Squeeze Play

LEVELS

Grades 2 - 3

SKILLS

place value to 1000
between-ness

PLAYERS

EQUIPMENT

playing cards Ace (= 1) through 9
paper and pencil

GETTING STARTED

Each player takes six cards from the stack of cards and uses them to make two 3-digit numbers. The idea is for students to create two numbers with as large a spread as possible between them.

Example:

Player 1 draws six cards and creates the two numbers 122 and 863.

Player 2 draws six cards and creates the two numbers 113 and 976.

After players have made their numbers, they turn over three more cards from the stack.

The first card turned is the hundreds number.
The second card turned is the tens number.
The third card turned is the ones number.

Does this number fall between the two 3-digit numbers each player created? If it does, the player scores a point.

Example:
The players turn over the cards 9, 2 and 5 to create the number 925.

Player 1 does not score a point because the number 925 falls outside the range of his two numbers, 122 and 863.
Player 2 earns a point because the number 925 falls inside the range of her two numbers, 113 and 976.

Play continues until one player has a specific number of points (for example, 10 points), or until time runs out.

Joanne Currah and Jane Felling have created two best-selling math game books -- Shuffling Into Math (for teachers of grades K-3) and All Hands on Deck (grades 1-9). Each book includes simple instructions for more than 100 math games that help children discover math concepts and reinforce math skills. Education World is pleased to present a selection of those activities in this series.

Click to learn more about these books and other exciting products and service from Joanne and Jane's Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks.

More About Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks

Joanne Currah and Jane Felling created their company, BOX CARS & ONE-EYED JACKS, for the sole purpose of making math fun -- not threatening or frustrating -- for children. Joanne and Jane spend many days each year on the road as they train teachers to make math fun for kids and run Family Math Nights at schools. To learn more about the authors, their books, and the services they provide, visit them at www.boxcarsandoneeyedjacks.com or email them at boxcars@planet.eon.net.