Place Value Game

Have you ever gone to a conference and couldn't wait to get back to your classroom to try all your new ideas!?  Aren't those the best?  I attended a BER conference this week that was just that for me!  It was about  Response to Intervention (RTI) with a focus on mathematics.  I got so many ideas for math strategies to use for grades K-3.  I plan to try a lot of them throughout the coming weeks and post about my favorites.

I tried a quick place value game with my first graders this past week.  It involved students drawing a card (only A-1 through 9) and placing it on a place value mat in order to create the largest number possible.  Player 1 drew a card and had to decide if it was a smart decision to put that card in the ones or tens place value position.  Then player 2 did the same.  This was repeated again so students had created a two-digit number. (Could challenge some students to create a 3-digit number.)  We were able to discuss strategies they used and they got better as the game was played.  You could also roll a die and only use numbers 1-6 to simplify the game.  I created a similar recording sheet as the one in our conference binder.  You can download here.  Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check back for some more ideas soon! :)

Enjoy your weekend!
-Kara Treadwell