Special Features

Printable Version for your convenience!

Activities:
TLW play "Celebrity Heads."

Materials:
"hat" out of construction paper clips to put card on "hat" cards with math problems sheets of paper to figure math problems

Procedure:
Tell children how to play Celebrity Heads
Put children in small groups
Choose a target child and place a "hat" on his/her head
Choose a card from the bag and paper clip it to the hat
Have children write their math problems on a sheet of paper as they solve them to guide their thinking and help them remember the clues they have gotten. After the problem is solved, the child passes the "hat" to the next child.

How To Play Celebrity Heads:
The students can work in pairs or small teams, or one target against the group.
The target student wears a "hat" that you fashion from cardboard. A simple wrap-around design works well.
On the hat, you pin, or staple your question, in large, bold lettering, so all the audience can read it. The target student should not be able to read it, though.
Three or four target students at the front of the room is great fun. Note that each target can see the questions on the hats of each other target, but not the question on his/her own hat.
The target students ask a number of questions like "Is three added to my number ?" "Is my answer seven ?", etc.
Any question is allowed, as long as the answers are only either "YES" or "NO".
The targets take turns to ask questions about their sum. When the group answers "YES", the same target can ask another question.
When the group answers "NO" or the question can not be answered with either "YES" or "NO", the next target gets a turn.
Ultimately, you want "Is the missing number ___?"

Assessment:
Walk around the room and listen to and observe children as they play the game.
Be available for questions.
Have children record their math problems with solutions on paper.

Books:
Scoop! Fishbowl Fun: Simple Addition by Monica Weiss

Ways to Simplify:
Allow students to give the target student hints rather than just yes or no answers to their questions or allow children to give the target child one number on their card to help them get started.

Ways to Extend:
Provide more complex equations on the card.
Limit the number of questions the target child can ask their peers.
Have children figure out the answer without talking to each other (allowing them to use other forms of communication).

E-Mail Mollie!