Tag Archives: Math Games

Integer Wars – The Battle is “Real” – Othello for Building Number Sense

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One of my favorite board games is Othello. As a fan of solitaire types of games, I found as a teenager that I could spend a decent amount of time with Othello because of its strategy building. I love puzzles and simple but challenging games. This is a fave.

Othello is easy to start, easy to play, and can be as challenging as two players want to make it. The basic premise is opposite colors on the chips, black and white, which can be flipped when a player places a chip such that their color is on opposite sides in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line. As strategic sense is developed, an individual may look for key positions that will facilitate multiple flips on their turn. Simple but engaging, for sure.

The winner is the individual who ends the game with the most pieces on the board, which is a great place to look at opposites and differences. Who wins, and by how much? This is my basic question in the classroom when we look at integer operations that otherwise confuse struggling students.

For example, 6-4 is easy enough for my students to calculate as 2. However, 4-6 throws them off, even if they have encountered such problems in the past. My ongoing questioning strategy is to ask, which team wins? Team negative or team positive?

But wait, aren’t they both positives? I help my students to understand that subtracting 6 is the same as putting a negative 6 in the problem, which seems to be accepted the majority of the time. In other words, subtraction has the same effect as adding the opposite.

The team approach really depends on the difference model of subtraction. Students often struggle because they see subtraction only as taking away. Spending some time visiting the difference model and building this approach to subtraction is well worth the time, and Othello is a great option for introducing or reinforcing the idea.

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Krypto – Developing and Expanding Number Sense

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Krypto Original Family Arithmetic Game
Krypto can be adapted for use with various age and ability levels, perfect for promoting number sense at home or in the classroom.

Mental math skill is an asset, but it can be intimidating to those who feel inadequate in their math abilities. Krypto is a great game for working on these skills, challenging to students, teachers, and parents alike. The good news is that Krypto can be adapted for those who aren’t ready for huge complications in their math days. You can definitely work your way up to the more challenging versions.

The card game is designed to use whole numbers 1 through 25. The deck is composed of 56 cards as follows:

3 each of cards 1-6

4 each of cards 7-10

2 each of cards 11-17

1 each of cards 18-25

As the game is designed, a round is played with a set of 6 cards dealt face up. The first five must be used in a math problem exactly one time each to produce the number on the 6th card, called the “Objective Card”. I call it the “Target” in my classroom when I conduct Krypto activities.

All players work on the same set of cards, with the first to find a viable solution calling out, “Krypto!” The game requires a limited amount of time be allotted for that individual to effectively explain their answer.

How I Use Krypto in the Classroom

I manage the deck, shuffle, and deal. I write the action numbers on the board and identify the target number as well. I remind my students that they must use all of the action numbers exactly one time. They cannot omit any numbers. They frequently want to know if there is a solution. I participate along with them and will let them know if I find a solution. If I struggle for more than a couple of minutes, I will allow them to continue working but will deal out a new set of options to keep things moving.

Adapting for Varied Needs

To reduce frustrations for students who struggle in math, I reduce the number of action cards to 4, so we use the first 4 cards for computation and the 5th as the target. At times, I will pull out numbers greater than 20.

I have successfully played the game with middle school students using the full deck and 6 cards at a time. With students with learning disabilities in math at the high school level, I use 5 cards. With younger students, you can adapt by removing double digit cards or by using only 3 or 4 cards total. If you are using fewer cards, you can also focus on whether a viable solution is available.

The rules of the game don’t include fractions, radicals, or negatives. However, you could definitely create your own variations.

No Krypto Deck? No Worries!

You can assemble your own Krypto deck from miscellaneous cards from other decks. This is a great way to repurpose incomplete decks. When this game was first introduced to me in 1988, we used blank flashcards to make our own decks. Index cards are very affordable, another perfect way to put this game together on your own. Another option? Write the numbers on pieces of paper or cardstock, and put them in a hat – draw them out instead of dealing them.