This simple yet engaging dice game is designed to support year three mathematics objectives, specifically focusing on mental addition and subtraction skills. Players practice mental arithmetic while having fun, requiring only a piece of paper, a pen, and a dice.
What do you need?
Piece of paper
Pen
Dice
Pieces of paper or another dice labelled with “add” and “subtract”
How to Play:
Setup: Each player starts with the same 3 digit number and a grid on which to record their scores. Determine the number of rounds to play and the order of operations (e.g., adding ones, tens, hundreds or a mixture of all three).
Roll the Dice: Players take turns rolling the dice to determine the number they will be working with. The rolled number will dictate the calculation to perform.
Choose Operation: Player 1 selects a piece of paper labelled with “add” or “subtract” to determine the operation they will perform.
Perform Calculation: Player 1 rolls the dice again to determine the quantity they will add or subtract. They then mentally calculate the result and record it in their grid.
Scorekeeping: Each player continues to take turns and recording their scores on the grid.
Round Variations: Players may choose to have rounds dedicated to adding ones, tens, or hundreds, or a mixture of all. This variation allows for practice at different levels of difficulty.
Determining the Winner: At the end of all rounds, the player with the highest total score is declared the winner.
Example Gameplay:
Player 1 selects “subtract” and rolls the dice, getting a result of 2. They mentally subtract 2 from their current score and record the new total.
Player 1 then selects “add” and rolls the dice, getting a result of 4. They add 40 to their current score and update their total.
Finally, each player completes the hundreds round, and the player with the highest score overall wins the game.
Educational Benefit: ‘Mental Addition and Subtraction’ provides a playful way for students to strengthen their mental arithmetic skills while practicing addition and subtraction in a competitive setting. It encourages quick thinking and mental calculation, reinforcing mathematical concepts in an engaging manner.
