One of the basic tenets of education for me is that learning should be fun. I know I love to learn. There’s a reason why the phrase “fun and games” exists—games are fun. (For most people—my husband is not that fond of them).
The kids I’m teaching are the brightest of the bright—but even with this group of students some concepts need reinforcement. Most of the kids completely understood the concepts of negative integers and absolute value right away, but that doesn’t mean every single student did. So . . . how to reinforce adding integers, both positive and negative, without doing another worksheet?
A card game called Integer 25. Black cards are positive, red cards are negative. You keep a running total, doing the math aloud, as you take turns throwing down your cards. The person that throws down the card that brings the total to 25 wins that hand.
What a hit! Lots of hooting, hollering and cooperative learning going on and positive social interactions all around. The icing on the cake was the set of Brailled playing cards that made it possible for the student who is blind to play right along with her group.
You know you’re on the right track when the students are thanking you for all the fun they had as they leave the classroom!
*For those of you with younger children, Blackjack is the best way I know to teach math facts!
I think I should try this with my college kids. Give me a couple weeks, and I'll come up with a thematic connection to ethics.
Seriously, it's a great idea. Wish I'd heard of it back in my homeschooling days!
Posted by: Kalynne Pudner | December 10, 2009 at 01:30 AM
What a fun idea!!! I do love black jack as well, but loathe math...does that mean I just like to gamble?
Have a great day!
Posted by: busy bee suz | December 10, 2009 at 07:48 AM
Great idea! I'm going to introduce my kids to that game.
Posted by: jenn | December 10, 2009 at 08:23 AM
Such a great idea!
Posted by: Tammy | December 10, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Fun! I'd play!
Posted by: Smalltown Mom | December 10, 2009 at 10:40 AM
How rewarding to know that they are learning AND having fun!
Posted by: Mom Taxi Julie | December 10, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Bravo! I'm passing this link to my teacher sis and teacher friends.
Posted by: phd in yogurtry | December 10, 2009 at 12:55 PM
Brilliant! LOVE it!
Posted by: Green Girl in Wisconsin | December 10, 2009 at 02:06 PM
Oh how I wish you were around for my stepson's education; his Gate/Seminar teachers seemed to just give him more of the same 'advanced' work, which is exactly what he didn't need! Bravo!
Posted by: Steph | December 10, 2009 at 03:09 PM
I just taught my 8 yr old Cribbage. Integer 25 is next.
Posted by: molly | December 10, 2009 at 03:19 PM
I despise worksheets. I LOVE this kind of stuff. What a fantastic, fun, creative way to teach a (let's face it) dull subject.
Posted by: jenrantsraves | December 10, 2009 at 06:34 PM
My friend did this with his girls, too. Great idea.
Posted by: Brightside-Susan | December 10, 2009 at 07:10 PM
I learned to play 21, 31 and a variety of other games with my grandma when I was really young....math? no problem for me. will introduce this one to the games my boys and I play....card games. what a great way to learn math.
Posted by: Debbie | December 12, 2009 at 05:03 AM
Great idea! We also play the card game "war". Both players throw down a pair of cards and add them together. The player with the higher sum takes all four cards. It's also great for multiplication practice.
Posted by: Mom on the Verge | December 12, 2009 at 11:30 PM
Casinos as magnet schools - brilliant!
Posted by: Fannie | December 14, 2009 at 10:18 AM
This sounds like fun - thanks for the idea.
Posted by: magpie | December 14, 2009 at 04:31 PM