More, less or the same

Summary

Students use cards to make sentences to compare numbers.

Curriculum content

• Compare numbers using ‘is more than’, ‘is less than’ or ‘is equal to’
• Read number words 1 to 10
• Write numbers 1 to 10

Materials

Card sets

• 1 set of Mathletics number cards 1 to 10 1-10
• 1 set of Mathletics word cards 1 to 10 1-10
• Mathletics operation word cards ‘is more than’, ‘is less than’ and ‘is equal to’

How to play

Set up

1. Arrange students into pairs side-by-side.
2. Arrange the operation word cards face up one below the other.
3. Shuffle or mix the number and word cards together. Place them in a pile face down above the operation word cards.

Rules

1. Player 1 turns over a card from the number pile and places it either side of any operation word card.
2. Player 2 turns over a card from the number pile and places it either side of any operation word card.
3. Players who create a true sentence keeps both cards.
4. Players take turns.
5. A player can choose to move a card on their turn rather than pick up a card.
6. The winner is the player with the most cards when all the number cards have been used.

Variations

CHANGE it down

• Use 2 sets of number cards rather than a mix of numerals and words.

CHANGE it up

• Ask students to record their comparison sentences.
• Use operation symbol cards instead of words.
• Use cards 10 to 20.

What to look for

• Can students read number words?
• Can students correctly compare 2 numbers?
• Do students notice that it is unlikely that they will win if they use the ‘is equal to’ card?
• Do students begin to notice that the magnitude of the number affects the probability of making a true sentence? For example, if a student turns over a 7, they should choose to place it before the ‘is more than’ card rather than the ‘is less than’ card.