Sticks and stones

Summary

A whole class cooperative game where students match numbers to words and pictures.

Curriculum content

• Read numbers to 10
• Read number words to 10
• Count 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
• 1 set of Mathletics image cards 1 to 10 1-10

How to play

Set-up

1. Arrange the whole class into 1 group.
2. The teacher selects matching sets of number, word and image cards (3 in a set) to suit the number of students in the class. If the class size is not a multiple of 3, assign 1 or 2 ‘watchers’ who observe for each round.
3. The teacher distributes 1 card to each student. Students do not reveal their card to others.

Rules

1. When the teacher says ‘Go’, players move around the room trying to find 1 other player with a card representing the same value as their own.
2. When players have found a match, they sit on the floor in a pair. They are ‘stones’.
3. If players cannot find a match or the pair has already been made, they start a line in number order. They are the ‘sticks’.
4. The game ends when all players are either correctly lined up or in a pair.
5. Determine if ‘sticks’ or ‘stones’ won the game. Players may like to keep a tally.
6. Redistribute cards (and swap roles of ‘watchers’) and play again.

Variations

CHANGE it down

• Assign a card type as the ‘sticks’.

CHANGE it up

• Play using only non-verbal communication.
• Play without revealing cards to other students.
• Include zero cards.
• Use ‘teen’ numbers.

What to look for

• Were students able to identify and communicate the number represented on their card?
• Were students able to confirm the match with other cards?
• Did students find alternative ways to express the number value of their card?