Title – Dice Math

By – Amy McIntire

Primary Subject – Math

Grade Level – K-5

Objective: Increase speed with math facts. (Can be used for multiplication, subtraction, addition, etc.) Encourages team work, depending on structure, and competition!

Procedures:

1. Have at least two dice for each student (you can buy them in bulk at any dollar store!) let the students practice their speed by rolling the dice on their desk and saying the problem in their head and speaking only the answer. (Gear type of problem based on age.) If you are in a first grade class add the two dice, 3rd grade multiply, etc.

2. Once the kids have a handle on how the process works, pair them up for a little friendly competition. “Whoever says the answer first, gets a point.”

3. Kick it up a notch and add a third dice, or a fourth for double digit addition.

I use this as a reward game at the close and as a filler throughout the day. If dice are on each child’s school supply list, then they will have them in their pencil boxes for easy access all year long.

Additional uses:

I also have large colored dice: each color represents the action. For example: begin with the number on the green die, subtract the number on the red die, add the blue and yellow die, then multiply the answer by the white die. It sounds complicated, but the kids love it because they are capable of adding, subtracting and multiplying smaller numbers in their heads and they gain a great deal of confidence because they have to take several steps to get the answer.

*Note: at times your green number will be less than your red number… taking them into the negatives, this is really great practice for adding negative numbers!

I would love to hear how you may have modified this activitity.

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Amy McIntire

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