Teaching math can be a challenge, but incorporating games into your lessons can make learning more engaging and fun for your students. One math concept that is particularly well-suited to games is place value. Place value is a foundational math concept that is essential for understanding larger numbers and more advanced mathematical operations.
Place Value War: Place Value War is a simple card game that can be played with a deck of cards. Students take turns flipping over two cards and then combining the numbers to make the highest possible value. The student with the highest value wins that round. To add a twist, you can have students roll a dice to determine which place value they will use (ones, tens, or hundreds) for each round.
Place Value Bingo: Bingo is a classic game that can be adapted for many different math concepts, including place value. Create bingo cards with different numbers in each place value position (e.g. 3 in the ones place, 4 in the tens place, 5 in the hundreds place) and have students mark off the numbers as they are called out.
Base Ten Block Toss: Base Ten Block Toss is a physical game that can be played in the classroom or outdoors. Set up a target (such as a bucket or hula hoop) and have students toss base ten blocks into the target. After each toss, have students count up the value of the blocks that landed in the target.
Place Value Jenga: Jenga is a popular game that can be adapted for place value by writing numbers on each block. Before playing, have students roll a dice to determine which place value they will use (ones, tens, or hundreds) for that round. As students remove blocks, they must add the value of the number on the block to their total score.
Place Value Puzzle: Create a puzzle with a large number on it and have students break it down into its component parts (e.g. thousands, hundreds, tens, ones). This game can be adapted for different skill levels by using larger or smaller numbers.
Number Sequence: Number Sequence is a game that helps students understand the relationship between different place values. Write a series of numbers on the board and have students identify the pattern between them (e.g. each number is ten times greater than the previous one). This game can be adapted for different skill levels by using more or fewer numbers and more or fewer steps between each number.
Place Value Yahtzee: Yahtzee is a classic game that can be adapted for place value by using a scoring system that takes into account the different place values of the dice. For example, students could earn points for rolling a certain number of ones, tens, or hundreds.
Incorporating games into your math lessons is a great way to engage your students and make learning fun. These seven games are just a few examples of the many games you can use to teach place value to your elementary school students. With a little creativity, you can create your own games and activities that will help your students master this essential math concept.
