More Math War with Special Decks

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

Just updated my blog post Math Game: War with Special Decks to add a couple of games I missed the first time around:

And…

If you’d like more ways to play with math from preschool to high school, check out My Favorite Math Games.

 
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Which I am going to say right now. Thank you!

“More Math War with Special Decks” copyright © 2020 by Denise Gaskins. “Red playing cards” photo by José Pablo Iglesias via Unsplash.com.

Parallel and Perpendicular Art

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

I love this easy-but-beautiful math art project!

1. Print a page of dotty or lined graph paper for each student. You’ll also need a ruler and a large assortment of markers or colored pencils.

2. Students draw a line across the page, lining up their ruler with the grid points. The first line can be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal.

3. Keep drawing lines, but NEVER cross a line you’ve already drawn. Following the grid will create many lines parallel or perpendicular to each other. What angles can you identify?

4. Color as desired. For a stained-glass effect, outline the colored areas with a black Sharpie marker.

Look for more math art ideas in my new book Geometric Coloring Designs 2: Create Your Own Art.

CREDITS: I saw this project at Cindy’s Love2Learn2Day blog. She got the idea from Zachary‘s MathActivities site.

Playing Math with Michael and Nash

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

Michael and Nash have been creating and posting new math games with astonishing regularity throughout the pandemic. Their YouTube channel is a great resource for parents who want to play math with elementary-age children.

Today’s entry: Closest to Ten, a quick game for addition and subtraction fluency with a tiny bit of multiplication potential.

And here’s one of my favorites for older players: Factor Triangles, a card game for 2-digit multiplication.

Check out their channel, and have fun playing math with your kids!

Visit Michael and Nash on YouTube

Prime Factor Art on a Hundred Chart

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

The best way to practice math is to play with it — to use the patterns and connections between math concepts in your pursuit of something fun or beautiful.

So this art project is a great way to practice multiplication. Use the prime factors of numbers from one to one hundred to create a colorful design.

Start with a Hundred Chart

First, download this printable file of hundred charts in non-photo blue (or light gray, if you’re printing in grayscale). The file includes:

  • Line-by-line traditional chart, counting from top to bottom.
  • Line-by-line bottom’s-up chart, counting from bottom to top.
  • Ulam’s Spiral chart, spiraling out from the center.
  • Blank grids for making your own patterns.

Download the Printable Charts

Continue reading Prime Factor Art on a Hundred Chart

Kenken is Mathematical Play

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

It’s back-to-school time here in the States. And that means it’s time for the Kenken Classroom Newsletter. Yay for math puzzles!

KenKen arithmetic puzzles build mental math skills, logical reasoning, persistence, and mathematical confidence.

Free via email every Friday during the school year.

What a great way to prepare your children for success in math!

Sign up anytime:

Click Here for KenKen Classroom Newsletter

Continue reading Kenken is Mathematical Play

More Math You Can Play — for Free

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

favorite-math-gamesThe Kickstarter is done, and today I’m kicking back and resting a bit. (And running into town for some errands, because life never stops.)

But even as I’m taking it easy around here, I know many of you are looking for ways to help your children learn to play with math.

So click the button below to go see all the games I’ve posted on my blog over the years. All free for your family’s use, and most of them don’t require anything more than a deck of cards or some paper and pencil.

My Favorite Math Games

So many great ways to play math with your kids. Have fun!

The Best Math Game Ever

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

The Substitution Game features low-floor, high-ceiling cooperative play that works with any age (or with a mixed-age group) — and you can use it while distance learning, too. It’s great for building algebraic thinking.

Excerpted from my new book, Prealgebra & Geometry: Math Games for Middle School. Look for it at your favorite online bookstore.

The Substitution Game

Math Concepts: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, order of operations, integers, fractions, equivalence and substitution.

Players: any number (a cooperative game).

Equipment: whiteboard and markers (preferred) or pencil and paper to share. Calculator optional.

Continue reading The Best Math Game Ever

Math Conversation Starter

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

(Click for larger image.)

What do you see?

Does it make you wonder?

How is perspective art similar to the isometric drawing in yesterday’s post? How is it different?

You may also enjoy:

CREDITS: William Hogarth – “The importance of knowing perspective” (Absurd perspectives), Engraving on paper. From Wikimedia Commons.

How to Draw Minecraft Blocks

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

Running out of time on my Math You Can Play Kickstarter, so I better get to work on that Kickstarter Special Edition math-art book I promised to all the backers as a bonus reward.

Today I’m working on the Isometric Drawing and Impossible Figures section, because my co-op math classes had so much fun learning how to draw those.

Here’s a starter image on how to draw Minecraft blocks. At first I called them “isometric blocks” — but changing the name to “Minecraft” made the students really excited to learn. I’m not sure whether I like the pencil sketch, or if I should remake the illustrations on the computer…

Key steps:

  1. Make a Y.
  2. Turn it into an M.
  3. Slant down for the bottom.
  4. Slant up for the top.

Student drawings from my co-op classes.

The most common problem for beginners is that they try to make the base straight. They know a block can sit on a table, so the bottom has to be flat, right? But once students get a feel for how it goes, they can really take off and have fun.

UPDATE: The Kickstarter deals have ended, but my playful math books are still available through your favorite online store or by special order at your local bookshop. (Except for the Prealgebra & Geometry Games book, scheduled for publication in early 2021. Sign up for my email list to get the latest news.)

Math Game: Hit Me

Posted on by Denise Gaskins

I believe this was the first math game I ever invented. Of course, ideas are common currency, so I’m sure other math teachers thought of it before I did. But to me, it was original.

I’ve blogged about the game before, but here’s the updated version as it appears in my new book Prealgebra & Geometry: Math Games for Middle School — scheduled for publication in early 2021. Sign up for my newsletter to get updates.

Hit Me

Math Concepts: integer addition, absolute value.

Players: two or more.

Equipment: playing cards (two decks may be needed for a large group).

Continue reading Math Game: Hit Me