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Math Games
With Jane and Joanne

Productive Products

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LEVELS

Grades 4 and up

SKILLS

  • multiplying 3-digit numbers

PLAYERS

  • 2 or more, or teacher vs. the entire class

EQUIPMENT

  • playing cards Ace (=1) through 9 and King (King=0)
  • one gameboard per player
  • pencil

GETTING STARTED

The object of this game is to make the greatest product.

Place the deck of cards face down in the middle of the playing area. Any player draws a single card from the deck and places it face up. All players select a space on their gameboard. They write the number of the card in that space.

Players draw five more cards and proceed to fill in all the spaces on their gameboards.

Once all gameboard spaces are filled, players complete the multiplication. The player with the greatest product is the winner of that round. The winner earns 1 point. In the event of a tie, each player earns 1 point.

Example
Two completed gameboards using the six cards 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and King (0) might look like this:

Player 1 has the greatest product and earns 1 point for this round. The winner is the player with the most points after a set number of rounds or a set time limit.

As players gain more experience with this game, they will develop strategies to maximize their chances of winning.

VARIATION

Depending on multiplication skills being worked on, the number of cards used can be changed. Calculators may be used to check answers.

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 [email protected].

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