Fluxx

Yestereday we played the game FLUXX in my high school Geometry classes. I randomly placed students in groups of 3 or 4. My purpose wasn't to teach any Geometry content standards but it definitely should have made them think!  The students recognized that the order in which they played their cards made a difference on their possibility to win. Hmm...the order in which they solve a right triangles matters too!  I guess it will help to teach trigonometry this coming week! 

Everything I ever ask my students to do has a purpose. But that purpose can change after the fact.  The original purpose of the game was to give my students time to relax and de-stress. But after student comments about the order cards are played being important, my purpose has changed.

Number Sense for all!

Have you ever played a game with your family and realized how much mathematics and reasoning you have to use to play the game?

I have! 

Have you noticed that your students have struggled with basic number sense?

I have!

Have you ever put the two together?

I have!!

In my high school Geometry classes, I want my students to think! I want my students to increase their number sense. I want my students to enjoy mathematical ideas like I do!  So what did I do? I spent one hour a week at the asking my students to play games. I randomly assigned students to groups and gave them a game to play. I started with easy games like Uno and Tenzi. I seldom explain the games forcing the students to read and follow the directions. As time progress, they played games like Tiny Polka Dots, Prime Climb, Numero, Quadfactors, etc. My students have built relationships AND have improved their number sense. WIN-WIN!!

Where to start...try one game day. Find all of your own games that connect numbers and and put a different game at each table. Make sure the first games are easy to understand, like Tenzi. It takes a LOT of dice, 10 per person but it gets students thinking! 

About Tenzi...There are a wide variety of rules. I created a list for students to follow for each round. Students keep their own score. 5 points for winner of each round.

Round 1...roll all 1s. Etc.

Round 7...roll all evens.

Round 8...roll all odds.

Round 9...roll all primes.

Round 10...roll all composites.  Etc.

If you're students get a chance to play, they WILL think mathematically!  Just try it!