The teacher should then check each total and award one point to the winner. The first player to reach five points wins the game.

Data o

Help pupils to become confident data collectors by asking them to record how many of their classmates have blue eyes, wear black shoes or any other type of qualitative question. Pupils can then use this question to interview their classmates and turn the data into a simple tally chart. Once they have mastered this skill, move onto a more complex question, such as how many hours of television they watch per day. The results can then be turned into a bar chart or Venn diagram.

Activities Involving Numbers o

The "Let's Count" activity developed by Cynthia Lanius, an independent consultant and co-manager of the Empowering Leadership: Computing Scholars of Tomorrow Alliance, is exciting for students but also teaches one-to-one correspondence and number counting, leading to the introduction of addition concepts. For the activity, there is minimal reading required as the students are provided with brightly colored pictures of objects such as animals, toys and stars. The number of objects in the pictures varies but the answers are hidden under a tab so students can work independently and check their answers as they count the objects. As the students learn the one-to-one correspondence of numbers, the teacher can begin to introduce addition concepts by asking the students to combine two groups and provide the total number of objects. o

Activities, games and projects allow elementary school students to experience math in new, exciting ways. Students enjoy practicing and being able to apply

math concepts to their everyday life. Elementary schoolchildren of all ages will benefit from hands-on learning experiences in math that go beyond the chalkboard and textbook.

Geometric Activities o

The most entertaining geometry lessons involve hands-on materials that allow the students to create their geometric figures. An introduction to one geometry lesson could involve reading the book "The Greedy Triangle" by Marilyn Burns. After listening to the story and learning the names of different shapes, the students are asked to practice creating the different shapes discussed in the story using rubber bands and geoboards. The teacher should make sure each student has practiced making at least five shapes before allowing them to create their own shapes on the geoboards.

Teaching Fractions o

Learning fractions can be challenging, but when candies or healthy edibles are used to teach the lesson, students can master the concept quickly. To teach fractions using a candy bar, provide each student with a candy bar that has at least 12 parts. Explain to the students that they have a "whole" candy bar and have them write the number one on a sheet of paper. Introduce the first fraction by asking the students to cut their candy in half to see that they now have two equal parts. Then ask them to write the fraction for one-half. Continue splitting the candy into equal parts and writing down the name of the fraction. As you do this, discuss how each time they split the candy they are producing fractions of a whole. After the activity is complete, the students can enjoy their snack while they discuss the activity with their peers and come up with alternate objects that can be divided into equal fractions.

Word Problem Activities o

One essential component in elementary mathematics is the introduction of word problems, in which the students are required to use their reading and mathematics skills to solve a problem. Introducing word problems can challenge the teacher since it's possible the student strongest in math is the weakest in reading. Therefore, developing word problem activities can take time. Designing word problems to correspond to specific holidays, classroom themes or the students' culture and society can provide numerous opportunities to engage the students who may struggle with this concept. Furthermore, teaching a simple acronym such as UPS (Understand-Plan-Solve) can remind students how to solve a word problem when working independently. For the UPS strategy, students are asked to first read the problem and understand what it is they need to find. Then they have to derive a plan on how they will solve the problem. Finally, they solve the problem by drawing a picture, finding a pattern, making a table or list, working backwards or writing a number sentence.

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Carefully planned activities can help students get out from behind the desk and experience math in a practical way. When students see how they can use math in their everyday lives, they are more likely to enjoy lessons, and will thus pay more attention. Elementary math activities center both on teaching and reinforcing basic skills. Although the focus of an activity might not be multiplication, for example, students may need to multiply answers in order to complete the activity you design for them.

Money o

Purchase or make play money. Pass out a certain amount to the students, and allow them to go on a pretend shopping spree around the classroom. Assign value to certain objects and have the students pay for the objects with their pretend money. Explain to the students that shoppers do not always give the cashier the exact amount of money, so the cashier must know how to make change. Explain to the students why it is important, as customers, to make sure they get the correct amount of change back from cashiers. Ask students to count out their money and give it to you. Give back change when necessary. Alternate giving the students both correct and incorrect amounts of change to check that they are counting correctly.

Recipes o

Help upper elementary students with their computation and fraction skills by allowing them to prepare a recipe that does not require baking, such as clay or playdough. Supply the students with a recipe that only makes enough dough for a small amount of people. Ask the students how they will need to alter the recipe to make enough for everyone in your class. When measuring out the ingredients, quiz students on fractions. For example, ask the students how many times they will need to measure and scoop a 1/4cup container in order to get 2 cups of flour.

Tallying and Charting o

Assign the class an activity that involves tallying and charting. Ask each student to make up his own survey question. For example, "What's your favorite thing to do on summer vacation?" Have each student name four responses from which others can choose, such as: "Go swimming," "Play video games," "Spend time with family," or "Play outside." Direct each child to interview his classmates and record tally marks under the answers he receives. When the entire class has responded, help each student create a bar chart to represent the results of his tally.

Rulers

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Develop ruler skills by allowing students to measure items around the classroom or playground. Distribute a list of certain objects that every child must measure in an allotted time period. Jumble the order of the items on the list so that each child does not try to measure the same thing at the same time. Direct students to use the type of measurement you've been concentrating on in recent lessons. Decide whether you will distribute rulers to the students, or help them make their own in class; consider supplying yardsticks and tape measures so that students can more easily measure larger objects. Let students work individually or in pairs. To conclude the lesson, gather the students together and ask them to compare measurements with each other. If they measured the objects correctly, everyone should have the same results.

Pipe-Cleaner Geometry o

Prepare a set of small index cards with geometry terms. Divide students up into pairs and give each student a number of pipe-cleaners. Have the children manipulate the pipe cleaners according to the term or shape listed on the index card. Students can take turns guessing what their partner is molding from the pipe cleaners; turn it into a game and award points or small tokens for correct answers. Consider having children glue or tape their geometric pipe-cleaner shapes to sheets of paper to take home.

Math Dice o

Math dice are an engaging way to help students practice simple math operations. Cover one of the pair of dice with masking tape or a similar tape that can be written on. Write symbols for addition, multiplication, subtraction and division with a permanent marker in place of the numbers. If desired, enlist students' help with this step. Divide students up into partners or small groups and tell them that this special die is the operations cube. Give each pair or group three dice, one being an operations cube. Instruct them to roll the dice; students must perform the rolled operation with the two rolled numbers.

Flag Proportions o

Teach students about proportions, ratios and scales with this fun flag activity. Begin by leading a discussion on professions which use scale drawings, such as architects. Once students are interested in the topic, divide them into groups and provide each group with a small paper copy of a flag that is divided into a number of squares, such as 40. The children must recreate the flag to scale on a poster board or large sheet of paper, copying the image square-by-square. Once the flags have been laid out on the paper the students can paint them. As an extension of this activity, have each student write a paragraph about the project.

Puzzles

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Have students demonstrate and practice their knowledge of a math concept through puzzles. Puzzles can be both fun and challenging and provide an opportunity to apply mathematics in a practical way. Following a lesson or unit on certain math concepts, provide students with a variety of puzzles on the topic so that they can apply what they have just learned. Many math puzzles are available online on topics such as measuring, logic, numbers, algebra and symmetry. Consider including additional practice activities such as math riddles, written problems and practice quizzes. These add a fun element for children to look forward to at the end of a lesson.

Math Treasure Hunt

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Create clues that require children to use math to find the treasure.

All children like to hunt for treasure, and leaders can create a game that can be personalized for a child's math level. Create clues for a child to go from place to place in the room, and incorporate math facts to figure out the clue. For instance, a child in kindergarten may need to count to the fifth block to find the next clue, but a third grader could be more challenged, such as "Find the 23rd page after page 101 in a book about a horse for the next clue."

Around the World

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Flash cards are all you need to play "Around the World."

This classic game is great for competitive kids who need to work on math facts. Learn with Math Games suggests gathering children around a table or in a circle and having a set of flashcards available. Leaders can use addition, subtraction, multiplication or division facts. One challenger stands behind another student and the leader holds up a card. Whoever says the correct answer first wins the round and stands behind the next person in the circle. The loser sits down wherever he lost. The person who makes it around the circle (at one time or through a series of turns) to his original seat is the winner.

Board and Card Games

Many board games require children to use math skills.

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A supply of games will keep children entertained, and many of them use math skills. UNO will help young children learn numbers and counting. Monopoly Junior can help students with counting money. Children will have to use their addition facts to keep track of points in games like Yahtzee or Scrabble. If students need to work on specific skills, leaders can create their own board games to incorporate them, or replace some of the cards in an already-made game with some math questions.

Bingo

Have students find answers to math facts on Bingo boards.

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Children always enjoy playing Bingo for the potential to win a prize, but one of the advantages of this game is the ability to tailor it to specific math skills. Create boards with math fact answers on them (make multiple sets for different levels). Instead of just calling out numbers, call out math facts, and children will have to figure out the answer and see if they have that number on their board. A child who gets a full row filled calls out "Bingo!" and wins a small prize.

Flip-Up

Children can review math facts using a deck of playing cards.

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According to Multiplication.com, Flip-Up is a card game designed for two players. Remove Jokers and face cards from a deck of cards, and split the deck between the players. Players each flip their top card over and they must multiply the two numbers. The first person to say the answer gets to keep the cards if she is correct, but if the answer is wrong, the other player gets the cards. The player with the most cards at the end of the time allotted is the winner. This game can also be used with addition facts.

Bingo Style

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Use the Bingo format to teach math facts, decimals, fractions, percentages and much more. Make several Bingo boards by creating a five-by-five grid with 25 blocks. If you are teaching multiplication of decimals, use index cards to formulate several call-out cards with different math problems such as 1.5 X 3, 0.2 X 0.4 and so on. Fill in some of the 25 blocks on the Bingo boards with the products relating to your call-out cards, such as 4.5, 0.08 and so on, creating a pattern like a Z, a diagonal or straight line. Fill the rest with random numbers. For the game, you call out the operation, like 1.5 x 3, and the students mark off the correct answer (4.5) on the Bingo board. Whoever completes the pattern first without any errors wins.

Dice and Token o

Make a board and dice game to teach math facts. On several index cards write instructions like "go forward two steps," "miss a turn," "quack like a duck" and other fun directions. On poster board make a large serpentine path and divide it into twenty or more segments. The first segment says "start" and the last one says "end." The rest of the segments have a math problem written within the square, which the child needs to solve when he lands on that spot. Four to six students play the game. A child rolls a die to decide how far to move her token on the board. If she lands on a math problem square, she has 10 seconds to answer it correctly. After a correct answer, she gets to pick a card from the top and follows the directive on it. If she answers incorrectly, she cannot draw a card and the turn passes to the next child. The one who reaches "end" first wins.

Shopping o

The shopping game is a great way to practice word problems. Use this game to reinforce basic operations, decimals, fractions and percentages. Make a three-by-two grid on poster board, creating 6 segments. Mark each segment with the numbers 1 through 6, as well as the names of 6 types of stores in a mall, for example, toy, shoes, food court and so on. Have the students collect pictures of cash registers, toys, shoes, food and other items relating to the appropriate "shop" and glue these around the poster board. Use 72 index cards to make six sets of 12 cards. The six sets represent the different stores on the poster board. Write 12 shopping-related word problems on each set pertaining to the store. An example is: Mary went to the store with $1.00 and bought a piece of candy for $0.33. How much change will she get back? The children take turns going to a store at the mall by rolling a die. The number on the die relates to each store. Use play money to make the experience more tactile and practical. Write the correct answer on the back of each card so the children know their answers are correct. The object of the game is the experience of shopping and counting money; it is not a competitive game. Therefore the students can play it in small groups

or even alone. The game ends when the mall closes, in other words, you simply put a time limit on the game.

Turkey Trot o

Turkey Trot is a Thanksgiving-themed math review game designed specifically for the Smart Board. The game has a few built-in math word problems to teach students the process of solving logic problems: read, question, number facts and solve. The content is customizable, meaning teachers can change the problems to give the game an extended shelf life. It's a free download and a Notebook file, so it's ready to go on your Smart Board immediately.

The Phantom Menace Review Game o

This Smart Board game requires a little work from the teacher to make it relevant for your specific curriculum, but the components are all in place. "Phantom Menace" is a review game for any subject. You complete a few slides with review questions (in this case, math) and then run the Notebook file and divide the class into two teams. The animations and randomization are different each time, allowing for a bit of variety, but the game's Halloween theme may limit when you can play it during the year.

Count Us In o

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation created the "Count Us In" games website, which offers 15 different elementary math games that can either be played online or downloaded to your PC to be played locally on the Smart Board. These games are designed for very young children and reinforce number concepts. The animation and simplicity of the games suit a preschool or kindergarten audience.

Jefferson Labs o

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science created the Jefferson Labs web site, which specializes in science education. The games at the Jefferson Labs site has six math games including the very addictive "SpeedMath," which works well as a Smart Board game because it requires students to quickly choose an answer by clicking (in the online mode) or pressing the screen of the Smart Board. Other games include "Mystery Math" and the two-player "Nim Number Game."

Mathematics

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SMART Boards are excellent tools for teaching math since students can interact with the board to draw graphs and write equations. "Jeopardy" games for math could have the students draw graphs and solve equations on the board instead of verbally answering the questions. There are two geometry-themed "Jeopardy" games on SMART Exchange. Each one tests knowledge about lines, angles and shapes. The games are designed for grades three to five, although you can alter some of the questions to fit other grades. As with any game for the SMART Board, you should test the game before using it in the class.

Math Dash Game: Multiplication & Division o

Math Dash Game: Multiplication & Division is a math-based strategy game for secondgraders and above. The game reinforces a student's ability to complete simple multiplication and division problems. Up to eight players compete to see who can solve his math problems and place four of his playing pieces in a row. Opposing players can conspire to block their opponent's pieces from having four in a row. The game includes one board and eight color coded sets of playing pieces.

Sum Swamp Addition and Subtraction Game o

Sum Swamp Addition and Subtraction Game is a board game for children 5 years of age and older. It is an educational resource for them to work on their addition and subtraction ability. Designed for two to four players, the board game takes players on a journey through Sum Swamp, where they have to add or subtract using the three dice provided. Lucky players will get to advance fast by crossing the crocodile shortcut.

Totally Tut Math Operations Game o

Totally Tut Math Operations Game is created by Learning Resources. The board game is designed for children 6 years old and older, and between two to four players. Players navigate the Egyptian theme board game by combining basic math skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) with order of operations and critical thinking. Players advance by using triangles with numerical or operational values to create and solve math problems. The person who completes her pyramid first is the winner.

Flip 4 o

Flip 4 is a strategic board game created by MindWare. The game is designed for children 8 years old and older. The board game, made for two to four players, exercises a child's basic math and strategy skills. The participants must roll the dice and then add, subtract or multiply the numbers to land on a board square. Players can strategically flip their opponents off of the board. The game has won multiple Dr. Toy awards in 2003 for Best Children Product and Best Game.

Whether you teach sixth-grade math or your child is in sixth grade, you may find it hard to reinforce math concepts. A great way to engage children in math activities is to challenge them with math games. There are many math games that will help your sixth-grader have a better understanding of the concepts being worked on in class.

Percents and Fractions Store Fridays o

Every Friday, turn your classroom into a store, and let the kids shop for items. You can relate this game to math by having items "on sale" by a certain percentage off. The kids must figure out how much the item has been reduced to by converting the percentage to a decimal and multiplying that number by the cost of the item. They will subtract that number by the actual price to figure out how much the item is after the discount. You can have the kids earn money throughout the week by turning in homework, helping out around the class, or making good grades on tests and quizzes. Sell items such as calculators, candy, stickers or other items that kids like.

Math 'Jeopardy' o

Make a "Jeopardy" board on a large poster board. The categories will be the basic concepts you are teaching. For example, you can have adding/subtracting, order of operations, absolute value, decimals and simplify. Write those at the top of the poster board. Underneath the categories, write several different questions pertaining to the category. Cover the questions with a pieces of paper that have a dollar amount ($100 for the first question, $200, $300 and so on). The question under the category integers might read, "A positive + a positive=" The answer would be, " a positive." If they answer correctly, they get the dollar amount, and then it is the next person's turn. If they do not get the question right, they lose that dollar amount. Whoever has the most points wins the game. This game will work easiest with small groups of students.

Internet Games o

If you have access to a computer lab, this is a good way to get sixth-graders excited about math. There are several educational websites that have math games for sixthgraders. A few examples of age-appropriate sites are toonunviversity.com and cemc2.math.uwaterloo.ca/mathfrog/english/kidz/Games6.shtml. These sites can also be accessed from children's homes, if they have a computer, to help reinforce concepts they are learning at school. You will find games covering decimals, fractions, percentages and other grade-level activities. These are great ways to challenge the kids.

Fun 5th-Grade Math Activities

Fifth-grade math introduces children to higher-level multiplication and division as well as fractions, geometry and algebra. Fun, quick-paced games are a popular method for practicing the math concepts taught in class. You can adapt basic games to suit the topic and skill level of your students. Most games are suitable for small or large groups of students who play individually or in teams. When fifth grade students start learning more complex math, like comparing and ordering fractions and finding common denominators, it can become confusing. However, learning fractions is an essential math skill. Fun math games on comparing fractions for fifth grade students will enhance learning. Games can provide visual imagery that will increase comprehension and improve memorization of rules and operations while having fun.

Around the World o

Around the World is a game that allows children to practice quick repetition of math facts. Children sit either at their desks or in a circle on the floor. One child at a time stands and tries to "go around the world." The child who is trying to go around the world stands in front of the first sitting child, who asks a math problem. If the standing child answers the question correctly, he moves on to the next sitting child. This continues until he has correctly answered problems posed by each student.

Card Fractions o

Fraction practice is entertaining with this card game played in pairs. Each child has a deck of cards and stands. Place a ruler horizontally on the desk in front of both children. Both students deal one card above the ruler and one below so that the cards are side by side forming a fraction with two digit numbers. The goal is for the student to reduce the fraction before her opponent. For students who are working on singledigit fractions, have them add the values of the cards together before they reduce the fraction.

Answer Bingo o

Use traditional bingo boards in this new version. With answer bingo, the teacher calls out a math problem involving multiplication, division or algebra equations instead of a simple number. The students must solve the math problem and then find the answer on their bingo board. Students cover each correct answer until they form a bingo line horizontally, vertically or diagonally to win the game.

Math Jeopardy o

This team game is an enjoyable way to review common math facts and term definitions. Place the children on teams and give each team a bell. The teacher asks math questions worth different point values and the students must ring the bell for the opportunity to answer the questions. The children can answer the questions individually or they can

come up with the answer as a group. All correct answers benefit the team score. You can play the game until one team reaches a designated score; or you can play for a specified amount of time and the winning team is the one that has the most points at the end.

Ordering Fraction Action o

Children will compare fractions and put them in the correct order from smallest to largest while playing this card game. Before the lesson the teacher will write 15 fractions on index cards (1/2, 1/3, 2/3, 1/4, 3/4, 1/6, 5/6, 1/8, 3/8, 5/8, 7/8, 1/12, 5/12, 7/12, 11/12). Students will deal five cards to each player and place the remaining cards face down. Players leave the five cards faced down until a player says "Go." Students put the cards in the correct order from smallest to largest. When a player is finished, he shouts "Done." The child who correctly ordered all the fractions first wins the game. Check the ordering by finding the common denominator and compare numerators.

Blackjack Fraction Cards o

Fifth graders will compare and add fractions while playing Fraction Blackjack. Give each student a set of index cards with fractions written on them. Include fractions with denominators of 2, 3, 4, and on up to 12.The same rules as Blackjack apply to this game. Students will try to get close to 1 without going over. Make the game more difficult by using mixed numbers where the goal is to get close to 2 without going over. Fraction War is another fun card game that will help students compare before making equivalent fractions.

Pizza Quest o

Children will learn how to compare fractions while playing Pizza Quest. The teacher will mark the sides of a six-sided wooden die (available at craft stores) with the fractions 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/8, 1/12, and "Take a Piece." Students will draw five pizzas on heavy paper circles, cut one pizza in half, one in quarters and so forth so that the pizza slices correspond with the fractions on the die. Provide each child with a paper plate. The player will roll the die, choose the correct size of pizza and place it on the paper plate. When a player rolls "Take a Piece," they may take a slice of pizza off an opponent's plate. When a fraction is rolled that would result in more than a whole pizza, the player takes nothing. The first student to have whole pizza on their paper plate wins the game.

Jeopardy

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Fifth graders will practice comparing fractions while playing a version of the TV game show "Jeopardy!" The game starts with $10 questions and progresses to $100 questions, which are the most difficult. A $10 question may look like this: 3/4 is greater than equal to or less than 5/8? A $100 question may ask: Which fraction is equivalent to 2/5 A. 10/25 B. 4/5 or C. 2/10? The teacher will write the questions on index cards. The child with the highest score wins. o

Second grade math standards often cover concepts such as grouping, place value, connections between words and numbers, addition, subtraction and simple fractions. Math games make learning these concepts much more fun. Games employ a variety of senses and address multiple learning styles such as visual and tactile. Second graders are more likely to understand math ideas if they are able to actively participate in the learning process. Games are a great way to accomplish this.

Egg Carton Addition o

Write the numbers one through 12 in the spaces inside an empty egg carton. Place two small objects in each carton; you could use dimes, dried peas, beads, or any two similarly-sized items. Close each carton. Divide students into two teams. Allow teams to take turns participating by sending one student up from their team during their turn. This student will come to the front of the class, shake the closed egg carton, and open it up. The player then opens the egg carton. Whichever two numbers the items inside are resting on must be added by the player. If the player answers correctly, he earns one point for his team. If he answers incorrectly, the other team has a chance to answer for a point. Teams take turns until one team wins by reaching 20 points.

Grouping by Tens o

Separate students into groups of three to five, and have them sit together at work station tables. On each table, place six small, empty containers and one large jar. The jar should contain differently colored marbles, with ten of each type of marble. Make sure the marbles are mixed well before you place them in the jar. Have students try to guess how many marbles are in their jar. Explain that in counting, you can go one by one, or you can count by groups. Instruct the students to begin removing the marbles from their jar. As they remove the marbles, have the students group them by color. Instruct them to put all the red marbles in one container, all the blue in another, and so on. Once all the marbles have been separated, have the students count the marbles in each container. After allowing the students to discover that there are 10 marbles in each container, discuss the advantages of grouping and counting by 10s. Write 10s from 10 to 100 on the board, and lead the students in counting aloud by 10s. Have the children count by 10s to determine the total number of marbles in their jar.

Cookie Addition o

Give each student several large sugar cookies that have soft frosting on them (if you don't buy them already frosted, use prepared cake icing). Give each child several small piles of toppings; you can use M&Ms, sprinkles, gummy candies or Skittles. Provide the students with a single die with dots (a typical die with dots one through six). Have the students roll the die and then place the amount of toppings onto the cookie that corresponds with the number of dots that came up on the die. Have the students roll once more and repeat, then create a number sentence for each cookie on a sheet of paper. For example, if a student rolls a two and a three, you would put two M&Ms on one cookie and three M&Ms on the other. The student's number sentence would be "2 + 3 = 5."

More Math Game Boards Board games can serve as more than just mindless entertainment. They can also be educational resources to teach and reinforce concepts to children. Several manufacturers have developed educational board games that include math lessons. When playing these games, children will learn how to use math outside of the classroom.

More math games using cards, dice and dominoes References 

Math and Reading Help: Fun Games for Fifth Graders



Education.com: Simplify It! A Fraction Card Game



Dr. Mike's Math Games for Kids: A Math Board Game



Donna Young Homeschooling: Game Board Templates



We Beans: Tic-Tac-Toe



Tools for Educators: Board Game Maker

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