Brief Description

Objectives

• follow instructions to perform a trick.
• critique fellow students efforts to help them perform to maximum level.
• explain the math concepts behind the trick.
• learn to use a video camera (optional).

Keywords

Materials Needed

• a deck of cards
• a friend
• pencil and paper

Lesson Plan

In this activity, students learn a cool card trick they can try on friends, siblings, and parents. Let them perfect the trick on their classmates first.

To incorporate technology into this activity, you might have students write their magician's spiel in script form, videotape one another, and critique the performances.

For detailed instructions for this activity, go to the Math Explorer Web site to find the The Mind Reader activity.

Assessment

Students will write a paragraph that explains in their own words the math behind this trick.

Lesson Plan Source

The Math Explorer

National Standards

FINE ARTS: Theatre

GRADES K - 4
NA-T.K-4.1 Script Writing by Planning and Recording Improvisations Based on Personal Experience and Heritage, Imagination, Literature, and History

GRADES 5 - 8
NA-T.5-8.1 Script Writing by Planning and Recording Improvisations Based on Personal Experience and Heritage, Imagination, Literature, and History

GRADES 9 - 12
NA-T.9-12.1 Script Writing by Planning and Recording Improvisations Based on Personal Experience and Heritage, Imagination, Literature, and History

GRADES K - 12
NL-ENG.K-12.2 Reading for Understanding
NL-ENG.K-12.4 Communication Skills
NL-ENG.K-12.5 Communication Strategies
NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills

• GRADES 3 - 5

NM-NUM.3-5.1 Understand Numbers, Ways of Representing Numbers, Relationships Among Numbers, and Number Systems
NM-NUM.3-5.2 Understand Meanings of Operations and How They Relate to One Another
NM-NUM.3-5.3 Compute Fluently and Make Reasonable Estimates

GRADES 6 - 8
NM-NUM.6-8.1 Understand Numbers, Ways of Representing Numbers, Relationships Among Numbers, and Number Systems
NM-NUM.6-8.2 Understand Meanings of Operations and How They Relate to One Another
NM-NUM.6-8.3 Compute Fluently and Make Reasonable Estimates

GRADES 9 - 12
NM-NUM.9-12.1 Understand Numbers, Ways of Representing Numbers, Relationships Among Numbers, and Number Systems
NM-NUM.9-12.2 Understand Meanings of Operations and How They Relate to One Another
NM-NUM.9-12.3 Compute Fluently and Make Reasonable Estimates

• GRADES 3 - 5

NM-ALG.3-5.1 Understand Patterns, Relations, and Functions

GRADES 6 - 8
NM-ALG.6-8.1 Understand Patterns, Relations, and Functions

GRADES 9 - 12
NM-ALG.9-12.1 Understand Patterns, Relations, and Functions

GRADES Pre-K - 12
NM-COMM.PK-12.2 Communicate Their Mathematical Thinking Coherently and Clearly to Peers, Teachers, and Others
NM-COMM.PK-12.3 Analyze and Evaluate the Mathematical Thinking and Strategies of Others
NM-COMM.PK-12.4 Use the Language of Mathematics to Express Mathematical Ideas Precisely

GRADES Pre-K - 12
NM-CONN.PK-12.2 Understand How Mathematical Ideas Interconnect and Build on One Another to Produce a Coherent Whole
NM-CONN.PK-12.3 Recognize and Apply Mathematics in Contexts Outside of Mathematics

GRADES K - 12
NT.K-12.1 Basic Operations and Concepts
NT.K-12.2 Social, Ethical, and Human Issues
NT.K-12.3 Technology Productivity tools
NT.K-12.4 Technology Communications tools
NT.K-12.5 Technology Research tools
NT.K-12.6 Technology Problem-Solving and Decision-Making tools

Click here to return to this weeks "More Math Fun article.

Have you seen these math resources from the Education World archive?

• Phone Book Math
• Math Fun! -- Five 'Invisible Math Lessons
• Count on the Census for Math Lessons!
• On-Line Math Tools --- and Activities to Use With Them!
• Use It or Lose It: Puzzles to Exercise the Brain
• Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plans: Math