Physical Games In The Math Classroom.

 

Although it is easy to find games for the digital devices in your classroom, sometimes it is better to organize physical games so students have to move around.  Movement is important for students to help them learn better.  Movement means students get more oxygen moved to the brain, helps them fidget less and focus more and is known as the "Miracle Grow" for the brain.

One of the best ways to incorporate movement is by using physical games that force students to get up and move. The games don't have to be complicated or require a lot of equipment.

One is called Snowballs.  One takes several baskets and clip a problem to the top of the basket. Students are asked to solve the problem and throw the correct number of pompoms or scrunched up balls of paper into the associated basket.  They throw it from a distance and this can be done individually or in small groups.

Another game is the flyswatter game which is good for fluency type problems such as changing percent to decimals or fractions to a percent which most students need a bit extra practice.  Begin by writing 10 answers on the board (be warned they might rub off if written on a white board).  Tape a line that is parallel to the board and about 5 feet away.  You will need two flyswatters for the game.  

To play, divide the class into two groups such as boys vs girls or left side vs right side.  Ask the students to line up on the line with the teacher in the middle between the two groups.  Make sure students know that you will not call out the problem unless it is silent.  The teacher will call out a problem like 42% is what fraction in reduced form.  The first two students armed with flyswatters will run up and swat the correct answer.  The first person who swats the correct answer earns a point for their team.  The next two people get the flyswatter and the teacher reads the next question.  When they get through the whole line, the team with the higher scores wins.

Next is Find it and Fix it which is an error analysis game.  It can be used for review or for test/quiz error analysis.  Go through the test, work, or quizzes to determine which errors are common to most of the students.  Then photocopy about 10 different incorrect problems and post around the classroom.  Ask students to rework the problem and analyze the error and place on the answer sheet.  As they finish one problem they can move on to the next until they have analyzed all the problems.

How about playing Round Robin.  Place students into groups of four  and give each student a different colored pencil. Place one problem on each piece of paper. Arrange the room so that the problems are spread out around the room.  Assign a group to start with a specific problem. Each group takes one copy of the problem and everyone signs their name at the top of the page with their assigned colored pencil.  Each person will work one step in the problem using the assigned colored pencil. At the end, they should have solved the problem.  If someone in the group thinks a person made a mistake in their line, they may ask respectfully to double check their line.  At the end of the problem, the whole group moves on to the next problem and continues until they've finished all the problems.

Finally for today is Find Someone Who - Everyone is given a sheet of paper with problems while seated.  Then everyone walks around the room, stopping to work a problem on someone else's paper and has to initial it when they've finished.  An example would be John and Frank stop to solve problems. John chooses to answer problem 5 on Franks paper while Frank completes problem 2 on Johns page.  When John finishes the problem, he initials the box and gives the paper back to Frank and Frank initials the box when his paper and they give the papers back and move on to solve another problem on another person's paper.   This can continue till all the problems are finished.

Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  I tried to look at games that were a bit different than the usual ones.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great weekend.