Around the house

Watch the video to learn how to play

(From J Bay-Williams and G Kling, 2019)

Transcript

OK mathematicians, to play this game we will need one or two markers, a game board, and you can draw one that looks like ours. It a house with the number one to ten around it, three, zero to six dice or spinners. You could also use playing card or a number spinner...

Transcript coming soon.

Collect resources

You will need:

  • 3 x 6-sided dice (you could also use playing cards A-6 or a number spinner)

  • paper

  • 2 pencils or markers

Instructions

  • Draw a ‘house’ shape.

  • Write the numbers 1-10 in order around the house. For example,

  • Roll all 3 dice.

  • Use any of the operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication or division) and all 3 dice to form a number sentence that has a total of 1.

    • If a player can’t form a total of 1, the other player rolls the dice and has a go at writing an equation number sentence) that is equivalent in value to 1.

    • If a player can go, once he or she has found a way to make 1, cross the '1' out on the game board. Then, without rolling the dice again, try to create 2.

  • Continue taking turns, moving around the house in order from 1 to 10.

  • Your turn is over when you can’t make the next number around the house with the dice you rolled.  

  • The player to cross out the '10', wins!  

Other ways to play

  • Only use 2 operations. For example, addition and subtraction.

  • Choose to use 2 of the 3 dice you rolled.

  • Each player has their own house to travel around.

  • Mark off numbers in any order, instead of moving from 1 to 10.

  • Use 10-sided dice (or spinners) and move around the house from 1- 20.

Discussion

  • Is it possible to make it all the way around the house without having to reroll? See if you can find a way.

  • Was there an operation you used more frequently than others? Why?