If you are looking for a resource filled with advice on how to teach reading, writing, and math for preschool through high school, make sure to download From ABCs to SATs: The 3 Rs and Everything in Between. It is FREE!
One of my writings entitled Math Memorization Fun was published in this supplement. This particular article discusses 14 different “math-tastic” activities to make memorizing math facts fun using supplies you probably already have at home.
Click here for tips on how to make math worksheets fun.
You may recognize the racing cars tip from a post I had published on Hands On As We Grow entitled Simple Number Line Car Race to Teach Math.
A separate section in the article includes a couple of ways to use cards to teach simple math skills. Recently, I was visiting family and learned a math card game called 99 (from an 8 year old), which wasn’t included within this article.
To play the game, each player is dealt seven cards (which he or she can look at but not show others). The remaining cards are placed in a stack face down in the middle of the players.
The whole point of the game is to add (and subtract) the numbers on the cards from each player’s hand as they are laid face up in the middle. Whichever player lays the card to get exactly 99 wins the game. Each of the numbered cards are worth the number they have on them, the Aces are each worth 1, and the Jacks, Queens, and Kings are each worth 10.
The player to the left of the dealer lays one of their cards face up next to the stack of cards in the middle. As players lay the cards, they add the points together. For example, if player one lays a 6, the total is 6. Then player two lays a Queen, the total is now 16 (6 +10). Player three lays a King, the total is now 26 (16 + 10). The only time the numbers are not added is when a 10 is laid. If a 10 is laid, then players must subtract 10 points from the total score.
Each time a player lays a card, they must draw a new card so they always have 7 cards in their hand. Play continues until one player reaches exactly 99 with a card he or she lays.
I think the kids have so much fun playing it that they don’t even realize they are practicing adding and subtracting!
Do you have any fun tips on how to practice math?
Brigitte Brulz 